Liu Huanhua Sets First-Ever Weightlifting World Records in the 102KG Category
China’s Liu Huanhua is a frontiersman — literally. On Monday, Apr. 8, 2024, Huanhua made modern weightlifting history as the first 102-kilogram athlete to set world records in his category. Huanhua’s 232-kilogram (511.4-pound) clean & jerk and 413-kilogram (910.5-pound) Total are both the inaugural world records a lifetime best international performance for China’s gold-medal bet […]
American Weightlifter Olivia Reeves (71KG) Sets Triple Personal Records to Win 2024 IWF World Cup
The 2024 IWF World Cup continues to deliver on its promise of being a spectacular and star-studded weightlifting competition. The Cup, which runs from Mar. 31 to Apr. 11 in Phuket, Thailand, is the last qualifier event before the Paris Olympics begin this August. Team USA’s Olivia Reeves was the latest athlete to make headlines […]
Weightlifter Tian Tao Announces Retirement From International Competition
A chapter of weightlifting history is closing. On Saturday, Apr. 6, 2024, Olympic silver medalist and World Champion Tian Tao announced his retirement from the sport of weightlifting — internationally, at least. Tao’s announcement hit social media shortly after the conclusion of the Men’s 89-kilogram Group A session at the 2024 IWF World Cup in […]
Karlos Nasar & Jeison Lopez (89KG) Set Back-to-Back Snatch World Records at 2024 IWF World Cup: 181KG + 182KG
The hype rises in the Men’s 89-kilogram category of weightlifting. On Saturday, Apr. 6, at the 2024 IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, that excitement reached its zenith — at least, up until the Paris Olympics kick off this August. At the Cup, the last-chance qualifier event for Paris, Bulgaria’s Karlos Nasar was poised to […]
“I Was Ready for the World Record”: Olympic Champion Meso Hassona Injured, Out of 2024 IWF World Cup
Qatari weightlifter Meso Hassona has lost his chance to go for a world record at the 2024 IWF World Cup after suffering an injury in Phuket, the venue for the final 2024 Paris Olympic Games qualification opportunity. The 96-kilogram Tokyo gold medalist said he was in great shape to “show the weightlifting world what [he] […]
Weightlifter Ri Won Ju (67KG) Sets 189KG World Record Clean & Jerk at 2024 IWF World Cup
Records continue to fall left, right, and center at this year’s IWF World Cup. The 2024 Cup, which runs from Mar. 31 to Apr. 11 in Phuket, Thailand, is the last stop on the 18-month journey to the 2024 Olympics in Paris this summer. North Korean weightlifter Ri Won Ju capped off the Men’s 67-kilogram […]
Historic Upset: Rizki Juniansyah (73KG) Sets World Record Total, Steals Olympic Slot From Teammate Rahmat Erwin Abdullah
Prior to the commencement of the 2024 IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, rumors swirled about the gravity of the event. Lead event commentator Seb Ostrowicz called this year’s Cup “the biggest weightlifting meet of the last few years,” citing it as the final qualification opportunity for any Paris hopeful. On Apr. 4, 2024, Ostrowicz’s […]
Luo Shifang (59KG) Sets a New Total World Record of 248 Kilograms at the 2024 IWF World Cup
The 2024 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, has been a world record bonanza since it began on March 31, 2024. On April 3, 2024, the record books were opened up for edits again when the Women’s 59KG class took to the platform. Luo Shifang of China scored the overall gold with […]
Report: The Bulgarian Weightlifting Federation’s Election Scandal & Impact on Karlos Nasar
Disciples of Ivan Abadjiev — the mastermind behind the infamous “Bulgarian Method” — have reportedly taken control of the Bulgarian Weightlifting Federation (BWF) in a power struggle. In early March 2024, former BWF President and reformist Arif Majed made the following remark to BarBend: “We must change the image of Bulgarian weightlifting.” Shortly after, on March […]
Weightlifter Kang Hyon Gyong (55KG) Sets Clean & Jerk, Total World Records at 2024 IWF World Cup
Since the 2024 IWF World Cup began on Mar. 31 in Phuket, Thailand, every single weight category has seen new records set (and reset). On Apr 2., it was North Korea’s Kang Hyon Gyong who set two more: a 131-kilogram (288.8-pound) clean & jerk and a 234-kilogram (515.8-pound) Total. View this post on Instagram A […]