Cao Lei claimed the title in women's 75kg category weightlifting on Friday, winning China its seventh weightlifting gold at the Beijing Olympics.
It's the first time Chinese lifter won gold in this category at the Olympics.
Cao Lei of China competes in the women's 75 kg weightlifting eventat the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 15, 2008. Cao won the gold medal in the event. [Agencies]
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"I want dedicate the gold to my mom," said the 24-year-old who burst into tears in the mixed zone when talking about her mother who passed away two months ago.
Cao, 24, totaled 282kg, 16kg more than the achievement of silver medalist Alla Vazhenina of Kazakhstan who was ranked first by entry total.
Cao, two-time world champion, dominated the game as she snatched 128kg, and lifted 154kg in clean and jerk, breaking three Olympic records.
She tried to break the total world record of 286kg in her third jerk attempt, by ordering 159kg, but failed. She bowed to the spectators and hugged with her coach Ma Wenhui.
She later explained that she could not focus on the last attempt because she thought about her mother.
Vazhenina snatched 119kg, and jerked 147kg.
Vazhenina, 25, runner-up of this year's Asian Championships, said she was happy with the silver medal.
"I didn't expect that I could get the silver," she said.
The bronze went to Russian Nadezda Evstyukhina, who totaled 264kg.
Evstyukhina said Cao Lei is strong and good psychologically.
"I was sure that I didn't have a real chance to compete with the Chinese girl," she said.