IWF World Championships Day 11: Chinese Liu Huanhua triumphs secures Paris 2024 ranking lead

Posted : 15 September 2023

In a thrilling display of weightlifting prowess, China's Liu Huanhua clinched gold at the IWF World Championships in the 102kg category, securing his top spot in the Paris 2024 rankings. This marked China's sixth anthem playing at the championships. Liu faced fierce competition from Korean lifter Jang Yeonhak, who delivered an exceptional performance, setting a total of 399kg. Liu, however, emerged victorious with a total of 404kg, including an impressive clean and jerk lift of 224kg.

The young Chinese lifter, just 22 years old, showcased remarkable progress in his career, steadily increasing his totals from 381kg to 404kg within a year. Jang Yeonhak was equally impressive, earning bronze in snatch and silver in total, making 182kg and 399kg, respectively.

Notably, Liu Huanhua is now the only eligible lifter to surpass the 400kg mark in the Olympic Qualification Ranking. His consistent performance and achievement in this competition put him in a strong position for qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Despite facing tough competition, other lifters in the A Group struggled, with many failing to make successful lifts. Lifter Yauheni Tsikhantsou from Belarus secured third place with a total of 394kg, while Garik Karapetyan from Armenia set junior records in snatch and total, finishing with 393kg.

In the 96kg category, Meso Hassona from Qatar earned the clean and jerk silver but was surpassed in the total by two B Group lifters, including Jang Yeonhak. The competition showcased the remarkable achievements of various lifters, with Don Opeloge from Samoa achieving a career-best total of 386kg, highlighting his dedication and training efforts.

The IWF World Championships in Riyadh featured medallists and world records from B Groups, with Jang Yeonhak's exceptional performance standing out. He expressed a preference for competing in B Groups, citing a calmer and less stressful atmosphere compared to the A Group.

In the women's 76kg category, Egypt's Sara Samir secured gold with a total of 246kg, despite being below peak fitness and making only two lifts. Samir, ranked second at 81kg for Paris 2024, opted to compete at 76kg and claimed her second world title. Despite her back injury just a week ago, she managed to outperform her competitors.

The battle for silver and bronze in the women's category was fought between Hellen Escobar from Colombia, Bella Paredes from Ecuador, and Kim Suhyeon from Korea, with Escobar securing second place and Paredes third.

The IWF World Championships showcased the incredible talents and dedication of weightlifters from around the world, setting the stage for exciting competitions leading up to the Paris 2024 Olympics.

IWF World Championships Day 11: Chinese Liu Huanhua triumphs secures Paris 2024 ranking lead

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