The shuttle from the media centre to the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics Gymnasium on this windy, wet evening has so many journalists admitting to this being their first trip to a weightlifting competition that you have to wonder. Are they too taking directions from Google?

On Sunday, the icon at the search engine’s website has a mouse holding aloft a barbell so cheerfully that a visit to the stadium seemed pre-ordained.

Weightlifting is the embodiment of strength in the Olympic motto. But the discipline’s big guy is not in Beijing — Hossein Rezazadeh, better known as the “Iranian Hercules”, having taken the gold in the super heavyweight category in Sydney and Athens, says he’s been advised against “heavy and stressful activity”. (Neither is India’s L. Monika Devi — but that is another story.)

Today, in any case, belongs to the other end of the scale. Thailand’s Prapawadee Jaroenrattanatarakoon has just taken the gold in the women’s 53 kg category. She once had a shorter name, but changed it last year for good luck. Television commentators are still struggling with it.

By the time the men’s 56 kg category competition is in full swing, the crowd has worked up a lively rhythm.

The loudest cheer is reserved for local boy Long Qingquan, whose boyish looks confirm his age when the announcer credits him with setting two records today — in snatch (132 kg) and in the total (292 kg). Of course, he also takes the gold.

There are lots of juniors around, by all accounts. Eko Yuli Irawan of Indonesia, who finished with bronze, had set the junior world record at 288 kg earlier in the day.

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