Olympic champion Chen Yanqing broke three world records in the women's 58kg
class weightlifting on day 2 of the Asian Games on Sunday when China won 13 gold
medals to extend their gold tally to 29.
Chen, 27, snatched 111kg in her third attempt to beat the world record of
110kg. She went on to jerk 140kg to break the world record by one kilogram, thus
also raising the world record of the total to 251kg. The previous world total
record of 242kg was set by fellow Chinese Gu Wei in 2005.
"I feel really great, my priority was to be the champion," said Chen, who
came out of retirement this year aiming to win a second Olympic gold medal in
the Beijing Olympics.
"I thought it over and over and then decided to train again for the 2008
Beijing Olympics," she said.
The world records were only the extra gift for the Chinese weightlifting team
officials as China has captured all the six gold medals on offer during the
first two day's competition.
"It is a gift to the host Doha and whole Asia," said Ma Wenguang, president
of the Chinese Weightlifting Association, who is also all praises for Chen.
"Chen is powerful, but breaking world records was not so easy for her. I am
happy that she did that."
The day's other two weightlifting gold medals went to Olympic champion Zhang
Guozheng in the men's 69kg division, and reigning world champion Qiu Le won the
men's 62kg category.
Chinese women followed their men's footprint to lift their ninth consecutive
gymnastics team title at the Asian Games, beating DPR Korea to the second place
by a large margin at the Aspire Stadium.
China collected a total of 239.400 points, 10.850 ahead of the silver takers
DPK Korea (228.550). Japan finished third in 225.950 points. South Korea ranked
fourth on 215.650 points.
China is likely to clean sweep all the gymnastics titles on women's
disciplines by leading the five individual events in qualifications.
China also has a perfect ending in the table tennis event, collecting both
men's and women's team gold. It was the Chinese men's seventh Asian Games table
tennis team title and for their women's players, it's a title to be taken back
after their flop in the Busan Games two years ago.
The Chinese women crushed Singapore 3-0 in their first ever meeting in an
Asian Games final while their men trounced arch-rivals South Korea 3-0 in their
fourth consecutive final encounter in an Asiad.
Kazakhstan's Vladislav Polyakov produced the biggest surprise in the swimming
pool by overcoming Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima of Japan in the men's 50m
breaststroke.
Chinese and Japanese swimmers each had two gold medals to their names while
South Korea bagged one through their promising star Park Tae Hwan.
"This is absolutely an unexpected victory for me as Japanese Kitajima is very
strong. It is always nice to beat an Olympic champion, but this not his prime
event, not mine either. So I was surprised when I turned around that everyone
was so close," said the 23-year-old Polyakov.
In the shooting event, former Olympic champion Tao Luna showed she had
regained her form which led to the title at the Sydney Olympic Games. She shot
down the 10m air pistol gold medal with a new Asiad record of 490.3 points.
China took four golds out of seven, Kuwait won two and Kazakhstan captured
one.
Five more countries and regions, besides China, Japan, and South Kora, won
gold medals on the second day's competition.
China topped the medal tally with 29 golds, Japan was second with seven and
South Korea third with four.