BEIJING - World-famous weightlifter Chen Jingkai, who was the first Chinese athlete ever to break a world record, died on Monday afternoon. He was 75.

Chen, who was born in 1935 in Dongguan, a city in South China's Guangdong province, started training in 1954. Two years later, he lifted 133kg in the men's 56kg category at a friendly competition in Shanghai, breaking the then-world record held by an American athlete.

He was the first Chinese athlete to hold a world record.

In 1957, he broke the world record again at an International Youth Friendly in Moscow, lifting 139.5kg. It was the first time he set the world record on the international stage.

Following that, he broke the world record a further 10 times during his career.

Chen was named president of the Chinese Weightlifting Association in 1979 and, the following year, was named deputy director of the Guangzhou Sports Bureau.

And in May 1987, he made history again by becoming the first Chinese to be awarded an Olympic Order by the International Olympic Committee. Chen was given the silver award for his outstanding achievements in the sport of weightlifting.

China Daily