In this era of the rising power of sports, every glorious moment belonging to Chinese athletes will become a moment of jubilation for the whole country. The 2023 Thailand Weightlifting World Cup is just such a moment.
The race at the beginning of April was undoubtedly an extremely important test. As the last major warm-up event just a year away from Paris 2024, athletes from all over the world will be hoping to show off their potential and make the final push for gold at the Games. The Chinese team is undoubtedly the most eye-catching object.
Coincidentally, in this women's 59kg competition, 23-year-old Chinese teenager Luo Shifang is like a "dark horse", and finally reversed to win the championship in the fierce competition, and set a new world record with a total score of 248kg. This move not only attracted the attention and high praise of mainstream media such as the People's Daily, but also aroused the attention and celebration of the whole country.
This young girl from Chenzhou, Hunan Province, with her amazing perseverance and technique, not only grew into a new star in the weightlifting world in just a few years, but also exploded into unprecedented competitive strength at the most critical moment. Her wonderful performance undoubtedly once again demonstrates the thriving sports industry in China, and also adds more expectations and hopes to the upcoming Paris Olympic Games.
So, what kind of athlete is Luo Shifang? How did she transform from an ordinary girl into a "gold medal harvester" in today's weightlifting world? How did she perform such a "reversal" in this competition? Let's explore the growth path of this Chinese sports rookie.
In 2012, at the age of 12, Luo Shifang was discovered and selected by a local weightlifting coach and embarked on the road of weightlifting. This is undoubtedly a new challenge for a little girl who is in the middle of puberty. However, with her talent and tenacity, Luo Shifang quickly adapted to the sport and achieved good results in the following training.
In 2020, Luo Shifang won the championship of three events in the National Weightlifting Championships, which attracted wide attention in the industry. This young player who came out of a small city, with his outstanding performance, officially emerged and became a member of the Chinese weightlifting team.
Subsequently, in December 2021, Luo Shifang was officially selected for the national team. At the World Championships that year, she won three gold medals with a total of 107 kg in the snatch and 136 kg in the clean and jerk with a total of 243 kg.
Then, at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, Luo Shifang won the runner-up in the women's 59kg event. Although she was unable to win the gold medal in one fell swoop, her performance still attracted widespread attention and she was regarded as the "successor" of the future of Chinese weightlifting.
In the next training, Luo Shifang went all out to continuously improve her skills and physical fitness. She knows that to compete at the upcoming Paris Olympics, she will have to show her strength in the previous competitions.
At the beginning of the competition, Luo Shifang did not fully perform at her best in the snatch event. On her first attempt at 103 kilograms, she managed to do so. However, he failed in the subsequent 108kg challenge. Undeterred, though, she managed to lift 108kg again on her third attempt, tied with North Korea's Kim Il Kyung.
When entering the clean and jerk event, Luo Shifang finally showed her true strength. On her first attempt at 133kg, she lifted it effortlessly and locked in the clean and jerk title. But she was clearly not satisfied with this and was determined to achieve a great result in the overall results as well.
So on the second attempt of 140 kg, Luo Shifang unfortunately failed. However, she was not devastated by the defeat and finally managed to lift 140kg on her third attempt. This not only ensured her overall lead, but also set a new world record!
From falling behind in the snatch event, to finally winning the championship in the clean and jerk, and then breaking the world record with a total score of 248kg, Luo Shifang's performance is undoubtedly wonderful. She not only showed outstanding technical skills, but also demonstrated excellent psychological quality and tenacious fighting spirit.
After the game, Luo Shifang's performance immediately attracted widespread attention. Mainstream media such as the People's Daily have published reports and highly praised her, saying that her determination and perseverance to "fight until her arms cramp" have injected new vitality into China's sports industry. CCTV and other official media also spoke highly of Luo Shifang's achievement for the first time, and predicted that she will become an important force for China to win gold in the Paris Olympics.
In this regard, the young girl from Hunan also said that this is just the beginning, and she will continue to work hard to realize her Olympic dream. Undoubtedly, such determination and belief will be the most powerful motivation for her future journey.