Chinese lifter wins first gold at pre-Olympics weightlifting tournament

A group photo of the winners

(BEIJING, January 22) -- Twice world weightlifting champion of the 48kg category, Wang Mingjuan, snatched the first gold in the women's 53kg category at the "Good Luck" Beijing 2008 International Weightlifting Invitational Tournament held here on Tuesday afternoon.

The twenty-three-year-old Chinese lifted 92kg in the snatch and 113kg in the snatch Clean & Jerk, topping the nine competitors with a two-lift total of 205kg.

Weighing 49.04kg, the lightest female Hercules out of all the athletes, Wang made consecutive victories in the 48kg category for women's weightlifting at the 2002 and 2003 World Championships.

Wang Mingjuan (C)

Nine female lifters from seven countries, including China, Japan, Thailand, France and Spain, participated in today's 53kg category competition. In accordance with the Olympic weightlifting regulations, the lifters' best lifts in the snatch and Clean & Jerk counted as their final weights.

The women's 53kg weightlifting event started with the snatch, with three attempts. The 23-year-old Wang Mingjuan succeeded in her first two attempts of 85kg, 90kg with ease and partially took the lead in the snatch with her last "good lift" of 92kg. She was followed by compatriot Cen Lijuan, who had a best lift of 90kg. Thailand's Suda Chaleephay failed to increase over her last attempt of 91kg and ended in the third place with a final weight 89kg in snatch group.

The competitions in the Clean & Jerk turned more drastic with more weight increases between Wang Mingjuan and Cen Lijuan from China and Suda Chaleephay of Thailand. Wang finally defeated Suda and Cen with a soul-stirring "good lift" of 113 kg in her third attempt.

Chinese Cen Lijuan followed her teammate Wang with 201kg. Thailand's Suda Chaleephay was plagued by failure in her third attempt in both the snatch and the Clean & Jerk and won the bronze medal with a total score of 199kg.

The women's weightlifting competition entered the Olympic program in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. The Beijing Olympic Games weightlifting competition will be held at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (BUAA).