China pocketed three gold medals and as many silvers in the men's 56kg category to kick off the world weightlifting championships here on Friday.

Olympic silver medalist Long Qingquan, 19, made amazing lifts to crown a double, jerking 162kg and totaling 292kg, though he failed in the third attempt to jerk a record-setting 169kg.

His compatriot Wu Jingbiao, just 20 years old, nailed the snatch gold with 131kg, only 1kg more than the second-placed Long, and secured a duo runner-up positions with a jerk of 155kg and a total of 286kg.

Chen Wenbin, head coach of the Chinese men's team, expressed satisfaction with the results, saying that as the both two players are young, they still have room to improve.

Chen noted," he believes his team will be promising in the event in 2012 London Olympics."

Cuban veteran Sergio Alvarez was the distant third-placed finisher in both jerk and total after jerking 154kg, which made his total 274kg, while Khalil El Maoui of Tunisia claimed the snatch bronze with 125kg.

China had sent a very strong team to the Goyang world championships, slated 17-29, including five Olympic champions.

This was the first weightlifting worlds after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, where the hosts Chinese clinched eight gold medals in the sport.

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