Topic: Podium Do Si Do in Women's 69s.

[Rachel Crass]

After nearly a week of clamoring for that oh so elusive exclusive question and photo and warning snips amongst ourselves when one of us gets outta line (think: National Geographic’s “Lions of Darkness”), we media folk have finally found our groove. Even the Thai reporters refrained from inciting their usual mini-international riot en route to the Press Room. (The uprisings are now nothing that little ol’ Vyacheslav Klokov can’t squash with his big toe.)

Geez. How do I describe the Women’s 69s? Classic battles. I’ll start with the numbers:

Snatch Winners
1. KANG, Yue (CHN) – 110x, 110, 113
2. ZHAPPARKUL, Zhazira (KAZ) – 100, 105, 109
3. SUWANNARATANA, Wiriya (THA) – 100, 105, 109x

Clean & Jerk Winners
1. SUWANNARATANA, Wiriya (THA) – 125, 130, 135
2. ZUBOVA, Mariya (RUS) – 130, 135, 138x
3. KANG, Yue (CHN) – 125, 131, 139x

Total Winners
1. KANG, Yue (CHN) – 113 / 131 / 244
2. SUWANNARATANA, Wiriya (THA) – 105 / 135 / 240
3. ZUBOVA, Mariya (RUS) – 103 / 135 / 238

If you couldn’t follow that hodgepodge, here’s the medal breakdown:

KANG (CHN) went home with Gold, Bronze, Gold.
ZHAPPARKUL (KAZ) went home with Silver (bomb with 130 kg CJ. More on that below).
SUWANNARATANA (THA) went home with Bronze, Gold, Silver.
ZUBOVA (RUS) went home with Silver and Bronze.

Ya know, I must admit that I don’t normally “get into” women’s A sessions in weightlifting any more than I “get into” WNBA games (For the former, it’s frustrating to throw around the term “women” so freely with the brutes we’ve become so unfortunately accustomed to seeing, but that’s a whole other story for a whole other day. For the latter…I guess I just haven’t been much into basketball since my local threepeat repeat back in the day. But again, I digress….). Yes, that’s near blasphemy, seeing as I myself am a woman and all, but this session was one of, if not the, best yet of this competition.

The energy in the Women’s 69s didn’t come from the crowd. It came from the women themselves. Focused, determined, yet…human. Walking to the chalk bowl, the stares from these women could put kryptonite to shame. But after that third clean and jerk, their smiles lit up the room. These young ladies are ladies (with the exception of Zubova’s voice, I’d probably even forget this was a World Championship.), their demure mannerisms betrayed only by the dance of their eyes and full, genuine laughter. Even Gold medalist Kang offered a welcomed break in China’s standard stoicism in the press room.

These women love weightlifting.

Zubova was quite frank in saying that it was tough to lose on bodyweight but eh, what can ya do? 138 was too much, and she got outlifted, fair and square. Her best in the gym is 140, but she was very happy with her 135 today. She minced no words here and, with a heartfelt smile and even a slight chuckle, congratulated Kang on the win.

Zhapparkul and I commiserated on her back problems that spiked after her snatches. Technically, she could have lowered her CJ to 125 (from the 130 she chose) and still have been within the mandatory 15 kg of her declared Start Total, but it wouldn’t have mattered. Back problems suck, and at that point, 5 kg wouldn’t have made a squat of difference. 3 tries at 130 gave the other lifters more time between their own attempts at the weight, and the courage and character it takes to make that call is the stuff movies are made of. Zhapparkul made three valiant tries with 130 kg but it was over before it began for her. My heart truly goes out to this 17 year-old. I hope she can eek out a few more years before the wall comes crashing inevitably down on her.

Taiwan’s Suwannaratana hit a huge CJ PR of 135. Both she and her coach were beaming from ear to ear.

When asked if she expected to win gold here today, China’s Kang said, simply, “Si.” She tried to hold a straight face at her own dry humor, but couldn’t, and the whole room burst into laughter.

Now let’s see what the Men’s 85s will bring.

[eli]

The Zubova sisters must be the strongest sisters ever, and there are more sisters in the works!

Мария Зубова Первенство мира по тяжёлой атлетике