Gareth Evans (weightlifter)
{{short description|Welsh weightlifter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Gareth Evans
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name = Gareth Irfon Evans
| nationality = Wales
| ethnicity =
| residence = Holyhead, Anglesey, North Wales
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1986|4|18}}
| birth_place = Dundee, Scotland
| height = {{convert|1.69|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|69|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| country = Wales/Great Britain
| sport = Weightlifting
| event = –69kg
| club = Holyhead Weightlifting Club
| turnedpro =
| coach = Ray Williams & Tamas Feher
| worlds =
| regionals =
| nationals =
| olympics =
| highestranking =
| pb = total: 299 kg (Queensland 2018) snatch: 136 kg (Queensland 2018) c&j: 163 kg (Queensland 2018)
| updated = 19 January 2022
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport|Men's weightlifting}}
{{MedalCountry|{{WAL}}}}
{{MedalComp|Commonwealth Games}}
{{MedalGold|2018 Gold Coast|69kg}}
{{MedalComp|Commonwealth Championships}}
{{MedalSilver|2019 Apia|67kg}}
{{MedalBronze|2011 Cape Town|69kg}}
{{MedalBronze|2016 Penang|69kg}}
}}
Gareth Irfon Evans (born 18 April 1986) is a Welsh weightlifter.[http://www.britishweightlifting.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=164&Itemid=114 Gareth Evans] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716163917/http://www.britishweightlifting.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=164&Itemid=114 |date=16 July 2012 }}. Britishweightlifting.org. Retrieved 12 February 2013. He has competed in the 62 kg and 69 kg weight categories, and was selected to represent Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics.[http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sports/london-olympics-2012/olympic-news/2012/06/11/weightlifting-gareth-evans-realises-olympic-dream-91466-31160501/ Weightlifting: Gareth Evans realises his Olympic dream]. walesonline.co.uk, 11 June 2012
Early and personal life
Evans was born to North Wales parents then resident in Dundee, Scotland, but the family moved back to their home in Holyhead, Anglesey before Evans started his schooling.
Evans started weightlifting aged 12, when he joined the local Holyhead Weightlifting Club.{{Cite web | url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport/other-sport/weightlifting-gareth-evans-says-owes-2658427 | title=Weightlifting: Gareth Evans says he owes his Olympic call-up to Holyhead Weightlifting Club | date=12 June 2012 }} A trained painter and decorator, he gave up his job in preparation for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and moved for the preceding year to Headingley, Leeds, to train full-time at the British Weight Lifting High Performance Centre.
Evans has a daughter.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19067610|title = Evans targets Commonwealth crown|work = BBC Sport}}
Career
At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Francois Etoundi a Cameroon-born weightlifter competing for Australia, competed in the men's 77 kg event where he won a bronze medal.{{cite news |last=McCullough |first=Ian |title=Francois Etoundi overcomes injury to win bronze |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=28 July 2014 |url=http://www.samoaobserver.ws/home/headlines/10990-samoa-has-lift-off |accessdate=15 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020063138/http://www.samoaobserver.ws/home/headlines/10990-samoa-has-lift-off |archive-date=20 October 2014 |url-status=dead }} The following day, he was arrested for breaking the nose of Evans, and ordered to pay £400 after appearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court. Etoundi was later stripped of his Commonwealth Games accreditation and sent home in disgrace.{{cite news |title=Weightlifter Francois Etoundi fined for headbutt that broke Welsh rival's nose |work=The Guardian |location=UK |date=31 July 2014 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/aug/01/weightlifter-francois-etoundi-fined-headbutt}}{{cite news |title=Weightlifter Francois Etoundi attacks Welsh athlete |publisher=BBC Sport |location=UK |date=31 July 2014 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-28580343}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/commonwealthgames/11004040/Commonwealth-Games-Weightlifters-fighting-over-a-girl-end-in-court.html|title=Commonwealth Games: Weightlifters fighting over a girl end in court}}
