Haiqin delivers gold for China as USA is edged out again

Zhang Haiqin gave host nation China its second victory at the IWF World Weightlifting Championships in Ningbo when she finished 1kg ahead of the American Miranda Ulrey in the women’s 53kg category. Kim So Hyon from North Korea was third, with clean and jerk gold, from the B Group.

There were mixed fortunes for two Olympic medallists who have moved up from 49kg. Surodchana Khambao from Thailand posted a career best by 12kg in fourth place, while Mihaela Cambei from Romania struggled in seventh place on a day to forget for Europe’s three A Group athletes.

Haiqin, 21, had two attempts remaining when Ulrey finished with a four-from-six 98-122-220, an international career best by 4kg. She made the first for 98-123-221, then failed with an attempt at the world record total on 126kg.

It was the second near miss for the USA in 24 hours, after Hampton Morris was edged out in the men’s 65kg on Wednesday. Ulrey said, “I could have been happier with my performance but it’s a step in the right direction. I’m really excited.”

Ulrey, 22, has spoken about “zoning out” in a competition and focusing only on herself. “I never know what my competitors are doing. I don’t look at the start list, I don’t glance at the scoreboard. It truly does not matter, and I do not care,” she said recently.

Yesterday, Ulrey said, that was even more the case. “I don’t usually listen to music but I did this time (while waiting to go out). I did not know what was going on at all, I couldn’t see if was good lift or no lift out there and it really helped.

“The first one (Olympic qualifying competition) is the most stressful and I feel like ‘Big sigh – now we’re good’. Overall, I’m really happy.”

So Hyon made five from six for 91-123-214, jumping only 2kg on her final attempt. Her team-mate Ri Song Gum totalled 211kg in winning at 49kg on Tuesday and may become North Korea’s number one choice at this weight.

Cambei, who was second in Paris, finished 91-109-200 for seventh place. Cansel Ozkan from Turkiye totalled 194kg in 12th and Nina Sterckx, the European champion from Belgium, bombed out in snatch.

Gyaneshwari Yadav from India made 88-110-198 for eighth place on total, outperforming many athletes in the A and B Groups.