Yule plays the perfect game of poker to take powerlifting bronze

Micky Yule played ‘a dangerous game of poker’ and came up trumps as he captured a brilliant powerlifting bronze medal.

Competing in the men’s -72kg category, Yule opened with success at 180kg before lifting 182kg on his final try to edge out his rivals and snatch a first Paralympic podium finish of his career.

A number of competitors had a chance to overhaul the Brit but came up short – with Nigeria’s Nnamdi Innocent, Iraqi lifter Rasool Mohsin and China’s Hu Peng all failing with three attempts at weights over 200kg, while Thailand’s Thongsa Marasri was twice unable to get 190kg up.

Malaysia’s Bonnie Bunyau Gustin set a Paralympic record of 228kg to take gold, while Mahmoud Attia claimed silver but the charismatic 42-year-old Scot’s tactics paid dividends and he surprised even himself with a medal.

“We played a dangerous game of poker and we won and you know what – we never even had anything in our hand,” laughed a delighted Yule.

“It just means everything and it seems like a bit of a dream at the moment because I wasn’t the strongest today but I had the best coaching staff.

“We had a plan and we made everybody lift – the pressure built and built and built on them.

“I was hitting my lifts and they were missing and we got there in the end. It just shows that you don’t always have to be the fastest or the strongest if you’re the smartest.

“Smarts can sometimes win and they did today – we leave with this bronze medal and it’s for the whole team.”