Foto: Isaac Morillas / WWM/Chisinau 2025

Women's 53kg C Group: Rebekka Tao Jacobsen Opens World Championships Campaign

The Women's 53kg C Group was led by Gyaneshwari Yadav (IND) with 88kg, while Nozomi Abe (JPN) followed closely on 86kg and Hoai Huong Nguyen (VIE) finished with 85kg.

From a Nordic perspective, it was Rebekka Tao Jacobsen (NOR) who drew attention. The Norwegian lifter, representing Larvik Atletklubb, finished the snatch session with 79kg, placing 9th in the group after missing the same weight on her second attempt before successfully securing it on her third.

Jacobsen is no stranger to international competition. She has represented Norway at European and World Championships and has previously recorded a fourth-place finish at the European Championships in Batumi and a 12th-place finish at the World Championships in Førde. Ningbo adds another chapter to a long international career.

While the medal contenders will emerge from the later groups, it was great to see a familiar Nordic name on the World Championship platform once again.

Women's 53kg C Group: Yadav Leads, Jacobsen Posts 104kg Clean & Jerk

The Women's 53kg C Group was won by Gyaneshwari Yadav (IND), who combined an 88kg snatch with a 110kg clean & jerk for a 198kg total. Japan's Nozomi Abe and Rira Suzuki both also reached 110kg in the clean & jerk, finishing close behind in the overall standings.

One athlete who caught the eye was Spain's Alba Sanchez Ferrer. While her final clean & jerk result was 102kg, she was one of the few athletes in the group using the squat jerk. It is always impressive to see at this level. The squat jerk is arguably the most demanding jerking style, requiring exceptional timing,  mobility, stability, and precision. When it works, it is beautiful to watch. When the timing is even slightly off, the lift can quickly unravel.

From a Nordic perspective, Rebekka Tao Jacobsen (NOR) completed a solid competition. After a 79kg snatch, the Norwegian added 104kg in the clean & jerk for a 183kg total, finishing seventh overall in the group. Jacobsen's personal best in the clean & jerk is reported to be 107kg, achieved during her career across multiple bodyweight categories, making her 104kg result in Ningbo a respectable performance on the World Championship platform.

Top Totals in C Group

1. Gyaneshwari Yadav (IND) – 198kg
2. Nozomi Abe (JPN) – 196kg
3. Rira Suzuki (JPN) – 192kg

Women's 53kg B Group: Kim So Hyon Takes Control of Snatch

The Women's 53kg B Group snatch session belonged to Kim So Hyon (PRK).

The North Korean opened at 88kg and then successfully lifted 91kg on her last attempt, producing the best snatch of the competition so far. With no PRK lifter scheduled to compete in the A Session, it is quite intresting.

Behind her, the battle was much tighter. Marisol De La Herran (MEX) and Dahiana Ortiz (DOM) both reached 87kg, while Maria Stratoudaki (GRE) finished with 86kg.

One detail worth noting is that Gyaneshwari Yadav (IND) from the C Group still sits in second place overall after the B Session thanks to her 88kg snatch, which remains ahead of everyone except Kim So Hyon.

Top Snatch Results After B Group

1. Kim So Hyon (PRK) - 91kg
2. Gyaneshwari Yadav (IND) - 88kg
3. Marisol De La Herran (MEX) - 87kg
4. Dahiana Ortiz (DOM) - 87kg

https://iwf.sport/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2026/10/2026-IWF-WCH_START-BOOK-v1.1.pdf

Women's 53kg B Group: Kim So Hyon Sets a Serious Mark

The Women's 53kg B Group produced a performance that could remain relevant all the way through the A Session.

Kim So Hyon (PRK) dominated the competition with a 91kg snatch, 123kg clean & jerk, and 214kg total. The clean & jerk was particularly impressive, sitting just 3kg below the current world record standard of 126kg in the category. With no North Korean lifter entered in the A Group, Kim has already put herself firmly into the medal conversation.

The significance of that 123kg becomes even clearer when looking ahead. One of the major A Group contenders, Miranda Ulrey (USA), lifted 120kg in the clean & jerk at the 2026 Pan American Championships, while China's Zhang Haiqin recently posted 101kg in the snatch and 126kg in the clean & jerk at the Chinese Grand Prix. In other words, Kim's numbers are very much in the range of what the favorites have been producing.

Behind Kim, an interesting storyline remains unchanged from the snatch.

