Bulgarian Boevski's World Record Broken as He Leaves Brazilian Jail

Boevski won gold in the 69 kg category at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. File photo

Bulgarian weightlifting champion Galabin Boevski saw his world record broken just as he landed at Sofia airport after a surprising release from a Brazilian jail.

Chinese lifter Liao Hui, 26, broke men's 69-kilogram category world record with a total of 358 kilograms in the World Weightlifting Championships, eclipsing the former record by one kilogram.

The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games champion lifted 160kg in snatch and 198kg in clean and jerk to win the gold with a total of 358kg.

Boevski won gold in the 69 kg category at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Boevski, who was serving a nine-year prison sentence in Brazil for international drug trafficking, has surprisingly arrived home in Bulgaria on Thursday evening after being granted an early release.

Bulgarian officials, including the justice minister and chief prosecutor, said that they were caught by surprise by Boevski's release.

Boevski has declined comment.

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