Jang faces challenge from rookie

Jang Mi-ran is neck and neck with China’s Zhou Lulu, Russia’s Tatiana Kashirina

The following is the seventh of a series of articles on rival athletes in South Korea’s most competitive events at the London 2012 Olympic Games. ― Ed.


The quest for a gold medal in the women’s 75kg-plus class weightlifting is expected to boil down to a competition between a highly experienced veteran and promising Olympic rookies.

Jang Mi-ran of South Korea is the 29-year-old defending champion who seeks her second consecutive gold in London after Beijing in 2008. She first made the national team for the Busan 2002 Asian Games, and debuted on the Olympic stage in Athens in 2004. Jang is a legendary weightlifter who swept four straight world championship titles from 2005 to 2009.

But she faces an uphill battle this time.

While her records have stagnated with waist and shoulder injuries since her win in the 2010 Asian Games, her younger competitors have improved theirs prominently.

A 24-year-old Zhou Lulu of China and a 21-year-old Tatiana Kashirina of Russia have burst onto the women’s weightlifting scene.

Zhou heaved a new world record of 328 kg in the 2011 World Championship. Kashirina lifted a world tie in this year’s European Championship.

The two cut a figure on the international arena just about three years ago, but were not of the kind who faded out after just a brief stint in the limelight. They have bettered their marks rapidly.

In the World Championships two years ago, Kashirina raised 145 kg in snatch, beating Jang’s record by 5 kg. Jang won a silver medal in snatch and a bronze in total.

In the European Championships last year, Kashirina posted 146 kg in snatch and 181 kg in clean and jerk for 327 kg total. Her snatch and total were 1 kg higher than her own previous snatch figure and Jang’s world record in total, respectively. She went on to raise her snatch world record to 148 kg in the President’s Cup in Russia in December last year.

Zhou is a Chinese hidden card who lifted an unofficial world record in snatch in a national meet in 2009 but did not represent her country in the 2009 World Championships and the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. China sent Meng Suping instead, despite her records being lower than Zhou’s. Four years ago, China entered no athletes to the 75kg-plus event of the Beijing Asian Games probably because Jang’s records were unbeatable.

In the World Championships last year, Zhou won the gold medal with 328 kg in total, a new world best, after tying the world record of 146 kg in snatch and clean-and-jerking 182 kg. Jang did not enter the 2011 World Championships due to physical and psychological fatigue.

In terms of records, Zhou or Kashirina have a good shot at winning the London Olympic gold.

But many variables affect Olympic weightlifting competition. Athletes may suffer injuries during practice or may be in bad condition on competition days.

The seasoned Jang is conditioned to keep calm before the bar in high-profile internationals, but both Zhou and Kashirina are stepping onto the Olympic platform for the first time.

Currently, Jang holds a world record in clean and jerk, Kashirina in snatch and Zhou in total.

The three world record holders are expected to show a thrilling competition for the gold in London, but Olympic medal color is determined by total record.

By Chun Sung-woo (swchun@heraldcorp.com)