Wounded Weightlifter Burns Korean Psyche
By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
Weightlifter Lee Bae-young in the 69kg class failed to get to the Beijing Olympics podium Tuesday as he went scoreless in the clean and jerk.
Yet, he deserved more than a thousand gold medals because he never gave up attempting another lift despite an injury to his leg.
The 29-year-old tried all three attempts while in severe pain, drawing loud applause from the audience.
In the final, Lee, considered a viable contender along with China's ``young general'' Liao Hui, snatched the 184-kilogram barbell.
Had he stayed still after lifting it above his head, his chances of winning a medal would have enhanced.
He took a breath resting the bar on his chest but in the clean and jerk, his left foot twisted, making him drop the bar.
A more serious problem than failing in the first trial was a cramp in his left calf.
His coach and doctors ran to the mat and gave him first aid behind screens volunteers set up.
He returned to his seat limping, but added two more kilograms to his next attempt in order to have more time to relax.
The athlete looked a little nervous but came back to the stage smiling, living up to his nickname ``smiling Hercules''.
Local fans gave him the nickname as Lee gave a big smile when he missed the gold medal by a whisker in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
His cramped left calf was covered with blood drops as it was needled for circulation.
Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the bar but soon dropped it.
He left the mat hobbling more severely, his face tense in pain.
It seemed that his third and last attempt was impossible since the legs are so important in weightlifting, helping prop up the bar with weights two to three times heavier than that of the athlete.
However, Lee made an appearance again, and was again smiling. The audience gave him thunderous applause.
After clapping his hands twice to the audience, he tried his last attempt.
He seemed to make it in the snatch by lifting the bar up to his neck but soon knelt and buckled.
He held the bar with tears and despair.
Lee told reporters after the competition he would have regretted it if he had not attempted another lift.
``My score was the lowest but I don't think I am last because I did my best,'' he said with a big smile. ``Also, I thank the Chinese audience for cheering me on.''
Lee who participated in the Olympics for the third time since 2000 indicated he would retire, saying he feels the need to prepare for other parts of his life.