Aussie weightlifter Francois Etoundi not too injured to party

FRANCOIS Etoundi might have ripped a bicep on his way to bronze and been sent home from his last Commonwealth Games in disgrace, but that didn’t stop him celebrating the night away on the Glitter Strip.

FRANCOIS Etoundi might have ripped a bicep on his way to bronze and been sent home from his last Commonwealth Games in disgrace, but that didn’t stop him celebrating the night away on the Glitter Strip.

The Australian weightlifter - who has injured the muscle twice in two months - was spotted heading into Gold Coast hot spot Sin City with friends on Saturday night, complete with sling and strapping holding his bicep together, just hours after declaring that he would be avoiding the party scene.

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“I don’t need to party,” Etoundi said on Saturday. “Partying doesn’t bother me anymore. A lot of athletes when they win like this, they just want to go and party and sometimes trouble comes looking for you.”

Etoundi was decked in Australian team gear and visor as he went inside and partied into the wee hours among crowds of revellers.

He tore his bicep two months ago, with the muscle slipping down to his elbow a week before his 77kg weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games, with the Melburnian certain he would have claimed gold were it not for his injury.

Etoundi was sent home from the Glasgow Commonwealth Games for headbutting an opponent, and said on Saturday that he had learned from his past.

Francois Etoundi of Australia winces in pain after an official patted him on his injured shoulder as he wins bronze in the Men's 77kg final on day three of the XXI Commonwealth Games. Picture: AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy

“I have learnt a lot over the past years. I would prefer to stick in my room, think about this (arm) and when I am going to start training again,” he said.

His teammate Simplice Ribouem was forced to pull out of the 94kg event on Sunday after he aggravated a knee injury.

After reports that the Coast has been quiet throughout the last week, it was a busy night in Surfers Paradise with many venue staff noting that it had been their busiest night of the Games so far.

Hundreds of revellers packed the Cavill Avenue precinct that was monitored by a large number of police.

Some venues - including Sin City - have extended trading hours to 5am throughout the Games period.