Despite growing threat of Asian rivals, weightlifting powerhouse China is poised to dominate the podium with 14 medal-hopeful lifters.

"Asian rivals' growing will do good to the sport, but our goal in Asiad is still to win nine to ten gold medals," Ma Wenguang, the president of the Chinese Weightlifting Association, told Xinhua on Friday.

China has been the biggest weightlifting winner in Asian Games' history with 55 gold, 22 silver and eight bronze medals, followed by South Korea and Iran with 26 and 20 gold medals respectively.

Seven Chinese strongmen will compete in five categories. Ma said that their aim is still three gold medals at least in Doha though one of the favorites Li Zheng suffered a back injury.

"We send two lifters in each category. We are competitive in all these categories, the men's 62kg and 69kg in particular." he said.

Qiu Le, winning back-to-back world championships in 2005 and 2006 in the 62kg, is poised to thrash his competitors with his compatriot Mao Jiao, who expects a shining debut in Doha.

In men's 69kg, two Olympic champions Shi Zhiyong and Zhang Guozheng will steal all the limelight. Shi clinched a gold and a silver medal in 2005 and 2006 world championships.

"We expected Li Zheng would win the first gold medal for Chinese men's team here, but his injury added some uncertainty. The gold medals may also come from men's 77kg and 85kg." Ma said.

Chines women's weightlifting team expects to win at least six gold medals in Doha with seven strong women taking part in seven classes.

The Chinese "dream team" includes Olympic gold medalist Chen Yanqing in the 58kg, world champion Wang Mingjuan in the 48kg, Li Ping in the 53kg and Cao Lei, world champion in 2006.

Jang Mi Ran from South Korea will be hard to beat in the women's over 75kg category in which China's Mu Shuangshuang will challenge her for the second time this year. Jang had beaten Mu by lighter bodyweight in the Santo Domingo worlds in October.

Jang, 23, set two world records at the 2006 Korea-China-Japan Friendship Tournament, including an overall world record of 318kg that beat the previous world record by 13kg.

(Xinhua News Agency December 2, 2006)