You're reading: Top Russian pair of weightlifters withdrawn

LONDON - Russia withdrew two of their top weightlifters from the London Olympics on Saturday, both of whom were expected to challenge for the gold medal in the 105 kilogramme weight class.

Dimitriy Klokov, who won silver at the Beijing Olympics in
2008, left the competition because of an unspecified medical
condition according to the Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko.

The Russian weightlifting federation said current world
champion Khadzhimurat Akkaev had failed to recover from recent
back surgery and would not lift in Monday’s competition.