China

Strongwoman Mu vows to break WR

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-04-27 08:59

TAI'AN, East China - Chinese No. 1 strongwoman Mu Shuangshuang, who added one kilogram to the women's over 75kg snatch world record at 2006 Doha Asiad, on Thursday vowed to break the jerk and the total records at the world championships.

China's Mu Shuangshuang competes during the women's over 75kg weightlifting at the Asian Championships in Tai'an of east China's Shandong Province April 26, 2007. [Xinhua]

After easing to the top podium at the Asian Championships here on Thursday, Mu, 23, said that it was her first gold medal this year but it was a pity that her arch rival Jang Mi-ran from South Korea did not come.

Today's competition was less intense since Jang was not here. Mu's first attempt in the snatch had been 135kg, but she changed it to 121kg a few seconds before the competition started. Mu made three good lifts breezily at 121kg, 127kg and 132kg.

Mu lifted 173kg in her last attempt of jerk, 23kg more than the runner-up.

Mu's best record in the snatch is 139kg achieved in Doha Asian Games, which renewed the previous world record of 138kg set by Jang in May, 2006.

"I wanted to break the world record before today's competition", said Mu, "but my leg was a little injured."

"Jang didn't come, so I won easily."

Talking about the world championships and Olympic Games, Mu is quite confident, "I will beat Jang in world championships. Though I lost to her twice in this event, it was not because I couldn't beat her. I think the refereeing is not always fair."

"I must beat Jang in the world championships, and I think I will break three world records (snatch, jerk and total) there." Mu added, "I am very confident to win a gold medal in Beijing Olympic Games."

Ma Wenhui, coach of the Chinese woman's weightlifting team, is quite satisfied with Mu's performance. "Mu Shuangshuang was injured before the game, and her best result during the winter training was only 120kg in the snatch and 152kg in the jerk. She hoisted 132kg in the snatch and 173kg in the jerk in today's competition, which was really good."

Before the Doha Asian Games, Jang set two world records at the Korea-China-Japan friendship tournament in 2006.

Though Mu broke Jang's world record of snatch, Jang is still the world record holder in the total of 318kg. The jerk record was set by Chinese Tang Gonghong at 182kg in the Athens Games.

Jang emerged onto the international competition when she won the silver in Athens. She then took the titles in the world championships in 2005 and 2006 in a row.

In the last two world championships, Mu and Jang lifted the same weight, but Jang won on both occasions because of her lighter bodyweight.

How to celebrate her first gold medal in 2007? Mu answered that she would get a haircut immediately after the competition. "I never get my hair cut before competitions. It's a habit. I'll do it right after the competition," She said.