Weightlifter Karnam Malleswari walked away without completing a single lift in the women's 63-kg category at the Nikaia Olympic Weightlifting Hall in Athens on Wednesday.

The Indian strongwoman, who was attempting to lift 100 kg, attempted her first lift in the snatch but after lifting the weight a few inches from the ground released it and did not lift again during the event.

After the failed attempt she went straight to the medical room without even acknowledging her coaches Pal Singh Sandhu and Leonid Taranenko.

She was listed as DNF [did not finish] at the end of the round. She was later diagnosed as having a back strain.

Malleswari had won India's only medal at Sydney Games -- a bronze -- in the 69-kg category.

India's other woman weightlifter Pratima Kumari, who did not even figure in the start list of the 63kg Group A event, had "pulled out of the event two days ago", according to a top official of the Indian Olympic Games contingent.

"Pratima pulled out of the event two days ago due to a back injury," Harish Sharma, Deputy Chef de Mission, said at the Nikaia Olympic Weightlifting Hall.

He did not however clarify why the media was kept in the dark about Pratima's pull out.