Luo Shifang from the People's Republic of China won the weightlifting 59kg gold medal with a total of 241 kg at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on Thursday 8 August. Both Luo's total lift and her individual snatch and clean and jerk lifts were new Olympic records for the weight class.

Canada's Maude Charron took silver with a total lift of 236 kg, just beating Chinese Taipei's Kuo Hsing-Chun, who won bronze.

The other category that took place today was the Men's 73kg. Rizki Juniansyah, the Indonesian weightlifter became the strongest of the day winning the gold medal, a position that gave his country the first-ever gold medal in weightlifting at the Olympic Games while also achieving a new Olympic and World record in the Clean & Jerk before the 3rd attempt. Indeed, with this one, it's the second gold medal from Indonesia in this Games.

Hou Zihui defended Women's 49kg

Hou Zhihui of the People's Republic of China defended her Olympic title in dramatic fashion at the South Paris Arena on Wednesday, 7 August, setting an Olympic record in the clean-and-jerk to secure the gold medal in women’s 49kg weight class of weightlifting at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

It was a sensational victory that won her copious applause from the audience and joyous praise from her coaches. Hou lifted her arms in triumph, celebrating what she had just accomplished and reflecting on how she got there. “Before my final lift, I thought about my family, my team here and my country all backing me up,” said Hou. “That’s what motivated me to make it happen on the final lift. I was really relieved after the final lift that broke the Olympic record.”

It was a tense two hours at the South Paris Arena, as athletes faltered and triumphed in successive lifts. Romania's Mihaela Valentina Cambei set herself up as the woman to beat in the women’s 49kg weight category, completing an electrifying series of lifts that saw her raise 93kg above her head to take the lead at the halfway mark of the event.

While Cambei was untouchable in the snatch, her rivals sensed an opportunity in the clean-and-jerk when she entered the competition at a lower weight than the other medal favourites. The Romanian lifter entered the clean-and-jerk at 106kg, while Thailand’s Surodchana Khambao entered the competition at 110kg, along with future gold medalist Hou, with India’s Mirabai Chanu Saikhom looking to make a statement by entering at 111kg.

Cambei’s decision to start with lower weights paid dividends, however, as she lifted 112kg in the clean-and-jerk to post a final total of 205kg. It was a tall order for her rivals, who began to falter after successfully lifting their entry weights.

Saikhom missed her attempt to lift 114kg, removing her from medal contention. Khambao managed to match Cambei’s clean-and-jerk score of 112kg, but couldn’t lift 114kg to improve her final total, leaving her at a total of 200kg to claim the bronze medal. This meant only Hou could challenge Cambei for the gold medal.

She went for broke, increasing the weight to 117kg for her second of three attempts in the clean-and-jerk. She failed, meaning she would have one more try to lift 117kg, with the gold medal going to Cambei if she failed.

Hou would not be defeated by the bar that brought her endless joy three years prior at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. She summoned all her strength, hoisting the 117kg bar above her head to set the Olympic record in the clean-and-jerk and claim the gold medal with a total of 206kg.

“I was really, really determined to make it happen for the final attempt because I knew that, if I missed it, I couldn’t win gold,” explained Hou. “I just tried to put in the maximum performance.” An overjoyed Hou was joined on the podium by Cambei and Khambao, closing the final chapter of a dramatic competition at Paris 2024.

Li Fabin defended Men's 61kg Gold

From the moment Li Fabin stepped onto the Paris 2024 Olympic weightlifting platform, it was clear he was on a mission: defend the title. Mission accomplished, as Li of the People’s Republic of China won his second consecutive gold medal in the men's 61kg weightlifting competition on August 7.

The Chinese powerhouse set the stage for his victory during the snatch rounds, lifting an astounding 143kg, just three kilograms shy of his world record. This Olympic record-breaking performance put him in an unbeatable position and left his competitors trailing in his wake.

In the clean and jerk round, Li successfully lifted 167kg, bringing his total to 310kg and securing the gold medal with ease. Another medal to his impressive résumé, which includes a gold medal from Tokyo 2020 and world championship titles in 2019, 2022, and 2023. "I really enjoyed it and observed the live atmosphere. Our friends from China came to cheer us on, and the atmosphere was electrifying. I felt a surge of energy from it," the two-time Olympic champion described.

The competition was fierce, but no one could catch Li. Therrapong Silachai of Thailand claimed the silver medal with 303kgs, while Hampton Morris of the United States made history by taking home the bronze, the first for Team USA in weightlifting since Los Angeles 1984. “I approached the bar knowing I would make it. I didn’t have any doubt in my mind I would do it," Morris said. His ambitious attempt to break the world record in the clean and jerk added drama to the final, though he ultimately finished with a total of 298kg.

Eko Irawan of Indonesia, a veteran of the sport and four-time Olympic medalist, suffered an injury during his final clean-and-jerk attempt. Aged 35, Irawan was the oldest competitor in the category and his injury forced him to withdraw, preventing him from adding to his impressive tally of Olympic medals. Nonetheless, a commendable performance from the Indonesian.

Li himself was moved by Irawan's performance. "Watching Irawan lift made me feel quite emotional. It’s touching to see someone at such an age still competing fiercely in sports. I relate to this spirit deeply because I have also been contemplating whether to retire. Seeing everyone fighting for this sports spirit makes me think that maybe I can continue a bit longer," the 31-year-old added.