Gyaneshwari Yadav (IND), who competed in the C Group, still sits second overall after the B Group with a 198kg total and 110kg clean & jerk. It is not often that a C Group athlete remains that high on the leaderboard once the B Group has concluded.

Dahiana Ortiz (DOM) moved into third overall after the B Session with a 198kg total, placing behind Yadav on tie-break criteria. Nozomi Abe (JPN) finished on 196kg, while Marisol De La Herran (MEX) totaled 193kg.

Best Results After B Group

Clean & Jerk

1. Kim So Hyon (PRK) - 123kg
2. Dahiana Ortiz (DOM) - 111kg
3. Gyaneshwari Yadav (IND) - 110kg
4. Rira Suzuki (JPN) - 110kg
5. Nozomi Abe (JPN) - 110kg

Total

1. Kim So Hyon (PRK) - 214kg
2. Gyaneshwari Yadav (IND) - 198kg
3. Dahiana Ortiz (DOM) - 198kg
4. Nozomi Abe (JPN) - 196kg
5. Marisol De La Herran (MEX) - 193kg

One notable absence was Mirabai Chanu (IND). The Olympic silver medalist and one of the biggest names in world weightlifting was listed in the start book for the Championships, but did not appear on the platform in the B Group. At the time of writing, no reason has been announced for her absence.

With Chanu out and no PRK lifter in the A Session, Kim So Hyon's 214kg total remains one of the most significant results posted so far in the Women's 53kg category. The question now is whether the A Group favorites, led by athletes such as Zhang Haiqin (CHN) and Miranda Ulrey (USA), can surpass the mark established by the North Korean lifter.

Women's 53kg A Group Preview: One of the Best Sessions Yet?

This one has all the ingredients to be an absolute banger.

Unlike the 49kg category, where China and North Korea went head-to-head for gold, there is no PRK lifter in the Women's 53kg A Group. But there was one in B-session. And she left a mark. Kim So Hyon came and put up 91kg, 123kg clean & Jerk, just 3 kilos shy of WR standard.

The home crowd will be looking at Zhang Haiqin (CHN) as the athlete to beat. The Chinese lifter recently posted 101kg in the snatch and 126kg in the clean & jerk at the Chinese Grand Prix, numbers that would put pressure on anyone in this field.

The United States brings Miranda Ulrey, whose 120kg clean & jerk at the 2026 Pan American Championships showed she has the firepower to challenge for medals. If she can stay close in the snatch, she could become a serious factor in the total.

Belgium's Nina Sterckx enters on 213kg and has proven repeatedly that she can perform under pressure on major stages. Romania's Mihaela-Valentina Cambei is another athlete who cannot be ignored, while Thailand's Surodchana Khambao has the experience to punish any mistakes from the favorites.

Before the A Group even begins, Kim So Hyon (PRK) has already thrown down the gauntlet from the B Group:

• 91kg snatch
• 123kg clean & jerk
• 214kg total

Those numbers are very much in the medal conversation.

Women's 53kg A Group: Zhang Takes Snatch Gold After a Brutal Battle

This session started hot.

We're talking 85kg opening attempts in a 53kg category, and before long the bar was already loaded to 90kg. As Weightlifting House commentator Seb pointed out, these were unusually heavy openers for many athletes. The tone was set immediately: there would be no easing into this competition.

The first major drama belonged to Nina Sterckx.

The Belgian opened at 91kg but lost the bar behind her. No problem, she had two more chances. Then came another miss, again behind. Suddenly Sterckx was staring at elimination. Her coach tried to calm her down as the two-minute clock ticked.

One lift to stay alive.

She finally fixed 91kg overhead and stood up with it, but as she recovered her balance disappeared and the bar crashed behind her.

Three misses.

No result.

A devastating end for one of the favorites before the medal battle had really begun.

Meanwhile, Rosegie Ramos of the Philippines was having the competition of her life. She opened at 92kg, already above her previous best, and looked incredibly strong. She kept building from there.

Surodchana Khambao (THA) opened with a massive 90kg and followed with 93kg, confirming early that this was a world-class field.

Mihaela Cambei secured 91kg but couldn't make 94kg on either of her remaining attempts. On another day it might have been enough for a medal. Not in this session.

Then the stars began to arrive.

The crowd erupted as Zhang Haiqin stepped onto the platform for her opening 95kg attempt.

Easy.

A statement lift.

Moments later Miranda Ulrey answered with her own 95kg opener. Explosive, confident, and equally convincing.

