Mighty Jang is planet’s strongest woman

BEIJING, Aug 16, 2008 (AFP) - South Korea’s Jang Miran was crowned the strongest woman on the planet on Saturday when she won +75kg weightlifting gold, breaking three world records on the way.

World champion Jang, a silver medallist in Athens four years ago, started with a new snatch world record of 140kg, breaking the previous mark of China’s Mu Shuangshuang by a kilogram.

The 24-year-old then raised the clean and jerk record to 186kg, four kg more than the old record held by China’s Tang Gonghong, for a new record total of 326kg, compared to Mu’s former record best of 319kg. Jang said she was surprised that neither of her two Chinese rivals were competing here.

“I would not necessarily say that I am the strongest woman in the world,” a modest Jang said, but serving notice that she has yet to reach her full potential.

“I believe I will break more world records in the coming years,” she said, adding that her next target would be the 2009 world championships which South Korea would host, and theno the 2012 London Olympics.

Olha Korobka, the Ukrainian silver medallist, said she was beaten by a “fantastic” athlete.

“I had only one goal — my one target was to win the silver medal today,” said the 22 year-old, who was bronze medallist at the last two world championships.

But bronze medallist Mariya Grabovetskaya of Kazakhstan, begged to disagree.

“She (Jang) did a very good job and I respect her very much, but she’s not unbeatable,” said the 21 year-old Asian champion.

Korobka managed a total effort of 277kg while Grabovetskaya lifted 270kg.

Jang, who weighs nearly 117kg and comes from a family of weightlifters, follows a training regimen that includes lifting the equivalent of between 15 and 20 tonnes a day.

She started the competition here with a first snatch attempt of 130kg, six kilograms more than anyone else managed, then moved to 136kg on her way to South Korea’s second weightlifting gold after Sa Jaeh-Youk had earlier won the men’s 77kg class.

Now that all her challengers have been put in place, Jang said she would have time to return to school and finish a university degree. “I did not attend my classes this year because I had to prepare for the Olympics,” she said.