Chinese great Wang hands out lifting masterclass

Chinese weighlifting great Wang Mingjuan extended her incredible 10-year unbeaten record by totally dominating the field to win her maiden Olympic gold in the -48kg class on Saturday. Wang's performance lifted spirits for a sport that was earlier sullied by a fresh doping offence, with the IOC kicking Albanian weightlifter Hysen Pulaku out of the Games after testing positive for a banned steroid. Wang's gold medal ends one of the longest-running anomalies in women's weightlifting. Although the 26-year-old has dominated her scandal-tainted sport for a decade, she was mysteriously omitted from China's 2004 and 2008 Olympic teams, meaning she had not been able to challenge for the ultimate prize. During that time Wang -- who this year was picked ahead of reigning world champion and compatriot Tian Yuan -- won four world championships (2002, 2003, 2005, 2009) and the Asian Games in 2010. Wang was diplomatic when asked about her absences from the two previous Olympics in Beijing and Athens. "It's 70 percent hard work and 30 percent luck. I think athletes should believe in the decision-making of our leaders," she said. Wang heaped the pressure on herself with a rushed first snatch at 88kg that saw the barbells come crashing to the ground to gasps from fans packed into the sell-out ExCel arena. But she nailed her second effort with almost military precision. As the only lifter left in the competition, Wang came back out to produce another fantastic snatch at 91kg, just under twice her own body weight, to give her a 4kg headstart on closest rival Hiromi Miyake of Japan. Knees, wrists and knuckles bandaged, hair scraped roughly back in a ponytail, and sporting a white t-shirt under her red and yellow outfit, Wang then handed out a masterclass in how to clean and jerk. Tossing the barbell up with apparent ease, Wang only entered competition with Miyake and eventual bronze medallist Ryand Chun Hwa of North Korea still lifting. Smiling, she registered a best of 114kg to give her a combined total of 205kg. "I wasn't thinking about being caught," said Wang. "I was just so focused on my own game, I put my heart into every lift and listened to my coach's instructions to the letter." Miyake, who has recently moved down from the -53kg class and is the daughter of Mexico 1968 bronze medallist Yoshiyuki Miyake, claimed silver with a total of 197kg (87, 110). "I am very very happy," said Miyake. "For years I have thought whether I could win an Olympic medal and I have done it. "It is my third Olympics and the other times I haven't been able to do it." There was an early shock in the snatch when reigning world silver medallist Panida Khamsri of Thailand failed to register a mark. The former junior world champion buckled three times at 81kg, seemingly suffering an elbow injury in her second effort. Khamsri's 17-year-old teammate Thai Sirivimon Pramongkhol almost claimed a surprise bronze, but was pipped for bronze by 1kg by North Korean Ryang Chun Hwa, who lifted 192kg (80, 112). Wang's podium topping was the perfect start in the weighlifting for China, which topped the medal table on home soil in Beijing in 2008, claiming eight of the 15 golds on offer and one silver in an awesome display of lifting across the board.