A North Korean family affair in weightlifting

AFP, JAKARTA: Rim Jong Sim bagged North Korea's seventh weightlifting gold of the Asian Games in Indonesia on Sunday to complete a remarkable family double, just a day after a victory by her little sister.

Like her 22-year-old sibling Rim Un Sim in Saturday's 69kg category, the reigning Olympic champion enjoyed a comfortable margin of victory in the 75kg class -- this time by a massive 26kg.

“I was a bit nervous after my sister won, just hoping I could do the same,” said a delighted Jong Sim, 25, who was watched by her sister Un Sim as she further extended North Korea's record weightlifting haul at the Asian Games.

The sisters couldn't hold back her emotions after Jong Sim was presented with her gold medal by North Korean Sports Minister Kim Il Guk and the secretive country's anthem played for the seventh time in seven days of competition.

After wiping away her tears, Un Sim told AFP: “I was so happy for 'Onni' (big sister). I knew she could win but I couldn't hold back when I thought of her and my country.”

North Korea's previous best performance at the Games had been four weightlifting golds at the Incheon Asiad four years ago.

But with regional heavyweights China, who topped the Incheon weightlifting medals with seven golds, and Kazakhstan currently under a doping suspension, the North Koreans have dominated the event.

Rim was so dominant that her opening weights would have been enough to win, and she used the rest of the competition like a training exercise with a flawless series of six lifts culminating in a snatch of 116kg and clean and jerk of 147kg.

After her sixth and final successful lift she broke into a huge smile and waved to the packed crowd containing a large North Korean delegation at the 2,000-capacity Jakarta International Expo.

 

A North Korean family affair in weightlifting

AFP, JAKARTA: Rim Jong Sim bagged North Koreas seventh weightlifting gold of the Asian Games in Indonesia on Sunday to complete a remarkable family double, just a day after a victory by her little sister. Like her 22-year-old sibling Rim Un Sim in Saturdays 69kg category, the reigning Olympic champion enjoyed a comfortable margin of victory in the 75kg class -- this time by a massive 26kg. I was a bit nervous after my sister won, just hoping I could do the same, said a delighted Jong Sim, 25, who was watched by her sister Un Sim as she further extended North Koreas record weightlifting haul at the Asian Games. The sisters couldnt hold back her emotions after Jong Sim was presented with her gold medal by North Korean Sports Minister Kim Il Guk and the secretive countrys anthem played for the seventh time in seven days of competition. After wiping away her tears, Un Sim told AFP: I was so happy for Onni (big sister). I knew she could win but I couldnt hold back when I thought of her and my country. North Koreas previous best performance at the Games had been four weightlifting golds at the Incheon Asiad four years ago. But with regional heavyweights China, who topped the Incheon weightlifting medals with seven golds, and Kazakhstan currently under a doping suspension, the North Koreans have dominated the event. Rim was so dominant that her opening weights would have been enough to win, and she used the rest of the competition like a training exercise with a flawless series of six lifts culminating in a snatch of 116kg and clean and jerk of 147kg. After her sixth and final successful lift she broke into a huge smile and waved to the packed crowd containing a large North Korean delegation at the 2,000-capacity Jakarta International Expo.