Ningbo 2026 World Championships - Day 4-6 recap

World Championships Ningbo 2026 | Days 4-6 Highlights

The middle stretch of the World Championships delivered world-record level lifting, emerging young stars, and a growing storyline that has become impossible to ignore: North Korea's dominance across multiple categories.

North Korea Continues to Dominate

North Korea was arguably the team of Days 4-6.

• Oh Kwang Ok controlled the women's 57kg category from start to finish, winning gold with a 227kg total.
• Pak Pyol claimed the men's 70kg world title with a world-record 157kg snatch and 355kg total.
• Ri Ryong Hyon took gold in the men's 75kg category with a 365kg total.
• Pak Jin Hae reached the podium in the ultra-competitive women's 61kg class.

At this stage of the championships, North Korea seemed to collect medals in nearly every major session.

Women's 61kg Delivers Championship-Level Drama

The women's 61kg competition may have been the deepest category seen so far in Ningbo.

Pei Xinyi captured gold with:

• 112kg snatch
• 142kg clean & jerk
• 254kg total

What made the session remarkable wasn't just the winning numbers, but the depth of the field.

• 111kg in the snatch was only enough for silver.
• Multiple athletes exceeded 240kg totals.
• World-record level lifting was required just to stay in contention.

The class looked every bit like an Olympic final preview.

Zhang Haiqin Wins a Home Victory in Women's 53kg

One of the closest battles of the championships came in the women's 53kg category.

• Zhang Haiqin won gold with 221kg.
• Miranda Ulrey finished just one kilogram behind on 220kg.
• Kim So Hyon secured bronze with 214kg from the B session.

Zhang and Ulrey were tied after the snatch, setting up a dramatic clean & jerk battle that ultimately went China's way.

Shabnam Kerimbayeva Announces Herself to the World

One of the breakout performances of the week came from 16-year-old Shabnam Kerimbayeva.

The young Turkmen athlete:

• Set a Youth World Record in the snatch.
• Added Youth World Records in the clean & jerk and total.
• Finished with a 201kg total.

She emerged as one of the most exciting young prospects at the entire championships.

Olha Ivzhenko's Perfect Performance

Although she narrowly missed the overall title in the women's 57kg category, Olha Ivzhenko produced one of the cleanest competitions of Ningbo.

She completed:

• 96kg snatch
• 118kg clean & jerk
• 214kg total

Most impressively, she went six-for-six, demonstrating exceptional consistency and technique.

The Most Heartbreaking Moment of the Championships

The men's 70kg session produced one of the toughest moments of the entire event.

Ri Won Ju appeared on course for a historic 205kg clean & jerk after completing a strong clean. During the jerk, his elbow dislocated overhead, ending the attempt and silencing the arena.

What could have become one of the greatest lifts of the championships instead became a reminder of the risks athletes face at the highest level.

Rahmat Erwin Creates a Viral Moment

The men's 75kg competition provided one of the most memorable non-medal stories of the week.

Rahmat Erwin Abdullah nearly ran out of time before an attempt, sprinted to the platform, rushed through his setup, and somehow still managed to make the clean before missing the jerk.

Instead of frustration, Rahmat simply laughed it off, showing the maturity and composure that have made him one of weightlifting's biggest stars.

Nordic Highlights

From a Nordic perspective:

• Irma Berglund of Sweden competed in only her second international weightlifting competition and finished with a 175kg total in the women's 57kg category.
• Rebekka Tao Jacobsen of Norway totaled 183kg in the women's 53kg competition, adding another World Championship appearance to her résumé.

Key Takeaways

• North Korea continues to be the dominant force of the championships.
• Women's 61kg may be the strongest and deepest category in Ningbo.
• Zhang Haiqin delivered China's biggest home-soil victory so far.
• Shabnam Kerimbayeva emerged as one of the breakout stars of the competition.
• Rahmat Erwin reminded fans why he remains one of the sport's most popular athletes.
• Ri Won Ju's injury became the most emotional moment of the championships.
• The road to Los Angeles 2028 is already shaping up to be incredibly competitive.

Results in HERE