Quick Facts
Biography
Gareth Irfon Evans (born 18 April 1986 in Dundee, Scotland) is an Welsh and British weightlifter. He has competed in the 62 kg and 69 kg weight categories, and was selected to represent Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics.
Early and personal life
Born to North Wales parents then resident in Dundee, Scotland, 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. 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.
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. 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.
Competition history
Olympic Games
- London 2012 – 69 kg (68.31) Snatch: 130 Clean & Jerk: 158 Total: 288 (17th)
World Championships
- Paris 2011 – 69 kg (67.02) Snatch: 120 Clean & Jerk: 145 Total: 265 (41st)
European Championships
- 2010 – 62 kg (61.25) Snatch: 111 Clean & Jerk: 135 Total: 246 (13th)
Commonwealth Games
- Delhi 2010 – 62 kg (61.64) Snatch: 111 Clean & Jerk: 135 Total: 246 (12th)
Commonwealth Senior Championships
- 2011 – 69 kg (67.56) Snatch: 121 Clean & Jerk: 145 Total: 266 (3rd)
International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup
- 2007 – 62 kg (60.85) Snatch: 107 Clean & Jerk: 128 Total: 235 (4th)
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 cleand and jerk, he finished eighth in group B and 17th overall in the 69 kg weight category.