World champion Raija Koskinen of Finland won the gold medal in powerlifting in the women's lightweight division at World Games in Akita Prefecture on Monday with a total of 571.131 points in the squat, benchpress and deadlift. Chen Kuan-ting of Taiwan took second at Akita City Culture and Yukako Fukushima of Japan, who set a world record in the benchpress, was third.
Koskinen was elated to win her biggest world title this year at the 52-kg weight class and her first gold medal at a World Games.
"It feels really great to win at the World Games because I have so many silver medals. Usually some Russian girl beats me," said the 38-year-old Koskinen.
Taipei's Chen placed second with a score of 557.130 and Fukushima, who set a world record in the benchpress after lifting 120.5 kg, took the bronze with 545.520 points.
"I got into a good groove after the benchpress and felt good since my squat wasn't so good. I got into a rhythm and kept going from there," said Fukushima.
Fukushima took third after both athletes from Russia and Sweden failed in the deadlift. "At first I didn't believe that I'd come in third. I thought there must have been some mistake," Fukushima remarked.
Competition in the women's middleweight, up to 67.5 kg, and heavyweight divisions is scheduled for later Monday.