Briken Calja, the weightlifter, finished in 4th place in the snatch event at the World Weightlifting Championships held in Manama, Bahrain.

Competing in the 73 kg category, Calja was unable to complete the snatch lift in his first two attempts. He successfully lifted 153 kg on his third attempt, securing 4th place overall.

In the clean and jerk event, Calja started with 183 kg but failed to complete any of his attempts, while also experiencing back pain during the competition.

In a reaction after the competition, Calja expressed his disappointment with the criticism he received.

“It’s sad to see how easily the efforts and sweat of an athlete are minimized by some people. A 4th place in the world in the snatch is the result of tireless work, countless sacrifices, and passion for the sport. Let’s not forget that the world has 8 billion people, and being among the best is never a failure. For those who call this a failure, I invite you to walk in my shoes, even just for one day. Malicious criticism doesn’t stop me; it only gives me the strength to aim higher!” Calja wrote in a social media post.

/a.c/