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women 69 kg: The day of a great dual

Oxana Slivenko (RUS) Liu Chunhong (CHN) Choosing a favourite from Liu Chunhong (CHN), 2004 Olympic gold medallist, 2005 World Champion and Oxana Slivenko (RUS), 2006 and 2007 World Champion, current World record holder is very difficult. The two are matched in both age and power.These two prominent athletes will decide who the real quenn is in this class. Slivenko set world record of 276 kg a year ago, including 123 kg in snatch (WR), when she won against Liu last year's WC. Liu' 2005 world title was in the 75 kg class, in which she currently holds the clean and jerk worls record. (159 kg). They are the outstanding leading figures of this field and probably they share the top two positions at the victory ceremony.

men’s 69 kg press conference quotes:

Liao Hui (CHN), gold medallist: "Because of traditionally negative ideas on weightlifting my parents did not want me to practise this sport. But I loved very much the idea of going to sport school and that is why I became a lifter. To tell you frankly I did not like learning. It all came to my mind when my French rival had his last two attempts giving him a chance to win gold ahead of me. I saw on tv how strong and successful he was at 187 kg. So when he went to 197 kg I was worried. I was really nervous as not only his but my life was in his hand at the same time" Venceleas Dabaya-Tientcheu (FRA), silver medallist: "I had no other choice, I had to try 197 kg. I have never achieved it before, but I was close to this figure at training. I was very much motivated, but this weight was to much for me." Tigran Martirosyan (ARM), bronze medallist: "During training I could lift much more then I was lifting today and I also achieved during the European Championships.But this time my own weight was higher and I had to loose 8 kg. It of course affected the

Men’s 69 kg: Liao (CHN) had to worry several times but won

Shi CHN Liao CHN Dabaya FRA The opening attempts of both Chinese were missed. What a sensation! Later Shi corrected his mistakes once (152 kg), Liao corrected twice and finally found himself on the lead (158 kg). Frenchmen Dabaya-Tientcheu, former world champion, kept in touch with his rivals snatching 151 kg. Martirosyan just had his opening attempt well done (153kg). He had to loose 8 kg-s and was not as strong as normally he is.Lee Baeyoung (KOR) had promising result (155 kg) in snatch but he had no success in clean and jerk at all. Shi (CHN) former Olympic champion of 62 kg after having only one succesful movement did not appear any more on the stage for clean and jerk. Liao finally jerked 190 kg. Martirosyan had 185 for his third, Dabaya-Tientcheu had 187 kg for his first attempt. The Frenchman was encouraged to try 197 kg for the gold but he was far from that weight. Martirosyan and Dabaya-Tientcheu achieved the same result (238 kg), but the silver will fly to France as Martirosyan was heavier by 52 dkg. Liao fineshed on the first place with 348 kg, 10 kg ahead of the other two medalists. Martirosyan ARM Lee Baeyoung

Women’s 63 kg press conference quotes

Pak Hyon Suk (PRK), gold medallist: "Ihave never dreamed that I would win gold, but now I am fully overjoyed. I failed my first two attempts, however when I was about to do sthe third I kept in my mind that the Dear Leader of our country would be watching this effort and it encoureged me and that's how I was able to lift the last weight. In September there will be a great national celebration and I will enter the arena with my gold around my neck. This is the first gold in this sport in our country.I will parade with this medalbrings great joy  to me."   Irina Nekrassova (KAZ), silver medalist: "Regarding the crucial moment when I could win gold, I thought I could achieve 135 kg in clean and jerk, but unfortunately I failed an I did not show good result. I burst into tears because this first medal for Kazakhstan at the Games could have been a gold, but it was silver."   Lu Ying-Chi (TPE), bronze medalist: "It was beyond my wildest dreams that I would win this medal. Of course I myself could not follow the results of my rivals. My coach actually lied me, he said that I was ranked 8th and if Kim failed that I would have been ranked 7th. So I was overjoyed about this medal."

women’s 63 kg: THE GREATEST SURPRISE

  Svetlana Tsarukaeva (RUS) Favourite Svetlana Tsarukaeva (RUS) made early exit from the field. The fancied Russian lifter could not manage her starting 107 kg in snatch. Maneza (KAZ) was reported due to heavy pain in her elbow she could not compete.At the halfway mark, Nekrassova (KAZ) had the first position with a 110 kg snatch followed by Pak Hyon-Sun (PRK) and Lu Ying-Chi (TPE). Nerkassova started her clean and jerk with 130 kg and she had a big step with 135 kg next, but she failed two times. Lu was successful only by her first lift of 127 kg, but finally it turned out she could get a bronze in total. After two missed attempts at 135 kgsuccess at her last attempt gave PAK a total of 241 kg and the gold medal. Nekrassova (KAZ) Pak Hyon-Sun (PRK) Lu Ying-Chi (TPE)    

The similarity is roaring

Look at these pictures. The similarity is roaring between former Olympic champion, Turkish Mutlu and the title holder of Beijing 56 kg class, Chinese Long.This young Chinese boy seems to be bred on Mutlu's movements. Almost like twins. Regarding Long's fantastic Beijing performance it looks Mutlu had a wise decision not to compete this Olympic Games, at the fifth time in his life. Will Long achive Mutlu's great goal to be the first ever four times Olympic Champion of weightlifting? As a 17 years old teenager he is already one step closer. With his talent and diligence and with Mutlu type of dedication he can achieve this goal in 2020 when he will be 29. It is not an age. His idol is of course Mutlu, but he attacks his world records and wants to brake them next time.