At this Asian Games, the Chinese weightlifting team has encountered a severe test.
On October 2, in the women's 59kg weightlifting final of the Hangzhou Asian Games, North Korea's Kim Il-kyung won the championship with a total of 246 kg, and world champion Luo Shifang of China won the silver medal with 240 kg.
Luo Shifang had some regrets.
This is the third time since Jiang Huihua and Hou Zhihui that Chinese women's lifters have "lost gold" at this Asian Games, and the championships have been won by North Korean athletes.
After the competition, Luo Shifang and coach Wang Guoxin affirmed their opponents' achievements, but they were still full of confidence in the next competitions of Chinese women's lifting, especially next year's Paris Olympics.
North Korea's Kim Il-kyung won gold with a total score of 246 kg.
What is the soul of the Chinese weightlifting team
The 59kg race was quite intense, and Luo Shifang was under great pressure when she was 4kg behind Kim Iljing in the snatch.
The result of Kim Il-kyung in the jerk was fixed at 135 kg, and Luo Shifang chose a weight that she had never lifted in the competition - 140 kg, because only in this way could she achieve a reverse surpass over Kim Iljing.
After the game, Luo Shifang said frankly: "What I thought at that time was - (you) don't give me a chance, (have a chance) I will try it, how can I fight hard." ”
Although Luo Shifang failed to lift this weight in the end, when she walked to the stage, coach Wang Guoxin smiled and gave Luo Shifang a thumbs up, and patted her on the shoulder to accompany her into the waiting area.
The new coach of the kingdom encourages the disciples.
After the game, Wang Guoxin also talked about this scene, he believes that as long as the athlete shows hard work, it is worth praising her.
"Our athletes are relatively young, and there are only about three weeks from the World Championships to the Asian Games, and we have accumulated half a year of experience at the World Championships, and the athletes' bodies are warm before the competition (adjusted to a high level), and this time the bodies are soft."
"The coach knows the athlete best, and to be able to perform like this, I am very satisfied as a coach and must be affirmed. (Fighting spirit) can come out, in the end I can accept any result. ”
Luo Shifang in the game.
For the 140 kg, Wang Guoxin expressed a trace of regret, but he stressed that the Chinese weightlifting team must dare to challenge itself no matter what the result is.
"It's actually a bit of a pity, because the players have lifted this weight in training, but in terms of ability, it is still a bit reluctant."
"However, in the competition, we must dare to challenge and turn the impossible into possible, which is the spirit of our Chinese weightlifting team and the soul of our team." Since you are here, you have to fight first. ”
02:22
Wang Xin congratulated the North Korean team on winning the gold after the game. Video Editor Xu Chuli (02:22)
"We want to congratulate the North Korean team"
Of course, as an honorable team, the results of the Chinese women's lifters so far in this Asian Games are somewhat far from people's expectations, and all three events have missed the gold medal. At present, Wang Guoxin also faced this problem squarely.
"I definitely don't get a [gold medal] [so far], but you have to face reality and face yourself. The next step is to train hard and improve ability, this is the last word, to find a breakthrough direction or a method. ”
To some extent, the amazing strength of the North Korean team in the Asian Games weightlifting competition was the most direct factor in the Chinese team's failure to win the gold medal - four years after leaving the international arena, this mysterious team frequently broke world records in the three events that have ended in the Asian Games women's lifting, which not only impressed the Chinese team, but also shocked the world.
Kim Il-jing.
Talking about this strong opponent, Wang Guoxin generously congratulated his opponent on winning the gold medal, and also said that the Chinese weightlifting team should turn pressure into motivation and bravely climb the peak.
"In this competition, the North Korean team has achieved such a good result, as peers, we think it is a good thing and shows that the sport is developing, so we would like to congratulate the North Korean team."
"As a world weightlifting power, seeing your opponents improving so fast, you also have to think about a lot of issues - such as training methods and many other aspects to explore, and launch a catch-up with the advanced team that is ahead of us."
"This competition is a reminder for us - a reminder not to stay in the comfort zone, all competitive sports must not stay in the comfort zone, and we must work harder, so that the whole weightlifting business can usher in a better development."
Law Shifang (left) and Kim Il-kyung (center).
North Korea may not be able to lift weights in Paris
In the coming days, the weightlifting competition at the Asian Games will continue, and Wang Guoxin believes that in the next competition, the Chinese women's lifting will have better results. Looking further away at the Paris Olympics, he also said in a loud voice: "Chinese women's lifters will have a good performance at that time." ”
It is worth mentioning that in terms of the Paris Olympic cycle, the North Korean team does not meet the shortlisted conditions announced by the IWF because it has participated too little before (it must participate in at least 5 competitions such as 2 mandatory competitions and 3 optional competitions in international competitions), so the North Korean team will most likely not appear in the Paris Olympics.
However, the confidence of Chinese women's lifters does not stem from the absence of strong opponents, but from the competitive spirit of challenging oneself and surpassing limits.
Coach Wang Guoxin has already shouted his determination to defend China's weightlifting powerhouse, and Luo Shifang also told the media after the game, "This time I have tried 140 kilograms of weight, I believe that if I train a little thicker (the state adjustment is better), this weight is very likely (lifting)." ”