Indonesia's Olympic champion Rizki Juniansyah made history at the IWF World Championships, powering a 204kg clean and jerk world record to secure his second gold in the newly introduced 79kg class.
Despite a rocky start in the snatch, opening with a confident 157kg before missing his next two attempts, Juniansyah finished third behind Ri Chong Song of the DPRK (163kg) and Egypt's Abdelrahman Younes (162kg). China's 17-year-old Ning Gan also lifted 157kg to round out the top four.
It was in the clean and jerk where the real drama unfolded. After a 195kg opener, Juniansyah smashed the existing record with a 204kg lift, surpassing the mark set just hours earlier by teammate Rahmat Erwin. He then passed on his final attempt, finishing with a 361kg total.
That total proved just enough: Juniansyah edged out Ri and Younes, both at 360kg, by a single kilo to claim overall gold and cement his status as a rising force in the 79kg division.
His record-breaking performance not only underlines Indonesia's weightlifting pedigree but also lights a spark for athletes and fans across the globe, showcasing how narrow margins and big lifts can redefine a sport.
Reference(s):
Juniansyah sets clean-and-jerk world record with 204kg at IWF worlds
cgtn.com
