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Chinese Lifters Set to DominateChina's female weightlifters appear set to make a clean sweep of the two gold medals on offer on day four of the Olympic weightlifting competition.China's Xiaomin CHEN and Weining LIN are hot favourites Tuesday to take their medal tally to three gold medals from as many lifters. Two divisions, the Women's 63kg (14:30) and 69kg (18:30) classes, will be contested. CHEN, 23, lifting in the 63kg class was ultra impressive at the recent Asian Championships in May winning gold in the 69kg class. She'll drop back to the 63kg class at the Sydney Games. European champion Valentina POPOVA (RUS) is one lifter who could surprise. Since 1997 she has increased her personal best total from 177.5kg to 232.5kg. Others to look out for include Thailand's Saipin DETSAENG and Greek Ioanna CHATZIIOANNOU. Weining LIN, at just 21 years of age is an international weightlifting superstar in the making. She made her debut at the 1999 World Junior Championships, where she broke the world clean and jerk record for both seniors and juniors with a lift of 137.5kg. She now holds the total senior record of 252.5kg and will enter the competition a firm favourite. World Championships silver medallist Milena TRENDAFILOVA (BUL) and Erzsebet PERESZTEGINE MARKUS (HUN) are capable of causing an upset. A host of others could challenge for bronze, including Australian Michelle KETTNER, Daniela KERKELOVA (BUL) and former world champion Karnam MALLESWARI (IND). |
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