Lu Yong lifts Olympic medal dream at National Weightlifting Championships

QUANZHOU, Southeast China, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Lu Yong lighted up the Chinese weightlifting's medal hopes in the men's 85kg class as he hoisted the best result in last three years at the men's National Championships here on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old snatched 180kg and jerked 213kg to lift a totalof 393kg in total, equaling the winning result by Andrei Rybakou of Belarus in the worlds in 2007.

Lu's result was also the best in international competitions of this power sport in the last three years, only two kilograms less than the world record.

"Lu made the Chinese men's weightlifting Olympic squad stronger than before after he lifted 393kg," said Pang Gaoxing, the team leader of the Chinese men's team.

"Though the Olympic squad is not decided yet, I believe Lu will become a very competitive contender."

Chinese strongmen are also good at the 56kg, 62kg and 69kg classes. According to the IOC's regulation, host China have won the full eight tickets of the Olympic men's weightlifting competition.

"We still haven't decided in which categories we will compete in the Beijing Olympics. Now, the men's 85kg class is in our consideration," added Pang.

"I think Lu will make better performance in the Games, and he has the ability to do that."

"I was very determined to lift above 390kg, and that was my goal before I came here," said Lu.

Lu clinched the silver in the worlds in 2005 but placed the seventh in the worlds in 2007 due to the sprain injury during the competition.

Jiang Hairong of Guangdong lifted a total of 385kg to take the silver and He Shuyong of Shandong the bronze at 375kg.