BEIJING - When Jeane Lassen left the platform after her final lift at the Beijing Olympics today, her thoughts were more than 7,000 kilometres away.

The weightlifter from Whitehorse crossed her middle two fingers to make her hand into the shape of a W in a shoutout to those who had supported her journey to the Olympics, especially the schoolkids at Whitehorse Elementary. They'd adopted her through the Adopt an Athlete program.

Unfortunately, she won't be bringing home a medal to show them after an eighth-place finish in the 75-kilogram class.

A former double medallist at the world championships, Lassen had been touted as having a shot at the podium. And given that Canada still hadn't won a medal by the start of her event, expectations were even higher at the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics Gymnasium.

Lassen, five foot six and 152 pounds, admits she battled some nerves out of the gate, missing her first two lifts in her Olympic debut.

"I was a little too hesitant, I think," said the 27-year-old. "I really put the right energy in, but I wasn't enough aggressive enough. There was a little too much fear."

As one of just two athletes from the Yukon at the Games - the other is cyclist Zach Bell - there's little doubt she'll still be a hero when she goes back home, medal or no medal.

"The Yukon is so great for support," she said. "They haven't put any negative pressure on me."

She said she's made a statement by making it from Whitehorse to the Olympic Games.

"It's proof that you don't need to be in a huge, amazing facility, you don't need to be one of 10 million," she said. "You just have to be one person doing the work. That's all it takes."

Bell and Lassen are thought to be the first athletes from the Yukon to compete in the Summer Olympics, though the Canadian Olympic Committee couldn't confirm that today.

Lassen lifted 105 kilograms in the snatch and added a 135-kilogram lift in the clean and jerk for a total of 240 kilograms.

Much to the delight of the vocal Chinese fans in the packed 6,000-seat arena, China's Cao Lei earned the gold with an Olympic-record total of 282 kilograms.

As she came into the competition area, Lei resembled a boxer entering the ring. She was stone-faced, eyes completely focused, her coach rubbing her shoulders, which were draped in a gold satin robe. When she took the platform, she blew away the competition.

Kazakhstan lifter Alla Vazhenina was second, 16 kilograms behind.

The Chinese are special, says Lassen.

"We've been told before there are a million Chinese weightlifters," Lassen said. "I mean, in Canada, we have maybe a couple hundred. And they've got a great feeder program we've heard a lot about leading up to the Olympics. I think they're just in another league."

By JULIE SCOTT

THE CANADIAN PRESS