BEIJING — Chen Xiexia got China off to a perfect start in the weightlifting competition Saturday, winning gold in the women's 48-kilogram weight category and setting an Olympic record.

Turkey's Sibel Ozkan won the silver medal, while Chen Wei-Ling of Taiwan finished third.

Chen Xiexia, last year's world champion, dominated Saturday's competition from start to finish, lifting 95 kilograms in the snatch and 117 kilograms in the clean and jerk. She set Olympic records in the latter event and for the total score.

Ozkan was a distant second with a total of 199 kilograms, 3 kilograms ahead of Chen Wei-Ling.

The 2004 Olympic champion, Nurcan Taylan of Turkey, was eliminated after three failed attempts in the snatch.

It was clear already after that event, in which the bar is raised above the head in one continuous motion, that Chen Xiexia was in a class of her own.

Buoyed by chants from the home crowd, the 25-year-old completed her three attempts in the snatch with ease. She was already 7 kilograms ahead of Ozkan after that event.

Chen Wei-Ling had a shot at the silver medal but failed in her final attempt at 115 kilograms, collapsing to the floor as the bar dropped.

Wrapped in a Chinese flag, Chen Xiexia received the gold medal and sang along with the crowd to the Chinese national anthem. It will likely be sung many more times at the gym of the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics as China is expected to win at least five gold medals in weightlifting, a sport it has dominated in recent years.