The 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships are underway in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, and Day 5 delivered non-stop drama, world-record lifts, and standout Indian performances. Broadcast highlights from Doordarshan Sports captured the intensity as athletes from across Asia battled in the women’s 69kg and men’s 88kg categories. With packed attempts in snatch and clean & jerk, the day showcased raw power, precision, and national pride on home soil.
Women’s 69kg – North Korean Supremacy and Indian Bronze Glory
The women’s 69kg Group A session opened with high expectations and delivered even higher drama. India’s Harjinder Kaur, a Commonwealth Games bronze medalist, stepped onto the platform with confidence. After a shaky first snatch attempt, she locked in a solid 96kg on her second and third tries, securing the bronze medal in snatch and sparking cheers from the Indian contingent. Her clean & jerk followed with successful lifts at 115kg, 118kg, and a confident 121kg on the third attempt, giving her a total of 217kg and a strong 4th-place finish overall.
Dominating the category was Kuk Hyang Song (DPR Korea), the 2024 World Champion and former Asian Games gold medalist. She opened with a commanding 112kg snatch to claim gold in that lift and never looked back. In the clean & jerk, Song stunned the crowd with a world-record 151kg on her final attempt, powering her to an unbeatable total of 263kg and the overall gold. Chinese Taipei’s Wen Hui Chan took silver with consistent lifts, while Japan’s Yui Miya Goi rounded out the podium in bronze.
Other notable performances included Mongolia’s Bold Bar Khongozul and South Korea’s lifters, who pushed hard but couldn’t match the top three. The session highlighted the depth of Asian women’s weightlifting, with precise technique and explosive power on full display.
Men’s 88kg – Record-Breaking Lifts and Tight Battles
Group B featured rising talents and solid Indian representation. Abhishek Suresh (India), the national champion born in 2001, impressed with a best snatch of 153kg and pushed his clean & jerk to 187kg on his third attempt for a total of 326kg, finishing 5th in the group. Malaysia’s Hafizuddin bin Roslin posted a strong 336kg total, while Turkmenistan’s Ramazan Toray earned praise for clean technique and a competitive 324kg. Singapore’s Kang Ye Lim and Chinese Taipei’s Pinshun Hung also featured in the highlights with personal bests.
The real fireworks came in Group A, where the continent’s elite converged. Uzbekistan’s Sarvarbek Zafarjonov led the snatch with 169kg for gold in that discipline. Kazakhstan’s Alexandr Uvarov and Chinese lifters traded heavy attempts, but the day belonged to Ro Kwang-Ryol (DPR Korea). He secured silver in snatch with 167kg before exploding in the clean & jerk, breaking world records at 217kg and then 220kg to claim overall gold with a massive 387kg total. China’s Pan Yunhua took silver overall (369kg), and South Korea’s Lee Seongwon earned bronze (368kg) while setting an Asian record in the process.
The video captured the tension perfectly—failed attempts, successful challenges, and triumphant celebrations—as lifters like Oman’s Amur Alkhanjari battled timing issues and others pushed limits under the bright lights.
Key Takeaways from Day 5
- North Korea continued its dominance, with multiple gold medals and record-breaking performances underscoring their status as a global powerhouse.
- India opened its medal account in this phase through Harjinder Kaur’s snatch bronze, boosting national morale at the home championships. Abhishek Suresh’s efforts in the men’s category added valuable experience.
- Records fell: Multiple world and Asian marks were set or equaled, particularly in the men’s 88kg clean & jerk.
- The event in Gandhinagar showcased Asia’s rising talent and the electric atmosphere of a major continental championship.
Day 5 of the 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships will be remembered for its record-shattering lifts and inspiring stories. As the competition continues, all eyes remain on India’s home athletes and the fierce rivalry between powerhouses like North Korea and China.
Video Source: YouTube
What a day for weightlifting in India—pure power, pure passion! 💪🇮🇳
