Taiwanese weightlifter sets world record at Asian Games (update)

Taipei, Sept. 21 (CNA) Taiwan's Hsu Shu-ching won the country's first gold medal of the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea Sunday, breaking the world record in the women's 53 kg weightlifting category with a combined lift of 233 kg.

The previous world record of 230 kg was set four years ago by China's Li Ping at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

Hsu, 23, who won a silver medal in the women's 53 kg event at the 2012 London Olympics, defeated the 2012 Olympic gold medalist Zulfiya Chinshanlo of Kazakhstan to take the gold.

President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Jiang Yi-huah sent congratulatory messages to the Taiwanese athlete immediately after her victory.

Hsu will also receive a prize money of NT$3 million (US$99,247) from the Ministry of Education.

The 2014 Asian Games runs Sept. 19-Oct. 4, with some 13,000 athletes competing for 439 gold medals. Taiwan is hoping to improve upon the 67 medals it won at the 2010 Asian Games.

(By Lin Hong-han, Jeffrey Wu and Christie Chen)ENDITEM/J

[Hsu Shu-ching displays the gold medal in Incheon, South Korea Monday. CNA photo Sept. 22, 2014]