Beijing Olympics father of all challenges for Zhang

Weightlifter Zhang Guozheng looks enviously at a coach lifting his toddler son, but the Olympic champion swears blind that a steel bar is all he'll be raising before the Beijing games.

"I love children and I dream to be a father," said the 32-year-old.

"But I have to delay the baby plan because I am busy preparing for the Beijing Olympics.

"To tell you the truth, I never stop dreaming to have my own child."

The handsome Fujian Province muscle man married a policewoman in 2001 and together planned a baby after his gold medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

"I had promised my wife to have a normal life like many others, to have a kid, to have barbecue with the family on weekends," he confessed.

"But when I decided to compete in the Beijing Olympics, which is so alluring to Chinese athletes, I have to put off family life again.

"I would like to have a good, long rest after the Beijing Olympics. I think I will be a father at 36 or 37."

The veteran showed younger teammates he had lost none of his desire when he overcame another Olympic champion Shi Zhiyong with an astounding 336kg haul to snatch the 69kg division gold medal at last year's Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.

Zhang is still tipped for an Olympic gold medal despite being the Chinese weightlifting team's senior citizen.

Teammate Shi, who has moved up from 62kg to the 69kg class, is perhaps Zhang's toughest rival for home-baked glory.

"Shi is a friend," the patriotic veteran snapped, dismissing any suggestion of animosity between the two.

"I won't have a grudge if he wins in Beijing, as long as this gold medal belongs to our team and our country."

Zhang's awe-inspiring presence has been missed since the annual world weightlifting championships in 2004.

But fans and teammates were buoyed when he announced he would make his comeback at September's world titles in Thailand.

"Yes, I will definitely go to the world championships and win the gold medal there," he boldly predicted.

"All best lifters will go to the last world championships before the Beijing Olympics. It's the time to show my dominance in the men's 69kg class."

When not heaving back-breaking weights, Zhang spends hours writing a Web journal that has received millions of visits since he began in January.

"Writing is one of my hobbies and also a way to express my feelings," he said.

"It is a wonderful channel to communicate with my supporters."

Xinhua

(China Daily 07/26/2007 page22)