Indonesian weightlifter Rizki Juniansyah delivered a historic performance at the IWF World Championships in Riyadh on Monday, setting a new clean-and-jerk world record of 204kg in the newly introduced 79kg category. Despite early setbacks, the Olympic champion claimed two gold medals in a dramatic showdown against global rivals.
Juniansyah faced fierce competition from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) lifter Ri Chong Song and Egypt’s Abdelrahman Younes, who dominated the snatch discipline with 163kg and 162kg respectively. China’s 17-year-old rising star Ning Gan also impressed with a 157kg snatch, foreshadowing future rivalries in the sport.
The tide turned during clean-and-jerk attempts. After teammate Rahmat Erwin briefly held the record with 203kg, Juniansyah electrified the arena by lifting 204kg – a feat made more remarkable by his decision to forfeit his final attempt. His total 361kg secured victory by a razor-thin 1kg margin over both Ri and Younes.
This triumph reinforces Southeast Asia’s growing prominence in weightlifting while showcasing intense competition between Asian athletes shaping the sport’s future.
