Chinese competitors get off to a golden start - Beijing Olympics 2008

Chinese competitors get off to a golden start - Beijing Olympics 2008

The Chinese Olympic squad have got off to a winning start with two gold medals on the first day of sporting action in Beijing

Weight off her mind: Chen Xiexia ensured China of their first gold medal of the Games

Chinese weightlifter Chen Xiexia was the first to claim glory for the host nation with victory in the women's 48kg event.

Her success was soon followed up by Pang Wei in the men's 10m air rifle competition.

They both made up for shooter Du Li's disappointing fifth place in the women's 10m air rifle competition, who was predicted to be the first Chinese competitor to reach the top of the podium.

Chen Xiexia achieved a new Games record on her way to the gold medal.

Shouting 'jia you!', meaning 'come on' in front of the partisan crowd, the world champion succeeded on all six attempts as she set two new Olympic records with a lift total of 212kg and a final clean and jerk heave of 117kg on the way to victory.

Turkey's Sibel Ozkan took the silver medal while Chen Wei-Ling of Taiwan took bronze.

The 2004 Olympic champion, Nurcan Taylan of Turkey, was eliminated after three failed attempts in the snatch.

It was clear already by then that Chen was in a class of her own.

China has been the dominant country in women's weightifting since it was first included on the Olympic program at Sydney in 2000, claiming seven gold and one silver since then.