DOHA, Dec 4 - Pawina Thongsuk set a world record to win Thailand's first Asian Games weightlifting gold medal in 40 years on Monday, ending China's monopoly in the sport at Doha in the process.

In claiming Thailand's first women's weightlifting gold at the Asian Games, the 27-year-old middleweight champion became the first non-Chinese to win a title in three days of competition at the Al-Dana banqueting hall.

Liu Haixia immediately restored China to the top of the podium in the light-heavyweight class, blowing away the competition by 30kg to win her country's seventh gold in eight weightlifting events.

Her compatriot Li Hongli was not quite as dominant in winning the final gold of the day in the men's lightweight class, his combined total being only 20kg better than that of South Korean silver medallist Lee Jeong-jae.

Kurd Karem Ali finished third to win Iraq's first Asian Games medal since Seoul in 1986. Iraq wrere banished from the Asian Games after the 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

Pawina clean and jerked 142kg to beat Russian Svetlana Shimkova's world mark by 1kg and retake possession of the three middleweight records she first captured at the world championships in Doha just over a year ago.

"I've been at the Asian Games three times and this is my first gold medal so I'm very pleased," said Pawina, who was cheered on by a small but vocal crowd of compatriots.

OLYMPIC DECISION

China's world champion Ouyang Xiaofang had to be carried from the stage after crumpling to the floor during her attempt to clean and jerk 137kg.

Unable to return for another lift, Ouyang had to settle for silver ahead of Myanmar's 20-year-old Faw Thaw Yae, who only took up the sport a year ago and was competing in her first international competition.

"I would have won anyway," Pawina smiled when asked about her Chinese rival's injury.

Ouyang's coach Ma Wenhui said the referee had refused to allow her to reduce the weight and so the 23-year-old from Liaoning had rushed onto the stage to make her attempt, subsequently straining her right knee.

"I'm more concerned about injuries to our athletes than gold medals," said China's weightlifting chief Ma Wenguang.

Pawina confirmed she had been suffering from a knee problem herself and described her physiotherapist as the "author" of her success.

Her gold medal completes a set of Olympic, world championship, Asian championship, Southeast Asian Games and Asian Games titles.

Athens Olympic gold medallist at middle-heavyweight, Pawina was named 2005's best female weightlifter when she became the first woman in more than a century to set world records at three weights.

She said she was keeping her options open about which class to enter for the Beijing Olympics.

"I'll keep you guessing, I haven't decided," she said.