S Korean athlete wins gold for 77kg men's weightlifting at EAG

S Korean athlete wins gold for 77kg men's weightlifting at EAG

Kim Kwang-hoon of South Korea competes in the men's 77kg weightlifting final at the 2009 East Asian Games in Hong Kong, south China, on Dec. 9, 2009. Kim Kwanghoon won the gold medal with a combined weight of 352kg.

HONG KONG, Dec. 9 -- South Korea's Kim Kwang-hoon took gold for the 77kg category of men's weightlifting at the East Asian Games on Wednesday, beating Liao Hui, a star Chinese weightlifter who had been competing in the 69kg category in the past.

Kim lifted 153kg in snatch, two kilograms less than the load that Liao has managed. But he lifted 199kg in the clean and jerk, topping the existing EAG record of 195kg and Liao's 196kg. Liao had a combined weight of 351kg, compared with Kim's 352kg.

Pang Kum-chol, representing the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, won the bronze medal with a combined weight of 331kg.

Liao Hui of China competes in the men's 77kg weightlifting final at the 2009 East Asian Games in Hong Kong, south China, on Dec. 9, 2009. Liao Hui won the silver medal with a combined weight of 351kg.

Liao, 22, was gold medallist for men's 69kg category at the Beijing Olympics and the recent World Weightlifting Championships. What he lifted in clean and jerk on Wednesday was heavier than the load of 186kg at the recent World Championships and 195kg at the recent National Games.

He also topped the world record of 357kg for the men's 69kg category at the National Games.

Liao said he did not have enough time to do a good preparation in the snatch competition, and was not satisfied with the results given that he has been able to lift more than 200kg in clean and jerk in training.

Kim Kwang-hoon (C) of South Korea, Liao Hui (L) of China and Pang Kum Chol of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) pose on the podium during the awarding ceremony for the men's 77kg weightlifting at the 2009 East Asian Games in Hong Kong, south China, on Dec. 9, 2009.

Chen Wenbin, head coach for China's men's weightlifting team, said he was "so worried" that Liao might suffer injuries when attempting the load of 196kg in clean and jerk after taking part in the National Games in October and the World Championships in late November.
(Xinhua)