Ballroom to barbell, art inspires lifters

By Sophie Hardach

BEIJING (Reuters) - Ballroom dancing, classical music, synchronized swimming: the hobbies of many Olympic weightlifters reveal an unexpectedly soft side.

Caveman howls and glass-shattering screams have filled the weightlifting competition hall as some of the heaviest athletes of the Games take to the mat, with men and women proving their strength in an almost archaic ritual.

But weightlifters like to emphasize that strategic finesse and delicate maneuvering are just as important as a tank-like torso in the battle for gold.

Russian silver medalist Oxana Slivenko used to practice synchronized swimming and gymnastics, an extremely popular sport among female lifters and good preparation for weightlifting because of its emphasis on strength and balance.

German Julia Rohde, who competed in the 53kg class, was a competitive ballroom dancer before turning to weightlifting, while Ukrainian super-heavyweight silver medalist Olha Korobka likes to dance to thumping disco beats.

"If there is a disco in the Olympic village, now I have the time, so I could go and dance," a laughing Korobka told reporters after her competition.

Others pick contemplative pastimes that help them relax after often brutal, injury-marred contests.

Kazakhstan's Ilya Ilin, who on Sunday almost broke his arm on his way to a gold medal, unwinds by curling up with a good book.

"I like psychology, I read about it a lot," he told reporters when asked about his hobbies after the grueling contest.

Russian heavyweight Dmitry Lapikov, who took the 105kg bronze on Monday, listens to classical music in his spare time, while fellow music fan Zhang Xiangxiang, who won gold for China in the 62kg class, is into tea-drinking.

But don't worry about the world's best weightlifters turning too mild-mannered -- among the most popular pursuits are martial arts, wrestling and motor sports.

(Editing by Keith Weir)