1. Early Life and Background
1.1. Birth and Family
Mari Leivis Sánchez Periñán was born on 8 October 1991, in Turbo, Colombia. Her family has a strong connection to weightlifting, as her sister, Darli Sánchez, is also a competitive weightlifter.
2. Career
Mari Sánchez's professional weightlifting journey has seen her compete across various weight classes, primarily in the 71 kg and 76 kg categories, achieving significant success at both regional and international levels.
2.1. Early Career and Regional Competitions
Sánchez began her career competing in regional multi-sport events, where she quickly established herself as a formidable athlete. In 2018, she participated in the Central American and Caribbean Games held in Barranquilla, Colombia. There, she secured a gold medal in the women's 69-kg Snatch event and a bronze medal in the women's 69-kg Clean & Jerk event.
In 2022, Sánchez competed at the Bolivarian Games in Valledupar, Colombia, where she earned two medals: a gold in the women's 71-kg Clean & Jerk and a silver in the 71-kg Snatch. Later that year, at the South American Games in Asunción, Paraguay, she claimed a silver medal in the women's 76-kg event. Her success continued at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador, El Salvador, where she won gold medals in both the 71-kg Snatch and 71-kg Clean & Jerk events.
2.2. International and Olympic Competitions
Sánchez has been a consistent presence at major international weightlifting championships. In 2014, she competed at the Pan American Weightlifting Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, placing fourth in the 63 kg category. The same year, she also competed in the women's 71-kg event at the World Weightlifting Championships held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
She continued to achieve success at the Pan American Championships, winning silver medals in the 71-kg event in 2020 (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), 2022 (Bogotá, Colombia), and 2024 (Caracas, Venezuela). Sánchez also participated in the 2022 World Weightlifting Championships in Bogotá, Colombia, and the 2023 World Weightlifting Championships in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In 2023, she earned a silver medal in the women's 71-kg event at the Pan American Games held in Santiago, Chile. Prior to her Olympic debut, she competed at the 2024 IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand. Her career culminated in a historic performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where she won the silver medal in the women's 71-kg event, marking a significant achievement for her and for Colombian weightlifting.
3. Major Competition Results
| Year | Venue | Weight | Snatch (kg) | Clean & Jerk (kg) | Total | Rank | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 | Rank | |||||
| Representing Colombia | ||||||||||||
| Olympic Games | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | Paris, France | 71 kg | 238 lb (108 kg) | 247 lb (112 kg) | 247 lb (112 kg) | 4 | 298 lb (135 kg) | 309 lb (140 kg) | 320 lb (145 kg) | 2 | 567 lb (257 kg) | - |
| World Championships | ||||||||||||
| 2018 | Ashgabat, Turkmenistan | 71 kg | 227 lb (103 kg) | 234 lb (106 kg) | 236 lb (107 kg) | 6 | 265 lb (120 kg) | 276 lb (125 kg) | 276 lb (125 kg) | 8 | 503 lb (228 kg) | 7 |
| 2022 | Bogotá, Colombia | 71 kg | 238 lb (108 kg) | 245 lb (111 kg) | 249 lb (113 kg) | 4 | 293 lb (133 kg) | 300 lb (136 kg) | 302 lb (137 kg) | 7 | 538 lb (244 kg) | 6 |
| 2023 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | 71 kg | 231 lb (105 kg) | 238 lb (108 kg) | 245 lb (111 kg) | 5 | 282 lb (128 kg) | 291 lb (132 kg) | 298 lb (135 kg) | 7 | 529 lb (240 kg) | 7 |
