The 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, are finally here. And with it brings the conclusion of an 18-month journey to find out who the best 102-kilogram weightlifters in the world really are. 12 men gathered to compete on August 10, but only three walked away with medals.
If you’re catching up, here’s what you missed on August 9:
BarBend will update this page as the event progresses, including podium results and a play-by-play of the competition from start to finish. Stay tuned!
2024 Olympics: Men’s 102KG Weightlifting
The Men’s 102-kilogram division wasn’t showcased in Tokyo at the last Olympics. This time around, the adjacent categories — 96 and 109 kilograms — are off the docket, forcing the best athletes from those divisions to clash in the 102s.
Two Olympic Champions, Uzbekistan’s Akbar Djuraev (109) and Qatar’s Meso Hassona (96) are among the top contenders for the podium this year. However, they’ll have to contend with presumptive gold medalist and leaderboard topper Liu Huanhua of Team China along the way, not to mention athletes from Armenia, Belarus, Korea, and Bahrain; all of whom have their own paths to the podium.
- Liu Huanhua (CHN): 413
- Garik Karapetyan (ARM): 401
- Fares “Meso Hassona” El-Bakh (QAT): 400
- Akbar Djuraev (UZB): 400
- Yauheni Tsikhantsou (AIN): 400
- Jang Yeonhak (KOR): 399
- Lesman Paredes (BRN): 398
- Davranbek Hasanbayev (TKM): 392
- Irakli Chkheidze (GEO): 391
- Don Opeloge (SAM): 391
- Wes Kitts (USA): 388, Continental
- Ahmed Mustafa Abuzriba (LBA): Universality
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2024 Olympics Men’s 102-Kilogram Weightlifting Results
- Gold: Liu Huanhua (CHN) — 406 (186/220)
- Silver: Akbar Djuraev (UZB) — 404 (185/219)
- Bronze: Yauheni Tsikhantsou (AIN) — 402 (183/219)
Event Recap — Snatch
161 kilograms was the first weight loaded during the Men’s 102-kilogram snatch event at the 2024 Olympics; refugee athlete Ramiro Mora appeared first, followed by Libyan Abuzriba Ahmed at 164.
Mora received a harsh early call from the judges, prompting deliberation on his second snatch as the jury argued that his 166 attempt would ultimately be upheld. After the delay, out came Team USA’s two-time Olympian Wes Kitts, the oldest competitor in the category. He looked nervous but made the lift.
Samoa’s Continental athlete Don Opeloge took the first crack at 170. He missed twice in a row, endangering his status in the competition. Aubzriba missed 170 on his final attempt and took a tumble, clasping at his shoulder, indicating a serious injury. Opeloge received support from the crowd, but it wasn’t enough — he bombed out at 170.
Georgia’s Irakli Chkheidze broke through the 170-kilogram wall first with a good lift at 171. Kitts returned afterward for a tough but successful 172. Korea’s Jang Yeonhak took 173 on his opener after Kitts.
Independent athlete and class powerhouse Tsikhantsou came out to make light work of 176 on his first go but miscalculated and dropped it in front. Chkheidze followed for attempt two at the same weight; a make. Kitts narrowly missed the same weight on his third lift.
China’s expected favorite, Liu Huanhua, popped out early in the day to get on the board with 178 in commanding fashion. 96-kilogram 2020 Olympic Champion Fares “Meso Hassona” El-Bakh was hot on his heels and lost the same weight behind his body — he may have injured his elbow trying to save the lift.
Tsikhantsou, overflowing with power and seemingly struggling to control it, righted his initial wrong and made 178 on his second attempt. El-Bakh missed 178 again in the same fashion as his first, and then again for a third time — in a flash, Qatar was out of the game.
Jang was spat out by 179 on his second attempt. He left the stage clutching his left arm. Chkeidze returned for the same weight and made it on his final attempt. Armenia’s snatch specialist Garik Karapetyan, just 21, took the first try at 180 kilograms and made it. Turkmen Davranbek Hasanbayev had similar luck on his opener at 180, saluting the crowd afterward.
The other Olympic Champion in this division (109), Akbar Djuraev of Uzbekistan, was similarly potent with his 180-kilogram opener. That left only Bahrain’s Lesman Paredes to open; Jang missed 180 on his last go after Djuraev.