The battle was on.

Ramos wasn't done either. She moved to 97kg and made it, producing one of the biggest lifts of her career and putting herself firmly into the medal conversation.

Then Zhang raised the bar to 98kg.

Easy again.

The Chinese lifter looked in exceptional shape.

Ulrey answered immediately.

98kg. Good lift. New personal best.

Now the arena knew exactly what was coming.

The world standard sits at 99kg. The next call was 100kg.

First up was Zhang.

The crowd got loud.

She pulled aggressively and nearly had it, but the bar drifted forward just the slightest.

No lift.

Then came Ulrey.

A chance for snatch gold. A chance for a world-standard lift. A chance to shock the home crowd.

She fought for it.

Close.

Very close.

But not today.

No lift.

That left Zhang Haiqin on top.

Snatch Medals

🥇 Zhang Haiqin (CHN) – 98kg
🥈 Miranda Ulrey (USA) – 98kg
🥉 Rosegie Ramos (PHI) – 97kg

Just behind them, Kim So Hyon's 91kg from the B Group ended up good enough for fifth place after the snatch, showing just how high the level was in this A Session.

And now comes the really exciting part.

Zhang and Ulrey are tied on 98kg. Ramos is right there on 97kg. Kim So Hyon already has 123kg in the clean & jerk and a 214kg total from the B Group.

The snatch battle is over.

The clean & jerks could be absolute tornado brewing up, what is needed today to win this?

Women's 53kg A Group: Zhang Haiqin Completes the Golden Sweep

This was every bit as close as expected.

From the opening lifts, you could feel the tension. Athletes were missing openers, fighting through big weights, and every kilo mattered. Unlike some categories where one athlete runs away with the competition, this felt tight from start to finish.

One of the early surprises came from Mihaela Cambei. The Romanian opened lighter than many expected but still missed her opener. She recovered to make 105kg and later 109kg, securing a solid 200kg total, but she never quite found the form needed to challenge for the medals.

Lin Cheng Jing provided one of the grittiest moments of the session. After seemingly freezing on 110kg and barely pulling the bar from the floor, the athlete from Chinese Taipei came back on the same weight, completed the clean, and finished the jerk. A tremendous example of mental toughness under pressure.

Nigora Abdullaeva continued a strong competition for Uzbekistan, finishing with 111kg in the clean & jerk and a 201kg total after making all of her clean & jerk attempts.

Then the medal battle began.

Rosegie Ramos was outstanding. The Filipino lifter opened at 110kg, a weight above her previous best from a lighter bodyweight class, and made it look easy. She later added 114kg, but a brave attempt at 118kg proved too much. Her reward was a career-best performance and 211kg total.

Surodchana Khambao looked incredibly strong throughout the competition. After opening with 115kg, she moved to 119kg and then took a shot at 122kg to secure a total medal. She fell backward in the clean. That miss would prove costly.

The story of the session, however, belonged to the athletes at the very top.

After sharing the lead in the snatch with 98kg, Miranda Ulrey and Zhang Haiqin entered the clean & jerk separated by almost nothing.

Ulrey missed her opening 119kg attempt before recovering with 120kg and then successfully lifting 122kg, briefly moving into the overall lead and putting the pressure directly on China.

The crowd responded immediately.

Zhang Haiqin opened with 120kg and then confidently lifted 123kg, securing the clean & jerk win, the total win, and the world title in front of the home crowd.

With victory already secured, China loaded 126kg, matching the current world record standard and if succesfull total world record, chasing an even bigger statement in the first Olympic qualification event of the cycle.

The crowd erupted.

Zhang cleaned the weight, but could not stand up from the clean.

No lift.

It didn't matter.

She had already done enough.

Final Medalists

Snatch 🥇 Zhang Haiqin (CHN) - 98kg
🥈 Miranda Ulrey (USA) - 98kg
🥉 Rosegie Ramos (PHI) - 97kg

Clean & Jerk 🥇 Kim So Hyon (PRK) - 123kg (B Group)
🥈 Zhang Haiqin (CHN) - 123kg
🥉 Miranda Ulrey (USA) - 122kg

Total 🥇 Zhang Haiqin (CHN) - 221kg 🥈 Miranda Ulrey (USA) - 220kg 🥉 Kim So Hyon (PRK) - 214kg (from the B Group)

One final note: Kim So Hyon's B Group performance aged extremely well. Her 123kg clean & jerk and 214kg total held up for clean & jerk silver and total bronze after all A Group athletes had finished.