| IWF World Cup | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | Phuket, Thailand | 71 kg | 229 lb (104 kg) | 229 lb (104 kg) | 243 lb (110 kg) | 6 | 287 lb (130 kg) | 298 lb (135 kg) | 298 lb (135 kg) | 13 | 529 lb (240 kg) | 7 |
| Pan American Games | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | Santiago, Chile | 71 kg | 231 lb (105 kg) | 240 lb (109 kg) | 247 lb (112 kg) | - | 287 lb (130 kg) | 295 lb (134 kg) | 302 lb (137 kg) | - | 542 lb (246 kg) | - |
| Pan American Championships | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | 63 kg | 205 lb (93 kg) | 205 lb (93 kg) | 212 lb (96 kg) | 4 | 243 lb (110 kg) | 254 lb (115 kg) | 254 lb (115 kg) | 4 | 465 lb (211 kg) | 4 |
| 2020 | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | 71 kg | 225 lb (102 kg) | 231 lb (105 kg) | 231 lb (105 kg) | - | 271 lb (123 kg) | 278 lb (126 kg) | 284 lb (129 kg) | - | 509 lb (231 kg) | - |
| 2021 | Guayaquil, Ecuador | 71 kg | 227 lb (103 kg) | 234 lb (106 kg) | 234 lb (106 kg) | - | 271 lb (123 kg) | 271 lb (123 kg) | 284 lb (129 kg) | 5 | 505 lb (229 kg) | 5 |
| 2022 | Bogotá, Colombia | 71 kg | 231 lb (105 kg) | 243 lb (110 kg) | 247 lb (112 kg) | - | 287 lb (130 kg) | 295 lb (134 kg) | 300 lb (136 kg) | - | 542 lb (246 kg) | - |
| 2024 | Caracas, Venezuela | 71 kg | 198 lb (90 kg) | 223 lb (101 kg) | 229 lb (104 kg) | 4 | 265 lb (120 kg) | 276 lb (125 kg) | 282 lb (128 kg) | - | 511 lb (232 kg) | - |
| Central American and Caribbean Games | ||||||||||||
| 2018 | Barranquilla, Colombia | 69 kg | 227 lb (103 kg) | 238 lb (108 kg) | 245 lb (111 kg) | - | 273 lb (124 kg) | 282 lb (128 kg) | 287 lb (130 kg) | - | - | - |
| 2023 | San Salvador, El Salvador | 71 kg | 220 lb (100 kg) | 231 lb (105 kg) | 238 lb (108 kg) | - | 276 lb (125 kg) | 287 lb (130 kg) | 287 lb (130 kg) | - | - | - |
| South American Games | ||||||||||||
| 2022 | Asunción, Paraguay | 76 kg | 231 lb (105 kg) | 243 lb (110 kg) | 247 lb (112 kg) | - | 287 lb (130 kg) | 295 lb (134 kg) | 304 lb (138 kg) | - | 529 lb (240 kg) | - |
| Bolivarian Games | ||||||||||||
| 2022 | Valledupar, Colombia | 71 kg | 231 lb (105 kg) | 238 lb (108 kg) | 245 lb (111 kg) | - | 284 lb (129 kg) | 289 lb (131 kg) | 298 lb (135 kg) | - | - | - |
4. Achievements and Legacy
4.1. Key Achievements
Mari Sánchez has compiled an impressive list of achievements throughout her weightlifting career, solidifying her status as one of Colombia's top athletes in the sport. Her most significant accomplishment is the silver medal won at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, which is a rare feat for a Colombian weightlifter.
Beyond her Olympic success, Sánchez has consistently medaled at regional and continental championships. She is a three-time silver medalist at the Pan American Weightlifting Championships, achieving this distinction in 2020, 2022, and 2024. Her performance at the 2023 Pan American Games also yielded a silver medal.
At the Central American and Caribbean Games, Sánchez has secured multiple gold medals, including the 69-kg Snatch in 2018 and both the 71-kg Snatch and Clean & Jerk in 2023. She also earned a gold medal in the 71-kg Clean & Jerk and a silver in the 71-kg Snatch at the Bolivarian Games in 2022, and a silver medal at the South American Games the same year.
Her personal bests stand at 247 lb (112 kg) in the Snatch (achieved in 2022 and 2024) and 320 lb (145 kg) in the Clean & Jerk (2024), resulting in a combined total of 567 lb (257 kg) (2024). These achievements underscore her consistent improvement and dedication to the sport, leaving a notable legacy for aspiring weightlifters in Colombia.
5. External links
- [https://iwf.sport/weightlifting_/athletes-bios/?athlete=&id=15931 Mari Sánchez at the International Weightlifting Federation]
- [https://iwrp.net/?view=contestant&id_zawodnik=46048 Mari Sánchez at IWRP Weightlifting Database]