Although China's Olympic weightlifting team is yet to be decided, Mu Shuangshuang has already set her sights firmly on gold in the women's over 75 kg division.
Mu Shuangshuang
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The 24-year-old has been in convincing form recently and is considered a genuine contender in the heaviest category for women at the Beijing Games.
"If I can compete at the Beijing Olympics, I won't disappoint my country," she said.
ZHONG TI
Blocking the path between her and glory is reigning world champion Jang Mi-ran from South Korea.
Although the two lifted the same weight during each of the world championship competitions between 2005-07, Jang won the golds on account of her lighter bodyweight.
At the 2006 Doha Asian Games, Mu finally beat Jang to win with a total haul of 317 kg. She also broke the world record snatch lift with 139 kg, a kilogram heavier than the previous mark set by Jang earlier.
At the national Olympic trials early this year, Mu easily won the gold medal and broke the world record for the sixth time. Now, she is looking forward to getting revenge against Jang at the Olympics.
"Jang is one of the motivations for me to improve," Mu said. "I like to show my real strength in fierce competitions."
Women's weightlifting is normally a gold medal repository for the Chinese Olympic team.
At the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, China's Tang Gonghong won the gold medal in Mu's category.
According to Olympic rules, each country can send athletes to compete in just four categories out of the total seven. China's weightlifters are strong in many categories, so who exactly will contest the Olympics is yet to be decided.
"The training effect is important for me now," said Mu. "When I stand on the stage, I will only think of the orders from judges and coaches. What I have to do is to lift the bar."
