Weightlifter Cyrille Tchatchet’s medal hopes ended by body cramps

After a torturous journey that included sleeping on the streets and the contemplation of committing suicide, former refugee Cyrille Tchatchet’s dream of winning a Commonwealth Games medal for England was ended by his entire body cramping.

It had been eight years since Tchatchet last competed at these Games, then in the colours of his native Cameroon before he sneaked away from Glasgow 2014 with just a pair of shoes and a weightlifting belt to his name.

So began the long process of Tchatchet’s path to UK nationality, with his application for asylum approved in 2016 and full citizenship only approved at the start of this year.

That final step allowed the 27-year-old to compete for England in Birmingham – the city he has made his home – but there was no happy ending as cramps struck right from the start of the men’s 96kg final.

Tchatchet still managed to snatch 158kg to leave him in the silver medal position at the halfway point, but he collapsed after his first clean and jerk attempt and two more failures prevented him registering a final total.

“The first time he went to the bar he started cramping,” said England’s weightlifting team leader Stuart Martin, with Tchatchet backstage and too distraught to talk to waiting reporters.

“He drunk some soda water, had some sugary sweets, and we tried to help him massage the mouth.

I've never seen anybody go out there with the whole body cramped and clean 158 kilos- England weightlifting team leader Stuart Martin

“We relaxed him the best we could and put him in the most comfortable position possible, but the same thing happened again with the next two snatches and you saw the rest.

“I’ve never seen anybody go out there with the whole body cramped and clean 158 kilos – and I hope I