In the end, China got its home-soil champion in women, but only by the narrowest of margins.

Day 2, 28.10 Ningbo, M65kg

Men's 65kg C Group: Veteran Morea Baru Still Going Strong

The Men's 65kg C Group saw experienced campaigner Morea Baru (PNG) return once again to the World Championships stage.

At 36 years old, Baru remains one of the most recognizable names in Oceania weightlifting. The Papua New Guinean has competed at three Olympic Games and has represented his country at the highest level for more than a decade. Even after all these years, he continues to battle on the international platform.

Baru's long career has included Commonwealth and Pacific Games medals, multiple Oceania titles, and now another World Championships appearance in the 65kg category.

While the C Group is unlikely to decide the world medals, it showcased exactly what makes weightlifting special: athletes from across the globe, from rising talents to veterans like Baru, all sharing the same platform in pursuit of their best performance.

For fans of Oceania weightlifting, it was another chance to see one of the region's most enduring athletes continue an already remarkable career.

Men's 65kg C Group: Lugo Rodriguez Leads Snatch as Veteran Baru Misses Chances to Climb

The Men's 65kg C Group produced a competitive snatch session, with Wilmer Lugo Rodriguez (VEN) taking the top result at 133kg. After opening at 126kg, the Venezuelan successfully added 130kg and then 133kg to lead the field, and on personal note, he had Dragonball Z singlet, as an anime fan, I loved it!

Just behind him was Albert Sharkov (RUS), who completed a perfect series of 122kg, 127kg and 132kg to finish only one kilogram off the lead.

One of the most recognizable names in the group, Morea Baru (PNG), got off to a strong start with 120kg, but misses at 123kg on both his second and third attempts prevented him from moving higher up the standings. The three-time Olympian finished the snatch with 120kg.

Other notable performances included:

• Kotaro Sato (JPN) - 129kg
• Hector Carrazco Cetz (MEX) - 122kg
• Luis Garcia Brito (DOM) - 123kg
• Oscar Vasquez Morales (NCA) - 124kg

The biggest disappointment belonged to Tatsuma Yamashita (JPN). He opened aggressively at 129kg but missed twice and failed to register a result after withdrawing from his final attempt.

Best Snatch Results in C Group

• Wilmer Lugo Rodriguez (VEN) - 133kg
• Albert Sharkov (RUS) - 132kg
• Kotaro Sato (JPN) - 129kg
• Oscar Vasquez Morales (NCA) - 124kg
• Luis Garcia Brito (DOM) - 123kg

With the A and B Groups still to come, these lifts are unlikely to challenge for the overall medals, but Lugo Rodriguez and Sharkov set a solid benchmark to begin the Men's 65kg competition in Ningbo.

Men's 65kg C Group: Sato Edges Lugo in Tight Battle

The Men's 65kg C Group came down to just one kilo.

Kotaro Sato (JPN) overtook snatch leader Wilmer Lugo Rodriguez (VEN) in the clean & jerk, finishing with 166kg and a 295kg total. Lugo pushed hard with a successful 161kg clean & jerk, ending only one kilo behind on 294kg.

Albert Sharkov (RUS) completed the top three of the group, totaling 282kg after a 132kg snatch and 150kg clean & jerk.

One of the highlights was veteran Morea Baru (PNG). The 36-year-old Olympian posted 120kg in the snatch and 155kg in the clean & jerk for a 275kg total, proving once again that he remains competitive on the world stage after more than a decade at the elite level.

Another notable storyline was Tatsuma Yamashita (JPN), who failed to register a snatch result after missing 129kg twice and therefore did not continue in the competition.

Top Totals in C Group

1. Kotaro Sato (JPN) - 295kg
2. Wilmer Lugo Rodriguez (VEN) - 294kg
3. Albert Sharkov (RUS) - 282kg
4. Hector Carrazco Cetz (MEX) - 280kg
5. Oscar Vasquez Morales (NCA) - 279kg

With A and B Groups still to come, these totals are unlikely to trouble the overall medal contenders, but Sato and Lugo delivered one of the closest battles seen so far in Ningbo, separated by just a single kilogram at the end.

Men's 65kg B Group Preview

The B Group is led by Sergio Massidda (ITA), Chen Wang-Heng (TPE) and Ricko Saputra (INA), all entered at 310kg. Close behind are Seraj Alsaleem (KSA) at 307kg and Jonathan Munoz Martinez (MEX) at 305kg.

