'Young general' wins weighty fight

Beijing: China's "young general" Liao Hui won the Olympic weightlifting gold in the 69kg class yesterday after a brutal fight during which at least two contenders injured themselves and one returned to attempt another lift.

Liao snatched 158kg and lifted 190kg in the clean and jerk. He won with a combined total of 348kg.

In what local media dubbed a "double insurance" plan for gold, China put up the relatively inexperienced Liao as well as the more experienced "old general" Shi Zhiyong, the 2004 Olympic champion in the 62kg class.

Vencelas Dabaya-Tientcheu from France won the silver while Tigran Martirosyan from Armenia took the bronze.

Korean Lee Bae-Young folded under 184kg in the clean and jerk, his leg twisting underneath him.

Volunteers and a doctor rushed to the mat and surrounded him with screens until he stood up and hobbled away. He came back and tried in vain to the lift the same weight.