China, Korea and Iran Shine at the Asian Weightlifting Championships
by Randall J. Strossen, IronMind Enterprises, Inc. © 2003
Qinhuangdao, China – Yuan Aijun continued China's winning ways at the Asian Weightlifting Championships today.
Yuan handily won the men's 85-kg category via a 170-kg snatch and a 202.5 clean and jerk, although his victory wasn't secured until the last lift: Yuan had missed 202.5 twice in the clean and jerk, before making a clutch lift on his third attempt.
In the women's 75-kg category, Sun Ruiping (CHN) smoked 110 kg and 115 kg in the snatch, before missing 120 kg on her third attempt (1.5 kg over her world record). As Yuan had done, Sun missed her first two jerks with 145 kg, but she wasn't as fortunate on her third attempt. Fighting valiantly to save the jerk, she dislocated her elbow, fell to a sitting position on the platform, and bar struck her on the upper back. With Sun out, the class was won by Lee Yeon-Hwa (KOR), via 100/132.5.
The men's 94-kg category was a battle between Andrey Makarov (KAZ) and Kouroush Bagheri (IRI), with Makarov leading after the snatch, 175 to 170, plus he was the lighter man. Makarov finished with a 195-kg clean and jerk, and Bagheri took the 202.5 kg he needed to win on his second attempt and missed the jerk, but came back to make a strong success on his third attempt, for the victory.