Chinese Team Refrains from Exultation on 1st Weightlifting Gold

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, October 01, 2002

Chinese Team Refrains from Exultation on 1st Weightlifting Gold

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With a gold in hands and a world record still 5kg away, the Chinese team showed restrained joy on the Busan Asiad first weightlifting gold, saying it was only one step on the way to the 2004 Olympics.

"I'm not so satisfied with my performance today," said Li Zhuo, winner of the women's 48kg category. "I expected to set a new world record but I failed."

Li Shunzhu, head coach of the Chinese women weightlifting team,told reporters that a good performance at the Asian Games paved the way to the Olympics.

"Although this gold was what we were after, we are up to something bigger." he said. "Our overall objectives are to build up a young-studded team in preparation for the 2004 Athens Olympics by exposing them to more international competitions," he added.

Li Zhuo, a Busan Asiad favorite, showed her dominating power Monday from her third snatch in which she landed 90kg, the current world record.

But she failed to jerk up 115.5kg in an attempt to dash the world record of 115.0kg and settled in 110kg.

After Thi Win Kay of Myanmar stopped short of lifting the 115kg,Li Shunzhu said, Li Zhuo knew she had already secured the gold and asked a weight of 115.5 to showcase her potentials on the world record.

"This effort shows both our tactics and ambitions," said Li Shunzhu.

According to him, Chinese women lifters dominate lighter divisions, with the major challengers, Myanmar and Indonesia, in Asia. But in heavier divisions, the Chinese women see the rivals from Ukraine in 63kg class, Germany in 69kg and Poland in 75-plus kg.

Chinese weightlifting team head coach Wu Shude said Li Zhuo did well but it could serve as a kind of warming up to the Olympics.

Li Zhou, with titles of national and Asian championships, collected a total of 200kg from the snatch and clean and jerk for the gold, beating Thi Win Kay of Myanmar to the second place.

The bronze medal went to Raema Lisa Rumbewas of Indonesia.

The Chinese women lifters, sweeping seven golds in the last 13th Asian Games in 1998 in Bangkok with a total of 13 world records broken for 17 times, have expected to cement their dominance in the Busan Asiad.

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Chinese Li Zhuo Wins Asiad First Weightlifting Gold

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