BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Paralympic
powerlifting team, which collected five gold medals in Sydney and Athens
respectively, tries to get more in Beijing, said head coach Li Weipu after
Friday's training.
"Interestingly, the number of the golds we claimed in
Sydney and Athens was the same as that for the Chinese weightlifting team in
those summer Olympics," Li said.
"We are hoping to achieve the same result as the
Chinese weightlifting team did in the Beijing Olympics," he added.
The Chinese weightlifters won eight golds and one
silver in the just-concluded 29th summer Olympics, reaping medals in all the
categories they competed.
"It's difficult for us to repeat that glory for China
in the Beijing Olympics," said Li. "Because we do not have obvious advantages.
In powerlifting, power is the only thing that matters and skills are not
important."
The most hopeful Chinese powerlifters are Zhang
Haidong in men's82.5kg category and Li Ruifang in women's 82.5kg division.
Zhang, 39, was the gold medallist in 1996, 2000 and
2004 Paralympic Games, while Li is a two-time Paralympic champion.
"Li has been involved in the sport for 16 years,"
said the head coach. "The most unimaginable thing was that she resumed training
10 days after her baby was born."
"Even though the ordinary people pay more attention
to the disabled athletes' participation than their results, the athletes
themselves will play all out for a podium finish as they have been training so
hard in their loving sport," said Li.
The Beijing Paralympic Games will run from Sept.
6-17.