OLYMPICS /
Team China
Veteran lifters continue China's dominance in weightlifting
Xinhua
Updated: 2008-08-11 23:06
BEIJING - China continued to dominate the weightlifting events at the Beijing Olympics after two veteran lifters added two golds to the China's medals table on Monday.
Chinese weightlifter Chen Yanqing retained her women's 58kg Olympic title with a total result of 244kg.
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Chen Yanqing of China competes in the women's 58 kg weightlifting event at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 11, 2008. The Athens Olympic champion defended her title. [Agencies] Click for more photos
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Chen, 29, has become the first strongwoman in the world to successfully defend her Olympic title since the women's weightlifting entered summer Olympics in Sydney eight years ago.
Marina Shainova from Russia took the silver medal with a total of 227kg, while O Jong Ae from the DPR Korea got the bronze with 226kg, beating Thai Wandee Kameaim who also cleared a total of 226kg to the fourth place due to less bodyweight.
No one was able to make any trouble for the defending champion and record holder, who made six successful attempts and raised the Olympic clean and jerk record to 138kg and total to 244kg.
Both the other two medalists agreed that Chen was too strong to defeat.
Later in the day, Chen's male counterpart Zhang Xiangxiang claimed title in men's 62kg class, making the day a pure celebration for the spectators of the host in the venue of the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics gym.
