Male weightlifter Zhan Xugang was born on May 15, 1974 in Kaihua, Zhejiang Province. He was selected to Zhejiang provincial weightlifting team from Kaihua County Youth Sports School in 1987 and entered the national weightlifting team in 1994.

He won the championships in men’s 70kg snatch, clean & jerk and total at the 1993 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships and at the 1994 World Junior Weightlifting Championships. He was also the champion in weightlifting men’s 70kg category at the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games and in men’s 70kg total at the 26th Olympic Games in 1996.

He won the championship in weightlifting men’s 77kg category at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games.