Source: Xinhua
08-17-2008 14:00
Special Report: 2008 Beijing Olympic GamesBEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- South Korean lifter Jang Mi-ran broke three world records to claim the title of "world's strongest woman" at the Beijing Olympics on Saturday.
"I felt so happy. I think of it as a gift from God," she said.
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| Jang Miran of South Korea celebrates during women's +75kg group A competition of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games weightlifting event in Beijing, China, Aug. 15, 2008. Jang Miran set the new world record of women's +75kg with a total of 326kg and claimed the gold. (Xinhua Photo) |
With no opponents at all, Jang, 24, competed with herself in the women's over 75kg category event, met no Chinese lifters but refreshed the snatch, jerk and total world records, all set by Chinese strongwomen.
Jang took her first snatch attempt after all the other 10 lifters finished. She made three successful attempts and finished the snatch section with 140kg, bettering world record, held by her long-time rival China's Mu Shuangshuang, by one kilo.
She hoisted 183kg in her second jerk attempt, breaking the jerk world record, held by China's Tang Gonghong in Athens, and also Mu's world record of total, bettering it by 4 kilos.
Jang, Athens silver medalist and three-time world champion, didn't stop. She renewed the minute-old records by successfully lifting 186kg, totaling 326kg.
"Challenge has no limit," she told a after-game press conference, adding that she would break more world records in coming years.
Jang, who had no expression in her face during the entire competition, smiled to the responsive South Korean fans when climbing onto the podium for gold medalist.
