Rookie strongwoman Sibel Ozkan of Turkey aimed at the first weightlifting gold medal at the Beijing Olympics as she revealed that her training results had surpassed the current three world records.
The 20-year-old junior world champion told the press after training on Monday that she was ready to win a gold medal in the women's 48kg category, beating her compatriot defending Olympic champion Nurcan Taylan and the world champion Chen Xiexia of China.
"Everybody hopes to achieve a gold medal. I hope to win the gold too.I'm ready to win," Ozkan said.
The women's 48kg class competition will be held on August 9, the first day after the official opening of the Beijing Olympics.
"My best training results in the snatch is 100kg and 122kg for the clean and jerk, in the training hall in Turkey," she added.
The world record of the snatch was set by Chinese Yang Lian at 98kg, two kilograms less Ozkan's. The jerk record was written by Chen Xiexia with 120kg, also two kilograms less than Ozkan's while the Turkish total result was five kilograms more than the world record of total by Yang Lian.
Ozkan was excited with her debut at the Olympics, and thought the lives in the Olympic Village was "comfortable".
"The organization is very good. They are ready to do everything to make us comfortable. The Olympic Village is the best and the volunteers are very good and everyone smiles."
(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2008)