Horror injury ends Andranik Karapetyan’s Olympic dream

Story highlights

Andranik Karapetyan suffers arm injury

Weightlifting champion unable to continue

Armenian attended to by medics

Kazakhstan's Nijat Rahimov wins 77kg title

CNN  — 

Athletes often talk about breaking through the pain barrier – but for one weightlifting star that simply was not an option.

Armenia’s Andranik Karapetyan was left in agony after suffering a horrific arm injury during his second lift at 195kg.

Karapetyan, the 77kg European champion, attempted the lift before his elbow gave way and the weights crashed to the floor.

For those on the sidelines, it was too painful to watch.

The 20-year-old was attended to by medical staff as he fought to keep back the tears.

The gold medal was won by Kazakhstan’s Nijat Rahimov, who broke the clean and jerk world record to see off China’s London 2012 champion Lyu Xiaojun.

Kazakhstan's Nijat Rahimov was very happy with his gold.