LONDON (AP) — Ghada Hassine of Tunisia became the first Olympic weightlifter to compete in a newly approved unitard covering most of her body.
Rules requiring lifters to wear a uniform that doesn’t cover the arms and lower legs were changed last year. The U.S. had petitioned for a change on behalf of a Muslim lifter.
Hassine, 19, wore the unitard Wednesday under the traditional weightlifting outfit and a hijab covering her hair as she participated in group B of lower-ranked lifters in the women’s 69-kilogram category.
She cleared 102 kilograms in the snatch and 120 in the clean and jerk for a 220 kg total, putting her in second place before the top medal contenders had competed in group A.