= London 2012 Olympics =
At the 2012 Olympics, in the snatch he lifted 130 kg, but failed his final attempt at 133 kg. In the clean and jerk, he lifted 158 kg but failed at 160 kg. With a personal best total of 288 kg, as well as personal bests in both the snatch and the clean and jerk, he finished eighth in group B and 17th overall in the 69 kg weight category.{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19068742 | website=BBC Sport |title=Olympics 2012: Gareth Evans sets three personal bests | date=31 July 2012 | access-date=12 February 2013}}[http://www.teamgb.com/athletes/gareth-evans Gareth Evans]. Team GB. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
= Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games =
Gareth Evans clinched his first Commonwealth Games medal during the 2018 Commonwealth Games on 6 April 2018 after winning a gold medal in the men's 69kg weightlifting event.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/commonwealth-games/43666774|title=Commonwealth Games: Welsh weightlifter Gareth Evans wins -69kg gold|date=2018-04-06|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2018-04-06|language=en-GB}} This was also the first gold medal won by Wales at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.{{Cite news|url=http://www.itv.com/news/wales/2018-04-06/weightlifter-gareth-evans-is-the-first-competitor-to-win-a-gold-medal-for-wales-in-the-commonwealth-games/|title=Weightlifter Gareth Evans is the first competitor to win a gold medal for Wales in the Commonwealth Games|work=ITV News|access-date=2018-04-06|language=en}}
Major results
| class = "wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan=2 width=40|Year ! rowspan=2 width=250|Venue ! rowspan=2 width=60|Weight !colspan=4| Snatch (kg) !colspan=4| Clean & Jerk (kg) !rowspan=2 width=40| Total !rowspan=2 width=40| Rank | ||||||||||||
| width=40|1 | width=40|2 | width=40|3 | width=40|Rank | width=40|1 | width=40|2 | width=40|3 | width=40|Rank | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| colspan=13|Representing {{GBR2}} | ||||||||||||
| colspan=13|Olympic Games | ||||||||||||
| 2012 | align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} London, Great Britain | 69 kg | 125 | 130 | 18 | 153 | 158 | 17 | 288 | 17 | ||
| colspan=13|World Championships | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | align=left|{{flagicon|KAZ}} Almaty, Kazakhstan | 62 kg | — | 146 | 17 | — | — | |||||
| 2011 | align=left|{{flagicon|FRA}} Paris, France | 69 kg | 115 | 120 | 40 | 145 | 42 | 265 | 41 | |||
| colspan=13|European Championships | ||||||||||||
| 2016 | align=left| {{flagicon|NOR}} Førde, Norway | 62 kg | 115 | 119 | 10 | 142 | 12 | 261 | 11 | |||
| 2012 | align=left| {{flagicon|TUR}} Antalya, Turkey | 69 kg | 121 | 15 | 150 | 14 | 271 | 14 | ||||
| 2010 | align=left| {{flagicon|BLR}} Minsk, Belarus | 62 kg | 105 | 108 | 111 | 13 | 130 | 135 | 13 | 246 | 13 | |
| colspan=13|Representing {{WAL}} | ||||||||||||
| colspan=13|Commonwealth Games | ||||||||||||
| 2018 | align=left| {{flagicon|AUS}} Gold Coast, Australia | 69 kg | 130 | 133 | 136 | {{Silver2}} | 160 | 163 | {{Silver2}} | 299 | {{Gold1}} | |
| 2014 | align=left| {{flagicon|SCO}} Glasgow, Scotland | 62 kg | 118 | 6 | 147 | 150 | 5 | 268 | 5 | |||
| 2010 | align=left| {{flagicon|IND}} Delhi, India | 62 kg | 105 | 111 | 13 | 135 | 12 | 246 | 12 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{sports links}}
- {{Sports-Reference|ev/gareth-evans-1}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Gareth}}
Category:Sportspeople from Dundee
Category:Welsh male weightlifters
Category:Welsh Olympic competitors
Category:Olympic weightlifters for Great Britain
Category:Weightlifters at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Category:Weightlifters at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
Category:Weightlifters at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
Category:Weightlifters at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Wales
Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in weightlifting