Thailand's Weeraphon Wichuma took silver on 346kg, setting a junior world record in the clean and jerk with a 198kg lift. Finally, Bozhidar Andreev of Bulgaria won bronze with a total of 344kg.

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.