Ren Xueceng, a 20-year-old from Hebei Province, was pit against met Ukrainian Irini Merleni, the World and Olympic Champion in the finals of the women's 48kg category. Undaunted by her strong rival, Ren told herself: "I can beat her and get the gold medal."

 

 

That she did. And it was the first gold for China at the ongoing World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary, that started on September 26.

 

Ren told Xinhua: "This match shows that the Chinese are very capable! Chinese are the best!"

 

 

Ren's compatriot, Wen Juling, had to share her bronze medal with Mongolian Tsogtbazar Enkhjargal in the women's 51kg category. The gold went to Japan.

 

In the men's events, Aydin Polatci took the gold for the freestyle 120kg category.

 

About 700 wrestlers from nearly 100 countries are competing in the championships that end on October 2.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2005)