(Seychelles News Agency) - Seychelles has won two gold and three bronze medals at the African Weightlifting Championships taking place in Tunisia from May 14 to May 19.

Twenty-year-old Joelita Coloma won two gold medals at the competition on Wednesday. She earned her first gold medal in the snatch lifting, a total of 85 kg, but came out fourth in the clean and jerk.

After lifting 100kg, she failed her attempt at 101kg and did not return for her third attempt as she had picked up a slight injury. Coloma's Olympic total of 185kg brought her a second gold medal.

Algerian Bouchra Hirech came in second place with a lift of 81kg in snatch lifting and 103kg for clean and jerk, giving her a total of 184kg. In third place was Rayssa Djifack from Cameroon with a total of 180kg - 77kg snatch and 103kg clean & jerk.

Earlier in the competition, experienced Seychellois lifter Ruby Malvina won three bronze medals for Seychelles in the 64kg weight class. She finished third with a total of 187kg after snatching 80kg and lifting 107kg in the clean and jerk.

The winner was Tunisian Chaima Rhamouni who lifted a total of 199kg -90kg snatch and 109kg for clean & jerk - and second-place finisher another Tunisian Jawaher Gesmi who snatched and lifted 86kg and raised 107kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 193kg.

The Weightlifting Federation of Africa (WFA) is hosting the competition, which also serves as qualifiers for African nations to compete at the XXXIII Olympic Games in Paris, France, from July 26 to August 11, 2024.