Source: Xinhua
08-15-2008 19:14
Special Report: 2008 Beijing Olympic GamesBEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Cao Lei claimed the title in the women's 75kg category weightlifting on Friday, winning China's seventh weightlifting gold at the Beijing Olympics.
It's the first time Chinese lifter won gold in this category at the Olympics.
"I dedicate the gold to my mom," said the 24-year-old who burst into tears in the mixed zone when talking about her mother who passed away not long before the Games.
Cao, 24, totaled 282kg, 16kg more than the lift of silver medalist Alla Vazhenina of Kazakhstan who was ranked first by entry total.
Cao, two-time world champion, dominated the field as she snatched 128kg, and lifted 154kg in clean and jerk, breaking three Olympic records.
She tried to break the total world record of 286kg in her third jerk attempt, by ordering 159kg, but failed. She bowed to the spectators and hugged with her coach Ma Wenhui.
She later explained that she could not focus on the last attempt because she thought of her mother.
"I was distracted," she said, adding that she wanted to go home after the Games in memory of her mother.
China has swept all the golds in the four categories which it entered lifters. Cao said she was a little bit stressed for being the last Chinese female lifter to compete, but was relaxed after the competition.
