Raif Ozel, head coach of the Turkish weightlifting team, on Thursday kept low key on their goal at the Beijing Olympic Games, although he claimed to defend the title of the women's 48kg class,
Four Turkish lifters, including the Olympic champion Nurcan Taylan, started training at the Beijing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics Gymnasium after they arrived in Beijing on Wednesday.
"If Taylan can win a medal, we will be very happy. She hurt her knees two weeks ago during a training," said Ozel.
The 25-year-old Taylan, the country's first-ever woman Olympic medallist, beat Li Zhuo of China to win the gold medal at the women's 48kg category in the Athens Games.
Taylan's compatriot Sibel Ozkan will also compete in the 48kg class. Both of them lifted a total of 196kg at the European Weightlifting Championships last April, as Taylan took the gold because of lighter body weight.
Before leaving for Beijing, Taylan told the Turkish press that she was determined to defend her title.
"I am coming close to breaking records in training," she said. "I want to make history again. I believe God will give me what I deserve, because I tried so hard."
(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2008)