Sport | Other Sports

China's Chen wins Olympic weightlifting gold

Chen Xiexia won China's first gold medal in the Beijing Games on Saturday, setting two Olympic records in the women's 48-kilogram category.

  • Agencies
  • Published: 12:54 August 9, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Chen Xiexia, the 25-year-old world champion, sets two Olympic records in the women's weightlifting event.
  • Image Credit: AP

Beijing: Chen Xiexia won China's first gold medal in the Beijing Games on Saturday, setting two Olympic records in the women's 48-kilogram category.

Sibel Ozkan of Turkey won the silver medal, while Chen Wei-ling of Taiwan finished third.

"I have been thinking of winning a medal but never thought it would turn out to be the first gold medal for China," Chen said. "I'm very happy and I think I did a very good job."

The 25-year-old world champion dominated both events, lifting 95 kgs in the snatch and 117 kgs in the clean and jerk, an Olympic record.

Her total score of 212 kgs was also an Olympic high score, beating the previous record by 2 kgs.

Ozkan was a distant second with a total of 199 kgs, 3 kgs ahead of Chen Wei-ling.

Chen continued to dominate in the clean and jerk, a two-step lift in which the bar is first held at shoulder level, and then pushed overhead.

She was the only one to successfully complete all of her six lifts in the competition, struggling only slightly on her final clean and jerk.

"I had the special support from the Chinese audience, and therefore I don't think I was under great pressure," Chen said.

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