Meanwhile in China …
The 2019 Chinese National Championships are underway. The women compete from April 3-6 in Hubei and the men from April 9-13 in Zhejiang.
This year’s edition is a little different since the Asian Championships are being held in Ningbo two weeks later, so China’s highest ranked lifters seem to prepare for this IWF Gold event rather than try to peak for both.
But despite the absence of several top names, it wouldn’t be Chinese Nationals without lifts in record ranges anyway…
Updated April 14th.
MEN
Start list (in Chinese). As expected, the main players will not take part. No Li Fabin, Chen Lijun, Shi Zhiyong, Lü Xiaojun, Li Dayin, Tian Tao or Yang Zhe.
M55
National record holder Meng Cheng was missing here for unknown reasons; in his place 22 year old Huang Xingqun won the total gold with 121/147/268. The snatch title went to Shen Xiaoting with 123kg and the best clean & jerk had a lifter from the B group with 153kg.
M61
In the absence of Li Fabin and Qin Fulin, Wang Hao won the Nationals with 140/163/303. Huang Hongchan won the clean & jerk with 170kg.
M67
2011 world bronze medalist Wu Chao got first with 145/183/328, world silver medalist from last year Huang Minhao got second with 153/172/325 and (not shown) junior Liu Weijian got third with 140/180/320.
M73
Apart from Shi, Feng Lüdong was also missing. In their place Huang Wenwen won the Nationals with quite low numbers of 148/181/329. Recent World Cup champ Wei Yinting got the snatch gold.
M81
23 year old Tang Jian won the clean & jerk and overall title with 153/202/355. Best snatch came from 20 year old Lu Delin with 164kg.
M89
2016 junior world champ Liu Jiawen was in good shape and easily managed to win three titles with all new national records: 170/210/380.
M96
25 year old Tian Ye won with a decent 170/211/381 total, snatch gold and second overall to Chi Xuhao, lifting 175/205/380.
M102
25 year old Tian Fuxuan won the title but was quite away from his national records of 175/210/385. Here he managed 167/205/372, which is not competitive at the world level. Tian tried 211 for the clean & jerk record but was turned down for press out twice.
M109
With Yang Zhe preparing for the Asian champs, China’s second best 109 lifter Wu Changsheng won an easy title with 180/201/381. He tried 224kg for the clean & jerk national record but couldn’t hold the jerk.
M109+
Perpetual SHW national champion Ai Yunan took another turn here with a low performance of 188/225/413. He attempted 241kg to improve his own national c&j record but couldn’t clean the weight.
WOMEN
45 and 81kg results not yet available.
W49
With WR holder Hou Zhihui missing, it was up to 21 year old 2015 World Champ Jiang Huihua to confirm her aspirations to compete in Tokyo – and she did so with 90/118/208. This is the second highest total in the world behind Hou and the 118kg clean and jerk is a new national record.
W55
China’s top 3 in this category – Li Yajun, Zhang Wanqiong and Liao Qiuyun – did not compete here, so it was up to junior Yu Linglong to take the title. She won with a 98kg snatch, a 124kg clean & jerk and a 222kg total. These numbers are 1/10/11kg over the junior world records! Born in 2000 she is a likely candidate for the Junior world champs held in June this year.
Two times National Games medalist Zhou Jun came second with 96/122/218. National Games champ (at 58) Chai Lina failed to total.
W59
With world silver medalist and WR holder Chen Guiming absent, junior Luo Xiaomin won the national title, she managed this with 105/126/231. The snatch result is a new national record.
Luo, who already is the junior WR holder in the snatch, unofficially improved the IWF numbers by 1/2/4kg. Born in 1999, Luo can take another run at the Junior world title.
W64
No Deng Wei, no problem, said Junior WR holder Huang Ting and won with 108/130/238. This 108kg snatch is 3kg over her own record and she too has the rest of this year as a junior still.
W71
The non-Olympic categories are not in China’s focus and since the 71kg World champ Zhang Wangli moved up a class it was up to Zhang Qian to take the title with a modest 104/136/240.
W76
It was the surprise of the competition so far: the return of 2016 Olympic champion Xiang Yanmei who officially retired in 2017 after having won the National Games. With Zhang Wangli and Wang Zhouyu not taking part, Xiang – now with a pony tail – casually walked through with 115/145/260 for the title. She does not have a Tokyo qualification event under her belt yet so it seems unlikely she will start so late in the game, Xiang’s last chance being the Asian Championships. We’ll wait for the AWC entries…
W87
Reigning world champ Ao Hui preparing for Ningbo as well; instead 2017 Junior world champ Peng Lina took the title.
W87+
Both Olympic champ Meng Suping and Junior WR holder Li Wenwen sat out these nationals – time for the strong Zhou Xiaoman to shine. She won with 142/172/314 (thanks @ Victor).
Zhou Xiaoman snatch 142 + clean and jerk 172 = 314.
Great summary, looking forward to the men as well.