"The most important thing is to win gold medal for China. If I win, I will be very happy. But if Zhang wins, I will be happy for him," Shi said after his first training class in Doha.

After claiming the gold medal of the men's weightlifting 62kg category in the Athens Olympics, the 26-year-old Shi shifted to 69kg class, in which Zhang took the Olympic title in 2004.

"I told myself to be calm before I came here, because I wanted to show my best, not just for the gold medal. I hope my performance here will bring a good beginning to the Beijing Olympics," he added.

Shi won the gold medal in the world championships in Doha last year and he believed the Qatari capital was his lucky place.

"The city is getting better and better. I can see the organizing committee working hard to provide such an excellent competition venue for the lifters," Shi said when looking around the Al-Dana Banquet Hall, which holds the Asiad's weightlifting competition.