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Team China at Tokyo 2020: Eight selected to compete in weightlifting depart for Games
CGTN
Shi Zhiyong of China competes in the men's 69 kilogram final at the Rio Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 9, 2016. /CFP

Shi Zhiyong of China competes in the men's 69 kilogram final at the Rio Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 9, 2016. /CFP

Team China will send eight athletes, including veterans and young weightlifters, to compete in the Tokyo Olympics weightlifting events.

The roster is as follows:

Men: Li Fabin (61 kilograms), Shen Lijun (67 kg), Shi Zhiyong (73 kg), Lyu Xiaojun (81 kg)

Women: Hou Zhihui (49 kg), Liao Qiuyun (55 kg), Wang Zhouyu (87 kg), Li Wenwen (+87 kg)

Lyu Xiaojun of China wins the men's 77 kg weightlifting event at London Olympics in London, England, August 1, 2012. /CFP

Lyu Xiaojun of China wins the men's 77 kg weightlifting event at London Olympics in London, England, August 1, 2012. /CFP

Olympic champions Lyu Xiaojun and Shi Zhiyong will lead the eight-member team. At 37, Lyu is the eldest team member, while 21-year-old Li Wenwen is the youngest. 

Shi won a gold medal in the men's 69 kg event at Rio 2016 Olympic Games, while Lyu claimed the title in men's 77 kg category at London 2012. All the eight weightlifters have won medals in Asian championships.

Deng Wei of China competes in the women's 64 kg final at International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Weightlifting World Cup in Tianjin, China, December 11, 2019. /CFP

Deng Wei of China competes in the women's 64 kg final at International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Weightlifting World Cup in Tianjin, China, December 11, 2019. /CFP

Rio Olympics champion Deng Wei, who is also a five-time world champion, will not compete in Tokyo due to her injuries.

Team China's female weightlifters have won 14 of the 35 gold medals up for grabs since the women's events were included in the Olympics starting from Sydney 2020.

Meanwhile, the male weightlifters have dominated the 69 kg category by winning four consecutive gold medals from Athens 2004 to Rio 2016.

Team China's weightlifters pose for a group photo before departing for Tokyo Olympics, Beijing, China, July 19, 2021. /CFP

Team China's weightlifters pose for a group photo before departing for Tokyo Olympics, Beijing, China, July 19, 2021. /CFP

The Olympic weightlifting event has two sections – snatch and the two-stage action of clean and jerk. "Athletes compete by performing each of these lifts three times and adding together the highest weight lifted in each," according to Olympics.com.

Changes in the sport

There were eight weight categories for men and seven events for women at Rio 2016.

However, the sport's governing body, the International Weightlifting Federation, introduced 10 new categories for each gender on November 1, 2018.

Each gender will compete in seven of those 10 categories at the Tokyo Olympics.

Male weightlifters will compete in the  61, 67, 73, 81, 96, 109 and +109 kilogram weight categories, while women will compete in events of 49, 55, 59,  64, 76 , 87 and +87 categories.

The Tokyo Olympics weightlifting events will be held at Tokyo International Forum stadium between July 24 and August 4. 

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