Deng Wei of China competes during the women's 63KG weightlifting group A final at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Aug. 9, 2016. Deng Wei won gold medal with clean and jerk, total world records. (Xinhua/Cheng Min)
Breaking two world records just in one lift, weightlifting Olympic champion Deng showed her toughness at Rio Olympics.
However, she prefers to be an ordinary girl who loves fashion and delicious food, when she takes off her weightlifting suit and goes shopping with friends and teammates in daily life.
Coloring her hair in red, wearing three earrings, the 23-year-old lifter began her solo in the women's 63kg weightlifting final on Tuesday, putting an ambitious 147kg above her head steadily for a total of 262kg, breaking two world records in jerk and total by one kilo respectively.
Holding gold medal and the world records, she gave up the last attempts, showing a naughty victory gesture in front of the camera when going back to the warm-up area.
"I am interested in fashion and I love reading fashion magazines for fun. So when I knew ELLE China wanted to interview me, I was so excited and expecting wearing fancy dress for shooting," she said.
The famous fashion magazine ELLE interviewed Deng in June, one month before she went to Brazil. Deng said she had not read her article yet, but she would find it after she went back home.
"It was a pity that I just wore the weightlifting suit when taking pictures for ELLE China, but I do look good in the pictures. The make-ups, you know, can make you different and beautiful, even in the weightlifting suit," she laughed.
After being interviewed by ELLE China, Deng liked mentioning it when being with teammates and coaches.
"Yes, I am going to find a position in fashion industry," she joked.
"I am crazy with handbags, and I love collecting all kinds of handbags as long as they are beautiful."
"When my wardrobe is full of handbags in Beijing's apartment, I will mail some to my home in Fujian to make more room for new handbags," she said.
Except fashion and handbags, Deng also loves tasting all kinds of food, though most of the time, she has to control her bodyweight as a weightlifter in the 63kg category.
"Don't tell me how wonderful the food in Brazil is, it's too painful for me," said Deng when she controlled her weight several days before the competition.
"Sure, I will taste them all, definitely. Of course, after the competition," she added.
"My mum is good at cooking, and every time I went back home, about once a year, she would cook the bamboo shoots for me, which I missed most when I was in Beijing," Deng said.
Growing in a small village in Sanming city, Fujian province, Deng's memories about her hometown was bamboos in the mountains.
"Bamboos can keep their own beauty and grace no matter how strong the wind is. It's also my philosophy," Deng said.
"I learned a lot from the bamboo when I meet obstacles in training, and I determined to compete for next Olympics," Deng added.
