 Long wait over for Zhang ...
By Lei Lei (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-12 08:50
Serious injury forced Zhang Xiangxiang to skip the Athens Games so the last time he competed in the Olympics was eight years ago, when he took a dissapointing bronze in the 56kg men's weightlifting. After an eight-year wait, the 25-year-old finally earned the gold he had been craving, turning in a winning performance yesterday in the 62kg category. Lifting a total of 319kg, Zhang claimed the fourth gold for the Chinese weightlifting team, after Chen Xiexia won the women's 48kg class on Saturday, Long Qingquan the men's 56kg category Sunday and Chen Yanqing defended her title in women's 58kg earlier yesterday afternoon. Diego Salazar from Colombia rose up to take the silver lifting 305kg, followed by Triyatno from Indonesia with 298kg. "I participated the Olympic Games after eight years only to win the gold," said Zhang. "I have put in a lot of effort for this gold, but I think it's all worthwhile. I have been waiting for this gold medal for eight years. This time on the stage was a perfect ending to my career." The 2007 world championships runner-up Im Yong-su from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, another favorite in the event, failed to lift 168kg on all the three attempts of clean and jerk and didn't finish. "I came here to win the gold, but I didn't adjust well," said Im. "I hope I can win the gold medal next time." Zhang led the event going into the clean and jerk by lifting 143kg on his third attempt at the snatch despite failing to lift the weight in his second attempt. He then took the first place early in the clean and jerk with a 169kg lift and sealed his victory by hoisting 176kg. He went for a world record of 184kg in his third but did not make it.
"I failed the second attempt in snatch just because there was something wrong with (my) hand and it was slippery," said Zhang. "I knew the third time is the last chance, so I tried all out to make it. "As for the world record, the first goal here is to win and the world record is just a matter for myself. I hope I can achieve it when I have the chance next time." Zhang started weightlifting at the age of eight and joined the national team in 1999. He won a bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Games but could not train from 2003 to 2006 due to a severe wrist injury that also forced him to skip the Athens Olympics in 2004. He has been training with coach Chen Wenbin since 2006, moved up to the 62kg category and won the silver medal at the World Cup last year. "The key is persistence and never backing down," he said. "I've never been defeated by failure and have always kept my dream in mind." Olympic defending champion Shi Zhiyong of China moved to the 69kg category this year so Zhang filled his spot with a solid victory at the Chinese national trials where he lifted 320kg. "We learnt only half a month before the Games that I had been enrolled into the national team," Zhang said. "Of course we try our best to meet the expectations from the whole team." (China Daily 08/12/2008 page4) |
