Li Ping of Changsha competes during the women's weightlifting 58kg category finals at the 6th Chinese City Games in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, Oct. 27, 2007. Li won the bronze medal with 224kg. (Xinhua/Jiang Enyu)

    By sportswriter Liu Yang

    WUHAN, Central China, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- A series of gold medals in international competitions have made Li Ping become a weightlifting star in China, but a bronze medal in a domestic games brought her much happiness.

    Li, representing Changsha team, hoisted 96kg in the snatch and 128kg in the jerk to finish with a total of 224kg in the women's 58kg division at the Chinese City Games here on Saturday.

    "I competed in the City Games four years ago and failed in the snatch event to win any place there. It was an nightmare," said Li.

    "Though I just won a bronze here, I was still satisfied with my performance."

    Usually competing in the 53kg division before, Li chose to upgrade to a heavier 58kg category in Wuhan, a city on Yangtze River.

    "I just came back from Chiang Mai last month. I don't want to lose weight again in such a short time to disorder my training schedule for the Beijing Olympic Games," Li told Xinhua.

    "To me, competing here was almost like a training course in Beijing," she added.

    Li lifted 92kg in the snatch and 126kg in the jerk to catch the gold in the women's 53kg class at the 2007 worlds in Chiang Mai, Thailand with a total of 219kg, five kilograms less than her result here.

    Li is regarded as one of the most potential lifter in the national team. She made an impressive debut in 2005 as she clinched the gold medal in a row in the National Games in October and World Weightlifting Championships in November at the age of 17.

    However, she refused to join the national team after the worlds in 2005 and stayed in the Hunan provincial team.

    "She was so young at that time. We hoped she could continue her study in the school and consolidate the basic skills in the provincial team and then go to the national team," said Zhou Junfu, the team leader in the Hunan team.

    Li was enrolled in the national team in 2006 and claimed the victory again in the Doha Asian Games.

    She continued to shine at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in April by setting a world record in women's 53kg, jerking 129kg.

    "Competing in the Olympic Games in Beijing is my dream," Li said.