Chonbuk Takes the Lead by 6 Six Gold Medals in Weight Lifting

Chonbuk took the outright leader by earning a lump of gold medals in weight lifting in the opening day of the 82nd National Sports Festival.

`Town of Weight Lifting` Chonbuk aroused its enthusiasm yesterday, starting the first day of the sports festival with 6 gold medals only in weight lifting.

The first weight lifting gold medallist was Park Young-Ja (Chonbuk Athletic High School), who earned a triple crown in women`s high school 48 kg class. Park Young-Ja became a first gold medallist in this sports festival by lifting 62.5 kg in snatch 7.5 kg up the second place Choi Hae-Young (Busan Athletic High School), in the first day competition held in Yungmyung High School Gymnasium, Gonju. And she lifted 80 kg in clean and jerk to capture her second gold medal. As she recorded the best in the total with 142.5 kg, Park became a triple crown winner.

In the women`s high school 53 kg class, Park Eun-Jin (Soonchang High School) also became a triple crown winner to dedicate the sixth gold medal to the Chonbuk team. Park Eun-Jin earned the gold medals lifting 77.5 kg in snatch, 100 kg in clean and jerk, and 177.5 kg in total respectively.

Kim Soo-Nyung (Joonang Women`s High School), a representative of Cheju, also captured a triple crown in the femal high school 58 kg, lifting 77.5 kg in snatch, 105 kg in clean and jerk, and 182.5 kg in total in the women`s high school 58 kg class.

In the welterweight class of Taekwondo, Kim Hyun-Joong (Chungnam) won a victory over Chobuk`s Kim Jung-Soo to give the host province the first gold medal.

Meanwhile, the grand opening ceremony was held at Chonan General Stadium with 35,00 attendances including 21,990 participants from the nation`s 16 cities and provinces, and Koreans abroad.

The sacred torch was kindled in the flame holder by Miss Kim Geon-Hee (Gonju University) through Chonan-born Boston Marathon winner Lee Bong-Ju from the Chonwhang Peak, Mt. Mani, Kanghwa Island.

Kim Sang-Ho hyangsan@donga.com