One name stands out above all others: Eko Yuli Irawan (INA).

The Indonesian legend, former world champion and four-time Olympic medalist, returns to the World Championships with a 300kg entry total. At 37 years old, he remains one of the sport's most respected veterans and a fan favorite wherever he competes.

Also worth watching is Nguyen Thanh Duy (VIE), born in 2009, one of the youngest lifters in the entire championships.

This group may not decide the world medals, but it features one of weightlifting's greatest modern careers and several athletes capable of pushing beyond their entry totals.

Men's 65kg B Group: Saputra Leads in a "Bloodbath" of a Session

Before the first lift, fans in the livestream chat were already calling the Men's 65kg B Group a "bloodbath", and the snatch session lived up to that description.

With athletes separated by only a few kilos, misses proved costly throughout the group. Ricko Saputra emerged on top with 135kg, while the battle behind him was incredibly tight.

Wilmer Lugo Rodriguez held onto second place overall with the 133kg he posted in the C Group earlier in the day. Indonesian legend Eko Yuli Irawan matched 133kg to move into third, ahead of Chen Wang-Heng, who also made 133kg but achieved it later.

One of the talking points of the session was the support for "Mr. Eko." The four-time Olympic medalist remains one of the sport's most beloved figures, and the live chat was filled with fans cheering on the 37-year-old Indonesian veteran every time his name appeared on the screen.

Meanwhile, Sergio Massidda struggled to find top form. One of the pre-session favorites on paper, the Italian finished with 130kg after missing 135kg on his final attempt.

Top Snatch Results After B Group

1. Ricko Saputra (INA) - 135kg
2. Wilmer Lugo Rodriguez (VEN) - 133kg
3. Eko Yuli Irawan (INA) - 133kg
4. Chen Wang-Heng (TPE) - 133kg

With so many athletes packed within just a few kilos, the clean & jerk is shaping up to be exactly what the fans predicted: a bloodbath.

Men's 65kg B Group C&J: Youth Records, Veteran Class, and a True "Bloodbath"

The Men's 65kg B Group delivered drama, records, and one of the best clashes between generations seen so far in Ningbo.

One of the highlights came from Jonathan Munoz Martinez. On his second attempt at 163kg, the clean looked brutally heavy. It seemed the lift was over, but the Mexican stayed composed, recovered, took a breath, and produced a perfectly timed jerk. A fantastic example of technical weightlifting under pressure. He later attacked 167kg, got under the clean, but couldn't stand it up. Even so, it was an impressive performance from one of the session's most technically sound lifters.

The future of the sport was also on full display.

Just 17 years old, Nguyen Thanh Duy of Vietnam broke the Youth World Record in the clean & jerk with 160kg, then immediately improved it with 166kg. On his final attempt he called for 170kg, another world-record weight. He cleaned it and nearly completed the jerk. It wasn't quite there, but the message was clear: this is a name we are going to see a lot in the coming years, and likely in an A Group sooner rather than later.

Then there was Eko Yuli Irawan.

The Indonesian legend had fans cheering for him throughout the session. The live chat lit up every time "Mr. Eko" approached the platform. At 37 years old, the four-time Olympic medalist showed exactly why he is still one of the sport's most respected athletes. His successful 168kg clean & jerk was a masterclass in veteran lifting and set up one of the session's coolest moments.

Moments later, Nguyen Thanh Duy walked out for his world-record attempts. On one side was a teenage prodigy breaking records. On the other was one of the greatest lightweight lifters of the modern era. It was a reminder of how unique this sport can be.

Adding to the Indonesian story, Eko was coached in Ningbo by none other than the father of Rahmat Abdullah, one of Indonesia's biggest stars and a major talking point heading into the 75kg competition.

At the top of the session, Ricko Saputra proved strongest. After making 168kg, he added 171kg to take control of both the clean & jerk and total standings.

Eko tried to answer with 171kg on his final attempt. The crowd was behind him. He cleaned the weight, but the jerk wouldn't stay overhead.

Still, the fans had gotten their money's worth.

