Simplice's Story
Cameroon-born weightlifter Simplice Ribouem made his Olympic debut at Rio 2016.
Ribouem, who lifted for his home country at the 2006 Commonwealth Games before seeking asylum in Australia, overcame great odds to earn his Olympic nomination. He spent 2015 battling malaria, with the Australian Open in December 2016 the first time he had lifted even close to full fitness in more than a year.
At his debut Games, the 33-year-old equaled his personal best in the snatch with a total of 155 kilograms before he lifted 185kg in the clean and jerk. That result saw him sit in equal third of Group B after the snatch competition.
Ribouem lifted 185kg in his opening clean and jerk before his knee troubled him as he was unsuccessful at his second and third attempts at 191kg. His combined total of 340kg placed him fifth in Group B.
Ribouem, who won gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and an unlucky silver four years later in Glasgow, shot to the top of the selection table with an eye-catching performance at December's 2015 Australian Open where he lifted 5kg higher than the Rio qualifier of 346 in the 94kg division.
Ribouem has two children, 4 and 3, who are often cheering him on as he trains at a gym in suburban Melbourne.
