Chen lifts first gold for China

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

Video - Chen Xiexia claims first gold for hosts

Chinese weightlifter Chen Xiexia set an Olympic record as she won the hosts their first gold medal of the 2008 Games on the opening day.

She took the 48kg class to huge cheers from the partisan crowd, clinching victory with a total of 212kg.

Turkey's Sibel Ozkan's total of 199kg earned silver, while Taiwanese lifter Chen Wei-Ling lifted 196kg for bronze.

Chen, 25, lifted 95kg in the snatch and set a new record for the class with 117kg in the clean and jerk.

The 2004 Olympic champion, Nurcan Taylan of Turkey, was eliminated after three failed attempts in the snatch.

BBC OLYMPICS BLOG

Is weightlifting still fascinating to watch or has the legacy of drug abuse ruined it as a spectator sport?

BBC Sport's Andrew Cotter

Wrapped in a Chinese flag, Chen sang along with the crowd to the national anthem after receiving her medal.

Her victory tempered the earlier disappointment for China when defending champion Du Li failed to get amongst the medals in the women's 10m air rifle event.

And it capped a dramatic 24 hours for the hosts after a dazzling opening ceremony.

"I have been thinking of winning a medal but never thought it would turn out to be the first gold medal for China," said an ecstatic Chen.

"I had the special support of the audience, especially from the Chinese audience, and so I don't think I was under great pressure."

"I'm very happy and think I did a good job."

Bookmark with:

What are these?

BBC Sport's Olympic map

Find out about the Beijing weightlifting venue

Weightlifting medals table

Sunday, 24 August 2008 10:17 UK

Rank	Country	Gold	Silver	Bronze	TOTAL
1	also show each event results forChina	8	1	0	9
Men's 56kg		1	0	0
Men's 62kg		1	0	0
Men's 69kg		1	0	0
Men's 77kg		0	1	0
Men's 85kg		1	0	0
Women's 48kg		1	0	0
Women's 58kg		1	0	0
Women's 69kg		1	0	0
Women's 75kg		1	0	0
2	also show each event results forSouth Korea	2	1	0	3
Men's 77kg		1	0	0
Women's +75kg		1	0	0
Women's 53kg		0	1	0
3	also show each event results forKazakhstan	1	2	1	4
Men's 94kg		1	0	0
Women's +75kg		0	0	1
Women's 63kg		0	1	0
Women's 75kg		0	1	0
4	also show each event results forBelarus	1	1	1	3
Men's 105kg		1	0	0
Men's 85kg		0	1	0
Women's 53kg		0	0	1
5	also show each event results forDPR Korea	1	0	1	2
Women's 58kg		0	0	1
Women's 63kg		1	0	0
6	also show each event results forGermany	1	0	0	1
Men's +105kg		1	0	0
7	also show each event results forThailand	1	0	0	1
Women's 53kg		1	0	0
8	also show each event results forRussia	0	4	3	7
Men's +105kg		0	1	0
Men's 105kg		0	1	1
Men's 94kg		0	0	1
Women's 58kg		0	1	0
Women's 69kg		0	1	0
Women's 75kg		0	0	1
9	also show each event results forUkraine	0	1	1	2
Women's +75kg		0	1	0
Women's 69kg		0	0	1
10	also show each event results forColombia	0	1	0	1
Men's 62kg		0	1	0
11	also show each event results forFrance	0	1	0	1
Men's 69kg		0	1	0
12	also show each event results forPoland	0	1	0	1
Men's 94kg		0	1	0
13	also show each event results forTurkey	0	1	0	1
Women's 48kg		0	1	0
14	also show each event results forVietnam	0	1	0	1
Men's 56kg		0	1	0
15	also show each event results forArmenia	0	0	3	3
Men's 69kg		0	0	1
Men's 77kg		0	0	1
Men's 85kg		0	0	1
16	also show each event results forChinese Taipei	0	0	2	2
Women's 48kg		0	0	1
Women's 63kg		0	0	1
17	also show each event results forIndonesia	0	0	2	2
Men's 56kg		0	0	1
Men's 62kg		0	0	1
18	also show each event results forLatvia	0	0	1	1
Men's +105kg		0	0	1

Related BBC sites

Chen lifts first gold for China

Bookmark with:

Weightlifting medals table

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

A-Z of Sports