Gold Medalist Weightlifter Sa Beats Lee Again

“Practice doesn’t lie. (Sa) Jae-hyuk has restored pride in Korea’s weightlifting.” (Lee Bae-young)

“I didn’t feel burdened by competing against Lee at all. We know each other well.” (Sa Jae-hyuk)

The men’s 77-kilogram competition of the Asian Inter-Club Weightlifting Championships was held yesterday in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, pitting Sa, who won a gold medal in the Beijing Olympics, against sentimental favorite Lee.

Yesterday, Sa won three golds by snatching 156 kilograms and lifting another 192 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a combined 348 kilograms. Lee finished sixth with 295 kilograms (135 in the snatch and 160 in the clean and jerk).

Lee moved up from the 69 to the 77-kilogram class.

This was second time for Sa and Lee to compete in the same weight class since the Korea Cup last year, when Sa won the gold by snatching 160 kilograms and lifting another 202 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a combined 362 kilograms. Lee finished third with 340 kilograms (150 in the snatch and 190 in the clean and jerk).

Determined to participate only in the National Games, Lee eventually decided to join the Goyang competition due to the warm support he received at the Beijing Olympics. After the Olympics, he said he hardly lifted except in the National Games last month.

Similarly, Sa could practice for only five days due to a bad condition. In Goyang, he failed to break his record set in Beijing but lifted more than he did in the National Games.

Though Lee failed to win yesterday, his bright smile was greeted with hearty cheers.

Sports commentator Jeon Byeong-gwan said, “Since Sa weighs more than Lee, Sa was expected to win. But it was probably hard for either of them to set a new record since they had little time to practice after the National Games.”

creating@donga.com