China's Zhou breaks Snatch Asian record
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Chinese lifter Zhou Lulu broke the snatch Asian record in the women's +75kg category at the Asian weightlifting championships on Saturday.
The 23-year-old Zhou snatched 141kg in her third attempt, one kilogram more than the previous Asian record set by South Korea's Jang Miran at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Jang didn't compete at these championships.
But Zhou's compatriot Meng Suping clinched the gold medal for the overall results with a combined 304kg.
Earlier in the day, Asian Games bronze medalist Kim Min-jae of South Korea claimed the title in the men's 94kg division with combined lifts of 388kg, becoming the second non-Chinese gold medal winner so far at the continental competition. DPR Korea's Jong Chun Mi grabbed the jerk gold in the women's 58kg category on Thursday.
Zhang Shaoling, who represents Macao of China, collected the snatch, jerk and total gold medals in the women's 69kg after her strongest rival, China's Xiang Yanmei was upgraded from the 69kg division to 75kg, in which the teenager also met few challenge to win all three gold.
With merely four lifters competing in the women's +75kg group, the competition turned out to be duel between the Chinese duo of Zhou and Meng.
In the snatch, Zhou showed her supremacy as she didn't start until the rest had finished their attempts, and secured the snatch gold by hoisting 141kg, 7kg more than Meng.
Meng fought back in the clean and jerk, succeeding in all three attempts and finally jerking 170kg, while Zhou retired after sustaining a slightly ankle injury following her successful second lift - jerking 158kg.
"As China has secured the gold, we decided to pull Zhou out to avoid further injury," said Ma Wenhui, head coach of the Chinese women's team.
Despite the absence of Kazakhstan's Olympic champion Ilyin Ilya in the men's 94kg event, Vladimir Sedov, also from the central Asian country, posed a strong challenge to Kim together with Chinese debutant Li Bing.
Sedov hoisted 180kg in his final snatch attempt to lead Kim by 2kg. In the clean and jerk, the 21-year-old Li had three successful attempts and tallied 220kg for his best result, 10kg more than Kim. Sedov came third in 207kg.
"I was really excited to compete with high-level lifters," said Li. "I felt a bit nervous in the snatch but finally managed to find the rhythm in the clean and jerk."
