Tian Yuan in the focus
Regarded as China’s “Sports Oscars”, the awards honor the most outstanding groups and individuals each year.
This year the 11th edition of the event had 11 categories. The nominees’ list, which featured five candidates in each category, was voted for by 268 media representatives.
Chinese weightlifters pocketed eight gold medals in Beijing, but at the 2011 IWF World Championships Paris, France, they only collected six gold medals in the Total.
Chinese male weightlifters competed in five categories and claimed four titles but their women counterparts suffered a big setback, grabbing merely two golds in the Total out of the seven categories they participated in. Chinese young women lifters failed to deliver a satisfactory performance. They still need more training and experience before they can be relied on. One of the exceptions was Tian Yuan (18). Out of the six 2011 Chinese World Weightlifting Champions she was the only one concerned at the “Sports Oscars” Awards ceremony.
Newly-crowned 500m short track speed skating World Champion Fan Kexin and Tian Yuan lead the Newcomer of the Year nominees.
Tian’s debut on the international stage ended in great success. At the World Championships in November, she claimed the gold medals in Snatch, Clean and Jerk and Total in the 48kg bodyweight category. She grabbed the gold medal by 20 kg advantage.
To the surprise of all, Tian used to be a sprinter at primary school, where she won the 100m and 200m titles. She caught the eye of a weightlifting coach and turned to this sport in 2006.
Only two years later, Tian was crowned the National Champion in Women’s 48 kg bodyweight category and set Youth World Records at the first Youth Olympic Games 2010 in Singapore.
Her next goal is the “gold medal at the London Olympics” – she said.
(Finally the Rookie of the Year was awarded to world champion short track speed skater Fan Kexin)