Best Clean & Jerk Results After B Group

1. Ricko Saputra (INA) - 171kg
2. Eko Yuli Irawan (INA) - 168kg
3. Kotaro Sato (JPN) - 166kg (C Group)
4. Nguyen Thanh Duy (VIE) - 166kg (Youth World Record)
5. Jonathan Munoz Martinez (MEX) - 163kg

Best Totals After B Group

1. Ricko Saputra (INA) - 306kg
2. Eko Yuli Irawan (INA) - 301kg
3. Nguyen Thanh Duy (VIE) - 296kg (Youth World Record Total)
4. Kotaro Sato (JPN) - 295kg
5. Wilmer Lugo Rodriguez (VEN) - 294kg

The A Group will be contested later today, but the B Group already produced one of the most entertaining sessions of the championships so far. Records fell, veterans delivered, and a young Vietnamese lifter announced himself to the world.

Men's 65kg A Group Snatch Preview

Now the real battle begins.

The A Group features some serious firepower, led by Ye Yueji (CHN) with a massive 146kg planned opener snatch, the highest declared lift in the field. China also brings Ding Hongjie (CHN) at 140kg as the home nation looks to continue its strong start in Ningbo. these numbers still just planned and it can change!

North Korea's Pak Myong Jin (PRK) enters with 140kg, while Muhammet Furkan Ozbek (TUR) is listed at 142kg and could be a major factor in the medal race.

Keep an eye on Tran Minh Tri (VIE) at 136kg and Adkhamjon Ergashev (UZB) at 135kg, both capable of challenging if the favorites make mistakes.

After the B Group, Ricko Saputra's 135kg remains the best snatch posted in competition, but that mark is expected to fall quickly once the A Group begins.

The big question is whether anyone can challenge the Chinese lifters in the snatch. On paper, Ye Yueji looks like the favorite, but PRK and Türkiye have the numbers to turn this into a real fight. 

Best snatch so far: Ricko Saputra (INA) – 135kg
Highest A Group entry: Ye Yueji (CHN) – 146kg
Athletes to watch: Ye Yueji, Pak Myong Jin, Muhammet Furkan Ozbek, Ding Hongjie.Hampton Morris.

Men's 65kg A Group: War Over 140kg

If the C and B Groups were a bloodbath, the A Group snatch session was war.

The drama started immediately. Thiago Felix da Silva missed his opening 126kg before recovering to make it on his second attempt. Weightlifting House commentator Seb noted that the Brazilian has recently moved up a weight class, and based on today's lifting, he may still be adjusting to the change. A final attempt at 130kg was no lift, leaving him with 126kg.

Then came one of the toughest moments of the session.

Adkhamjon Ergashev missed 133kg from behind. With time still available, Hampton Morris took his clock, forcing Ergashev back to the platform sooner than expected. He missed again, was forced up to 134kg, and could not make that either. Three misses. No snatch result. Brutal.

Things only got stranger when David Bardalez of Peru missed 134kg and later walked away from his final attempt without taking it. A rare sight at this level.

Meanwhile, the weights kept climbing.

Francisco Mosquera Valencia, now 34 years old, fought his way to 133kg before missing 136kg and 138kg. Tran Minh Tri recovered from an opening miss to secure 136kg and then added 140kg. After making the second lift he smiled, threw a heart to the crowd, and looked genuinely happy to be on the World Championship stage.

Then Hampton Morris made his move.

The American Olympic bronze medalist opened with 132kg and looked comfortable. He followed with 138kg and then nailed a huge 143kg, matching his personal best. At that point he looked firmly in the medal conversation.

Then the real battle began.

Pak Myong Jin opened at 140kg and quickly added 144kg. China answered through He Yueji and Ding Hongjie, both opening at 142kg. Ding then moved to 146kg and made it look powerful.

And then there was Muhammed Furkan Ozbek.

Rumors before the session suggested the reigning world champion was capable of something very special. His 142kg opener looked effortless. Then he made 145kg. Then 147kg.

Good lift.

At this point the session had become ridiculous. Lift after lift above 140kg. In many World Championships these numbers would have secured gold medals. Not today.

Pak attempted 147kg on his final attempt but could not complete it, finishing with 144kg.

Ozbek stood atop the leaderboard with 147kg.

Then China struck back.

Ding Hongjie called for 148kg, looking to take the lead. The pull was there, but the bar went out the back. No lift.

One athlete remained.

The home crowd knew it. The arena knew it.

He Yueji walked out with 148kg on the bar. Chinese fans began chanting as he approached the platform.

He pulled.

He fixed it overhead.

He stood.

Good lift.

What a moment.

