Asian Games: Chinese lift eight world records: Women pull their weight with an awesome show of strength

AFTER the Chinese runners and swimmers, it was the turn of the weightlifters to carry virtually all before them at the Asian Games in Hiroshima yesterday.

Only one record remained of the nine that were at stake on the opening day's lifting competition, even as China's swimmers began an expected domination of the pool.

The Chinese, who began the day by accusing 'racists' of spreading rumours that their athletes use drugs, saw Guan Hong break all three world records in the 46 kilogram category. She hoisted 80.0kg in the snatch and 102.5kg in the jerk. It brought her a world record total of 182.5kg. The 20-year- old Guan hardly broke sweat as she surpassed the records of 72.5kg (snatch) and 92.5kg (jerk) for a total of 165kg.

The 18-year-old Liu Xiuhua then broke her own three records in the 50kg category. Liu, an unusually slim lifter, snatched 87.5kg to break the old mark of 77.5kg. She jerked 110.5kg (110) and totalled 198kg (187.5).

Zhang Juhua brought China's record breaking run to a fitting close by breaking two more world records to win the 54kg competition. She set her first record in snatching 92.5kg (90) and then cleaned and jerked 110kg, but failed to break the world record of 112.5kg.

It was the only medal where the world record did not fall, but Zhang's performance was enough to ensure another world record for herself in the combined total.

China's swimming team, relying on a combination of veterans and new talent, took three out of the four gold medals on offer. Only

Japan's Akira Hayashi, taking gold and an Asian Games record in the men's 100 metres breaststroke with a time of 1min 02.04sec, stopped a Chinese clean sweep.

Results, Sporting Digest, page 35

(Photograph omitted)