Twice weightlifting Olympic champion Liu Chunhong of China won gold medal convincingly in the women's 69kg weightlifting at the 16th Guangzhou Asian Games here on November 17.

The 25-year-old Liu, who even needn't to lift in her final jerk attempt, claimed the gold with a winning title of 242kg, 4kg more than the silver medalist Darmariani Sinta of Indonesia. Wang Ya Jhen of Chinese Taipei settled for the bronze at 233kg.

It is the second Asiad gold for Liu after she won this category in 2002 Busan Asiad.

Liu met no challenge in the eight-lifter competition as she took the lead both in snatch and clean-and-jerk.

After failing at 106kg in her first snatch attempt, the relaxed Liu took the lead by raising 110kg. In the jerk, Sinta, who only ranked the fourth in the snatch, challenged Liu by jerking 137kg in her third attempt. But the weight was not enough for Sinta to surpass Liu as the home favourite has jerked 132kg in her second attempt.

Liu therefore secured the gold and gave up her final attempt.

"I retained my strength in the competition, because my opponents were not as competitive as expected," said Liu, who claimed the Beijing Olympic gold by breaking all three world records.

Liu said she would continue to fight for the Londong Olympics. "My major objective now is the Olympic gold medal in 2012."

(Xinhua News Agency November 17, 2010)