Olympic weightlifter hoists debris for Venezuela earthquake recovery

Venezuelan Olympic weightlifting silver medalist Julio Mayora hoisted 151 kilograms (330 pounds) to win two gold medals this weekend at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo.

Not so long ago, he was using his superhuman strength to lift up concrete blocks to rescue victims from the double earthquakes that devastated his home country.

Mayora hails from La Guaira, the northern coastal Venezuelan state that was hit hardest by the June 24 double earthquakes, with respective magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale.

The powerful earthquakes killed over 6,000 people and reduced dozens of buildings to rubble -- including people and places known to Mayora.

He dedicated his two gold medals to the victims of the earthquakes.

"In truth it broke my heart, to see so many friends buried under the rubble, and it's something that I never thought I'd live through," Mayora told AFP in an interview a day after his victories in the snatch and clean and jerk competitions.

The day after the earthquakes, Mayora flexed his skills to carry beams, concrete blocks and other debris from collapsed buildings.

"We were helping out, clearing the debris to help people. It was my turn to help, there are videos of me on social media helping all those people, saving lives," he said.

He recalled seeing "people crying shouting, desperate" amid the crisis.

Not far from La Guaira is the capital Caracas, also hit by the earthquake, where fellow weightlifting Olympian Keydomar Vallenilla resides.

While he did not have firsthand experience of the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes, he suffered losses that weigh on him as well.

"We had a kid from our gym, where I trained, lose his life," Vallenilla said.

"He seemed like he was going to be a future athlete in (weightlifting). He was going to be, I'm one hundred percent sure, a great athlete. A great guy."

Like his compatriot, Vallenilla also claimed a gold medal in the Central American and Caribbean Games, motivated by a goal of "setting an example" for thousands of Venezuelans to keep moving forward despite the tragedy.

"We are athletes, we are an example of what the Venezuelan people are: a determined people who will always go out and give it their all and make the country proud," he told AFP.

Government data from the earthquakes say more than 40,000 homes were damaged, leaving thousands of Venezuelans homeless.

"There are people who truly lost everything," the weightlifting champion said.

"I only hope that this kind of joy can reach their hearts so they can havve a little something to smile about amidst all the bad things that have happened," Vallenilla added.

"This medal is as much mine as it is for them and the country," he said.

In the same vein, Mayora promised his family would do everything they could to bring some joy to La Guaira.

"These two medals are for the state of La Guaira, with much love for them," he said.

The two weightlifting champions, who both received silver medals during the 2020 Tokyo Games, now have their sights set on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

"I always hold my Venezuela in the highest regard...I have this faith and this strength that, in the name of God, we will make a great showing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games and gov for that gold medal," Mayora said.