Asian Games: Two Weightlifting World Records Fall As China Takes Two Gold Medals

Asian Games: Two weightlifting world records fall as China takes two gold medals (Two weightlifting world records fall as China takes two gold medals in the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya in Japan on Tuesday. Photo credit: Xinhua)

Ali Ammar Yusur Rubaiawi: Two world records fell in weightlifting at the 2026 Asian Games on Tuesday as China claimed two gold medals, with Uzbekistan and Iran taking the other two titles.

Uzbekistan's Akbar Djuraev set a world record on his way to winning the men's 110kg title, lifting 197kg in the snatch before adding 226kg in the clean and jerk for a winning total of 423kg.

Turkmenistan's Shahzadbek Matyakubov took silver with 410kg, while China's Liu Huanhua claimed bronze with 405kg. "This was our goal, to contribute our efforts to get a higher place in the medal table for our nation," Djuraev said. "I am very proud I could contribute to this."

Both Matyakubov and Liu entered the competition having dealt with injuries. Matyakubov was competing for the first time in two years after suffering a back injury, reports Xinhua. "I have been injured for two years. A long time without competing. Two discs in my back [went] before the [2024] Asian Championships. I was in pain for a long time," Matyakubov said.

Liu, the 2024 Olympic champion in the men's 102kg division, competed despite a leg injury and failed his final clean-and-jerk attempt.

"I thought before the contest I would only manage one attempt each in the snatch and clean and jerk. My leg injury would not allow me to finish the competition," Liu said. "But then my coach told me to prepare for a second clean-and-jerk attempt, and that I might get a medal. "I gave it everything today, 200 percent of my effort."

Liu said he had benefited from the guidance of senior teammates at the previous Asian Games and had now taken on a similar role with China's younger lifters. "As I always say, give us a little time. We will grow rapidly. Have faith in China's weightlifting team," he said.

The day's second world record came in the men's +110kg division, where Iraq's Ali Ammar Yusur Rubaiawi lifted 219kg in the snatch. Rubaiawi finished with a total of 465kg but had to settle for silver as Iran's Ali Davoudi took gold with 466kg. Bahrain's Gor Minasyan claimed bronze with 440kg.

In the women's +86kg division, China's Li Wenwen overcame a seven-kilogram deficit after the snatch to take gold. Li snatched 140kg, with South Korea's Park Hyejeong leading on 147kg, before lifting 170kg in the clean and jerk for a winning total of 310kg. Li set three Asian Games records in the process.

Park took silver with 300kg, while Qatar's Ouisal Ikhlef claimed bronze with 273kg. "Today I truly felt what it means when dreams come true," Li said. "I came here aiming for the gold. I told myself to stay composed and step onto the platform steadily."

Li, the 2024 Olympic champion in the women's +81kg division, withdrew from the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023 because of an elbow injury.

Earlier Tuesday, China's Wu Yan won the women's 86kg title with a total of 273kg.

Wu and Bahrain's Alina Marushchak both lifted 124kg in the snatch before Wu posted 149kg in the clean and jerk to secure gold. Marushchak took silver with 272kg, while 17-year-old Mahsa Beheshty of Iran claimed bronze with 259kg.

Competing at her first Asian Games, Wu said she took off her shoes and rested briefly after the snatch to help reset before the clean and jerk.

Wu and Bahrain's Alina Marushchak both lifted 124kg in the snatch before Wu posted 149kg in the clean and jerk to secure gold. Marushchak took silver with 272kg, while 17-year-old Mahsa Beheshty of Iran claimed bronze with 259kg.

Article Source: IANS