(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-09-19 19:53

CHIANG MAI, Thailand - China's Yang Fan made a dream international debut on Wednesday when he swept all three gold medals in the men's 62kg category at the world weightlifting championships.

Despite having never competed in an international event, the world number one put on a confident display of lifting, soaking up the pressure of a close contest to win the snatch (142kg) and the clean and jerk (173kg) to take the overall gold medal with a total of 315kg.

North Korea's Im Yong-su matched Yang's lifts but, being the heavier of the two lifters by a mere 140 grams, had to settle for three silver medals.

Bulgaria's Ivaylo Filev picked up three bronzes with 138kg in the snatch and 163 in the clean and jerk for a total of 301kg.

Nineteen-year-old Yang had no problems with motivation, making his biggest lifts with relative ease and letting out an ecstatic roar with both fists clenched.

"I'm very happy to win this. It's my first world championships but the pressure didn't affect me," he told reporters.

"The only pressure I have is that which I put on myself to achieve my goals. I didn't feel that excited because I didn't achieve my overall goal, and that was to reach 320kg."

Yang's triple gold sweep was the second for China in three days of competition after Chen Xiexia won all the golds in the women's 48kg.

China top the medals table with seven golds from nine events.