The 27-year-old Zhang Ning from Xinjiang won women's 69kg gold on Thursday at China's national weightlifting championship.

Zhang snatched 115kg and jerked 145kg, leading the squad with a total of 260kg.

"I came here for the gold and I made it," said Zhang, adding that the result showed her normal strength.

Kang Yue, 17, followed Zhang with a total of 255kg (120kg, snatch/135kg, jerk) and Li Juan from Jiangxi got the bronze with 253kg.

In the same day, the 21-year-old Li Xia from Shandong grabbed the women's 75kg gold.

Li, snatching 129kg and jerking 145kg, won the victory with a total of 274kg.

"I think I did well in snatching but the jerking result is so-so. I didn't realize I'd overdone the Asian snatch record until I was about to jerk, and I'm content," said Li Xia.

"I've got nothing in mind for this championships. It's just a practise for me. I'm still young and won't go for this year's Olympics," said Li, hoping that some day she'll be able to win a prize at the Olympic Games.

Qu Huijuan, 22, got the silver with a total of 260kg (118kg, snatch/142kg, jerk), followed by Sun Ruiping from Guangdong with 255kg.

The 2008 National Women Weightlifting Championships, running from April 15 to 18, serves as the selection for the Beijing Olympics.

(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2008)