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E-mail Xinhua, July 25, 2024
In contrast to the Tokyo Olympics, the weightlifting events at Paris 2024 will be reduced from 14 to 10 categories, and each team will be limited to a maximum of six participants (three men and three women).
China won a total of 62 medals in weightlifting over the past 10 editions of Olympic Games, including 38 golds. With four Olympic champions in its Paris 2024 line-up, the Chinese weightlifting team remains a force to beat.
Competitors from Eastern Europe and South America will continue to vie for gold in their dominant categories.
In the men's events, super-heavyweight Lasha Talakhadze of Georgia and China's Shi Zhiyong (73kg) are both aiming for their third Olympic titles in their respective categories.
Chinese weightlifter Shi Zhiyong performs the snatch at IWF World Cup 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games Qualification Event in Tianjin, China Dec 10, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]
Li Fabin's previous achievements make him the top contender in the men's 61kg. The 31-year-old claimed gold in Tokyo and set a snatch world record at the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup in Phuket, Thailand.
22-year-old Liu Huanhua, participating in the Olympic Games for the first time, will be China's main hope in the men's 102kg.
"Li is stronger than his opponents. The most important thing is to make sure he can perform steadily in the Olympic Games. Liu needs to improve a bit more to help China achieve a good result in the 102kg event," said Yu Jie, head coach of China's men's team.
Karlos Nasar of Bulgaria and Colombia's Yeison Lopez will compete in the men's 89kg. 20-year-old Nasar, who claimed his first world record at only 17, broke the 89kg world records in snatch, clean and jerk, and total, making him a standout in Paris.
On the women's side, super-heavyweight Li Wenwen is the top favorite for gold, after having performed excellently at the recent World Cup.
Li is likely to make the last lift in Paris, where five days of the competition will conclude on August 11, the final day of the Olympic Games.
"I think more clearly now, I always talk to the coach about anything I don't understand, and now I know exactly what I should and should not do," said Li. "My goal has always been the same: to help China win the gold medal."
Hou Zhihui in the women's 49kg and first-time Olympian Luo Shifang in the women's 59kg also have the potential to secure gold medals for China.
In the women's 71kg event, American weightlifter Olivia Reeves has emerged as a top contender in Paris, thanks to her outstanding performance in winning three golds at the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympic champion Neisi Dajomes of Ecuador is the top favorite in the women's 81kg event.
The Olympic weightlifting competition, featuring 120 athletes, will run from August 7 to 11 at the South Paris Arena.
