By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
Beijing Olympic gold medallist Jang Mi-ran has set her sights on two things for this year: a four-peat at the world championships and another world record.
``I will try my best to perform better than last year,'' Jang said at a press conference at Korea Training Center in Taeneung, Seoul, Wednesday. ``And I have my eyes on setting a world record.
At last year's Summer Games, the 25-year-old set three world records in the clean and jerk, snatch and overall on her way to a top podium finish in the women's over 75-kilogram class.
The World Weightlifting Championships are scheduled to take place in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, in November.
``It is a little bit burdensome that the world championships will be held in Korea,'' said Jang, the three-time defending world champion.
``But I really appreciate that local fans have given me big support, so I am going to strive to live up to the expectations."
At this contest, Mu Shuangshuang of China, Jang's only rival in the division, is expected to compete.
The Chinese player failed to make the national squad for the Olympics because each country could send only four women's weightlifters, and China selected its representatives in the 48-, 58-, 69- and 75-kilogram classes, which were less competitive.
But Jang, who has defeated Mu in the past three world championships, appears focused on her own performance, regardless of Mu's participation.
``I will not be worried about her too much,'' she said.
``But I believe that the world championships are expected to get tougher than the Olympics, where she beat silver medallist Olha Korobka of Ukraine by a margin of 49 kilograms in total.''
Jang, who has been in training since Jan. 7, is trying to build up her physical strength and plans to better her records.
``Right now, developing stamina counts, and I will make up for my weak points in skills,'' Jang said.
Meanwhile, she has made it clear that she will not be involved in any activity that is not related to weightlifting.
``A rumor is going around that I will shoot a weightlifting movie, but that is totally untrue,'' she said.