Jang Eyes London Repeat

Jang Mi-ran talks to reporters at a news conference in Beijing Sunday.

/ Yonhap

The following is the text from an interview with South Korean weightlifter Jang Mi-ran in Beijing Sunday, a day after she set three world records and won an Olympic gold medal in the women’s over 75-kilogram division. ― ED.

By Sunny Lee
Korea Times Correspondent

Jang Mi-ran: Thanks for all of your support. I also hope that my other teammates also achieve good results in the Olympics. I also thank those of you praying for me yesterday.

Lee Yeon-taek, president of the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC): This is a bonanza. This is such a great achievement.

Q: What was your feeling after winning?

Jang: Frankly, there were some people who said Korea is not good at weightlifting after we had lost in the world championships and also in the Asian championships. Such comments made me withdrawn a bit. But after winning the gold, I am relieved that we don't have to hear this any more. I cannot believe I won the gold.

Q: What was the most difficult aspect of your preparation for the Olympics?

A: I am a fortunate person because I had never had a moment when I felt that I should give up weightlifting. I am thankful to the people who cheered for me when I was down. From time to time, my body was sick, and I also went through a slump period before important games. But I was able to overcome all this, thanks to people's support. When I was under stress, I went out to get some fresh air. I also went to church on Sundays.

Q: What is your plan for the future, particularly for the 2012 London Olympics?

A: A record is there to be broken. I will try my best to break the record. I will also do my best to do well in London as well as in world championships.

Q: You set a new world record. Is there anything you feel lacking, though?

A: I still have many things lacking. My upper body and waist need to be strengthened to improve my record.

Q (for South Korean women's weightlifting coach Oh Seung-woo): How do you view Jang's future potential?

Oh: I don't know how much a human being can accomplish. But with the support from many people, I expect good results coming in the future as well. If she knows her strengths and weaknesses and deals with them, things will be OK. I cannot tell you the exact number, but she has unlimited potential.

Q (for Jang): Some people pointed out that you are weaker in the snatch competition. How did you prepare for it?

Jang: I focused on the regimen set by my coach. Don't you think my upper body has improved from before?

Q: What do you think led to the good result?

A: Support and cooperation by people for the same goal. All the athletes also followed the coach's directions well.

Oh: Although some say Jang is weaker in the snatch, but overall, she has improved a lot. We focused on training her shoulders, upper body. That was effective. She will continue to focus on them and things will be better.

Q: You must feel relieved now. What do you want to do now?

A: What else does an athlete do other than training? (Laughter.) I was thinking about traveling. But I don't know now. If I have a chance, yes. My other colleagues still have some games to go. I don't have any specific plans.

Q: What did your parents say to you after winning the gold?

A: Good job. Well done.

Q: You set the world record? Could you comment on the sports science behind your training?

A: My left-right balance has improved a lot. It's particularly difficult to balance when lifting a heavy weight. I benefited much from the analysis that told me what worked and what didn't work. It helped me to deal with it.

Q: You won the match by a big margin from the other competitors. Do you think you have a naturally gifted body?

A: My parents weren't satisfied with my body when I was young as a girl. But I thank them for that.

Q: Any stress from weight control?

A: Losing weight was easy because I didn't eat. That's all. But gaining was difficult. I ate a lot at night but when I woke up, I found that my weight went back to the same. Then I got stress.

Q: I know you went back to school. Could you, if possible, tell us your honest thoughts on having a boyfriend and marriage?

A: You asked an easy question. (Laughter.) I had to skip many classes because of training. A boyfriend is not something I can have simply because I want one.

Q: Next year, if the Chinese weightlifter Mu Shuangshuang participates in the world championship, will it help in your breaking the record?

A: If we compete in the same competition, it will help us. Some think I won the game last night too easy. The records between us were quite large. But frankly I was nervous. Whether she will come or not, I will do my best. If she comes out, I will be happy to see her.

Q: Any other goal?

A: I want to continue doing this sport. If possible, I want to win again in London.

Q: Don't you think you need to train upcoming prospective athletes? What do you want to tell them?

A: Me? I think they should train harder to break the record. Going over one's limit is difficult. One needs to overcome oneself. I hope they can eventually do better than me and other current athletes.

Q: What was it like for a woman to do weightlifting in Korea?

A: When I was in high school, I felt a bit ashamed of it. But now people's perception has changed. I receive a lot of support. Don't you think so? (Laughter.)

Unlike some people's perception, weightlifting does take more than physical power. It also requires techniques.

Q: (for Lee, the KOC chief): Has Korea's medal count been going as expected?

Lee: It's difficult for all the things to go as we want. Some games went below expectations, some above expectations. We need to wait and see. It's not a time to be elated or to be disappointed. But we still think we are in the direction to get closer to the goal we want.

boston.sunny@gmail.com

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