He Yueji snatches 148kg to take the snatch gold in front of the home crowd. Ozbek settles for silver with 147kg, and Ding Hongjie takes bronze with 146kg.

Snatch Medals

🥇 He Yueji (CHN) - 148kg
🥈 Muhammed Furkan Ozbek (TUR) - 147kg
🥉 Ding Hongjie (CHN) - 146kg

But make no mistake: the war is far from over.

Ozbek is a tremendous clean & jerker. Pak Myong Jin remains dangerous. Both Chinese lifters are still in the fight for total medals.

After one of the highest-quality snatch sessions of the championships so far, the clean & jerk promises absolute chaos. Now, North Korea is 4 th after snatch and Hampton moved to 5 th place. The war is truly on.

Men's 65kg A Group: Absolute Mayhem, World Records and Heartbreak

If the snatch session was war, the clean & jerk was complete chaos.

The drama started immediately. David Bardalez of Peru appeared to make his 162kg opener, but the referees ruled no lift. He missed the second attempt as well and faced 165kg with his competition on the line. No lift. DNF. A brutal way to end the championships.

Moments later, Thiago Felix da Silva found himself in the same situation. He missed 165kg, then 166kg, and on his final attempt could not stand up from the clean. Another bomb-out. Two athletes gone before the real battle even began.

Meanwhile, Adkhamjon Ergashev showed tremendous fighting spirit. After failing to register a snatch result, the Uzbek athlete returned for the clean & jerk and opened successfully with 168kg. He later missed 170kg, but after the difficult snatch session it was impossible not to respect the effort.

Then the leaderboard started moving quickly.

Francisco Mosquera Valencia opened strongly with 172kg, while Tran Minh Tri continued his excellent competition with 173kg and then a huge 176kg, a four-kilo personal best. Every lift came with a smile. One of the feel-good performances of the session.

China entered the battle through Ding Hongjie and He Yueji.

Ding opened with an effortless 174kg. Ozbek answered immediately with a perfect 175kg opener. The world champion looked locked in.

Then came one of the biggest upsets of the day.

Fresh off his snatch gold, He Yueji missed 177kg twice after making only 167kg. He would leave the clean & jerk with 167kg and miss out on the medals in both clean & jerk and total. Snatch gold, but heartbreak everywhere else.

At the front of the competition, the numbers became almost hard to believe.

Pak Myong Jin opened with 179kg.

Ding Hongjie matched 179kg.

Muhammed Furkan Ozbek matched 179kg.

Every lift felt like a medal lift. Every lift felt like a world record attempt.

Mosquera made one final push at 180kg but couldn't complete it. Meanwhile Hampton Morris shocked the field by opening at 180kg and making it. Massive lift.

Then North Korea went higher.

Pak Myong Jin called for 183kg and made it.

Ozbek responded with 183kg of his own, putting himself in the overall lead and igniting the crowd.

Ding attempted 183kg as well, chasing what would have been a nine-kilo personal best, but could not complete the jerk.

Then came the moments everyone will remember.

Hampton Morris walked out for 185kg.

He made it.

A clean & jerk world record.

An incredible lift from the American, who suddenly found himself right in the middle of the fight for the world title.

But North Korea wasn't finished.

Pak Myong Jin loaded 187kg. World-record territory. He made it. The numbers in this session were becoming absurd.

Then came one final answer.

Hampton Morris called for 189kg.

He cleaned it.

He jerked it.

He dropped the bar and screamed toward his father and coach. Such an emotinal scene. Father embracing him.

The arena erupted.

Then everything stopped.

The jury intervened.

After review, the lift was overturned to no lift.

A devastating moment for Morris.

With the decision confirmed, Pak Myong Jin secured the world title with a 331kg total, a new world record total.

Final Results

Total 🥇 Pak Myong Jin (PRK) - 331kg WR 🥈 Muhammed Furkan Ozbek (TUR) - 330kg 🥉 Hampton Morris (USA) - 328kg

Clean & Jerk 🥇 Pak Myong Jin (PRK) - 187kg WR🥈 Hampton Morris (USA) - 185kg 🥉 Muhammed Furkan Ozbek (TUR) - 183kg

This was one of the wildest sessions of the championships so far. World records, overturned lifts, surprise bomb-outs, huge personal bests, and a North Korean victory that was only decided on the very last attempts. This was most emotional for me, as a Morris fan girl, I am devastated. 

The war we expected became something even bigger.

Day 1, 27.10 Ningbo, W49 kg and M60kg