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The first Chinese gold.

Chen XieXia won the first Chinese gold medal with Olympic record total of 212 kg in 48 kg category. She made all of her six attempts without any mistake with absolute precision. The competition looked to be over when Chen led already by 7 kg over Ozkan /TUR/. As a clean and jerk world record holder Chen was full of confidence and had a fantastic victory. She already was the hot favourite since she beat out Yang Lian for a chance to compete for China. Chen won the gold in the National Championship this April, which added to her competitiveness as a candidate for China's Olympic squad. Then she was injured in the last pre-Games event in July, prompting consideration of Yang as a serious Olympic contender, especially after she broke the world record at that same pre-Games event. A July 25 check-up determined Chen was recovered and ready for competition.   Taylan /TUR/, the defending Olympic champion made a quick exit of the competiton as she was not prepared enought to lift 84 kg in snatch. 2007 silver medallist, Bunphithak /THA/ shared this feeling not succeeding of 84 kg.

Weightlifting was represented by 12 athletes as flag bearers at Parade of Nation

Weightlifting was represented by 12 athletes as flag bearers at Parade of Nation Cook Islands Sam Pera jr. Ecuador Alexandra Escobar El Salvador Eva Maria Dimas Federal States of Micronesia Manuel Minginfel Kazakhstan Ahmetov Bakhyt Kiribati David Katoatau Nauru Itte Detenamo Norway Ruth Kasirye Samoa Ele Opeloge Solomon Islands Wendy Hale Syrian Arabic Republic Ahed Jughili Tuvalu Logona Esau Athletics provided most flag bearers during the Opening Ceremony. Weightlifting is ranked No. 5 on this list: Athletics 61 Swimming 18 Judo 17 Canoe/Kayak 13 Weightlifting 12 Shooting 10 Wrestling

Oldest, youngest

The youngest female lifter is Abir Khalil /EGY, 69 kg/ born 13.06. 1992 The youngest male lifter is QingQuan Long /CHN, 56 kg/ born 03.12. 1990 The oldest female lifter is Maria Teresa Monasterio /BOL, 63 kg/ born 15.10. 1969 The oldest male lifter is Maama Lolohea /TGA, plus 105 kg/ born 27.05. 1968 There are 5 lifters celebrate their birthday during the weightlifting Olympics /09-19 August/: 10.08. 77kg Erkand Querimaj /ALB/ 14.08 56 kg Kyong Sok Ri /PRK/ 15.08 94 kg Roman Konstantinov /RUS/ 16.08 85 kg Brice Vivien Batchaya Ketvhanke /CMR/ 19.08 69 kg Yong Ok Hong

Tuvalu’s first appereance at the Olympic Games

Tuvalu was welcomed into the Olympic Family at the 2007 IOC Session in Guatemala City and will have three competitors in Beijing. Two men will be competing in the track events and Weightlifter Logona Esau will be competing in the 69 kg

Tuvalu’s first appereance at the Olympic Games

Tuvalu was welcomed into the Olympic Family at the 2007 IOC Session in Guatemala City and will have three competitors in Beijing. Two men will be competing in the track events and Weightlifter Logona Esau will be competing in the 69 kg

Itte Detenamo, Nauru’s only athlete to Beijing.

This decision was made by the Nauru Olympic Committee, following a final trial test held at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute in Noumea, New Caledonia, between Yukio Peter 77kg category and Itte Detenamo 105+kg category. Both athletes are IOC Scholarship holders and train at the OWF Institute in Noumea. Itte Detenamo's total was 387kg with a snatch of 175kg and a clean & jerk of 212kg. Itte is the 2007 South Pacific Games triple gold medalist and competed at the 2004 Olympic Games placing 14th in the 105+kg category. He also won a bronze medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Nauru qualified only one lifter at the Oceania Olympic qualification event held in New Zealand in March this year , even though they had three lifters in 2004 at the Athens Olympics (2 males & 1 female). Yukio Peter who placed 8th in Athens in the 69kg category and won a silver medal in the clean & jerk at the 2005 World Championships has had in the last couple of years a series of disappointments which have culminated in missing out on this year 's Olympic Games.Nevertheless the Nauru Olympic Committee will still take Yukio to the Olympics as an official to assist his team mate