Paredes Montano, who had signaled his intent to break the snatch record in the 102s, bulldozed 181 to get on the board. Not to be outdone so easily, Liu took the lead back with 183 kilos on his second attempt, and Tsikhantsou answered by making the same weight on his final attempt.
Djuraev stayed in the mix with 185 kilograms, keeping his composure for a gold medal. Karapetyan got spat out by 186 on his second attempt. Paredes Montano then missed 186 on his second snatch. Liu of China showed Bahrain how it was done by making the same weight to close out his snatches with a remarkable save.
Despite his previous error, Garik Karapetyan made 186 to finish. Hasanbayev attempted the first Olympic record at 187 and very nearly had it stabilized before losing the weight forward. Paredes Montano backed away from the snatch world record and finished with a miss at 188.
Only Hasanbayev and Djuraev remained. Turkmenistan missed 188, identical to their last attempt; Uzbekistan matched with a miss of 189.
Event Recap — Clean & Jerk
Libya, Samoa, and Qatar all withdrew after the snatches; snatch finalist Hasanbayev started clean & jerks with a miss at 190 kilograms, just two kilograms above his very near misses at 188 in the snatch.
Jang started with a make at 200. Hasanbayev tapped out after getting lightheaded at 200 kilograms, ending his Olympic run with a 370-kilogram Total. Kitts joined the battle by making 202 kilograms, then a big jump to 210; it proved far too much as he failed to rack the clean. The same weight proved doable for Mora — barely. He ended his Olympic run 3-for-3 in the jerks with a big smile.
Kitts stumbled while cleaning 210 and couldn’t jerk it. He closed his second Olympics with a 374-kilogram Total. But Jang could, with an extra kilo on his second lift at 211. Karapetyan entered to chants while clean & jerking 212 on his opener.
Chkheidze started with a good clean at 214 but dropped the bar before jerking it; he gingerly walked off stage, clasping his right knee. Tsikhantsou put the same weight overhead as though the bar weighed nothing on his first attempt. Despite his pain, Chkheidze returned to make 214. Backstage, he was wrapping his knee tightly and pulling a sleeve over it.
Paredes Montano attempted to stay in medal contention by jumping to 218 from 211 for his second clean & jerk. He danced around the borders of the platform and received two red lights. The audience booed the decision.
Paredes Montano returned to vibrant and orchestral applause as he attempted the same weight on his last lift. He came to a halt standing up the clean and couldn’t make it happen — he received more praise from the stadium as he walked off stage.
After Karapetyan failed his third clean & jerk at 218, the field dwindled. Korea and Georgia made heroic but unsuccessful bids to get onto the podium to no avail; an iPhone alarm was heard while Jang prepared to take his final lift, distracting him.
Djuraev struck first with 219 kilograms. Tsikhantsou also guaranteed himself a medal on his second attempt by smoking 219 kilograms. Liu was introduced last and secured a medal by being the first man to strike 220 kilograms.
Djuraev answered with 224; he missed, howling in frustration. Liu erupted onto the stage to take 228, but he received two red lights. China challenged the decision, but the jury upheld the miss while the stadium booed loudly.
Tsikhantsou called the session’s boldest attempt, jumping from 219 to 228 to snipe gold, but missed. Bafflingly, Liu declared 235 kilograms and gave Djuraev an opening attempt to win gold.
With two lifts remaining in the event, Djuraev came out first for 232 kilograms. He missed; giving China the gold. Yet Liu appeared to thunderous cheers for the last lift of the event at 233 kilograms
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2024 Olympics Weightlifting Schedule
Weightlifting events will be held at the 2024 Olympics from Aug. 7 to Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. Catch all the action live by referring to the full schedule below. All times are in Eastern Standard Time and are subject to change:
Wednesday, August 7
- 9:00 AM: Men’s 61KG
- 1:30 PM: Women’s 49KG
Thursday, August 8
- 9:00 AM: Women’s 59KG
- 1:30 PM: Men’s 73KG
Friday, August 9
- 9:00 AM: Men’s 89KG
- 1:30 PM: Women’s 71KG
Saturday, August 10
- 5:30 AM: Men’s 102KG
- 10:00 AM: Women’s 81KG
- 2:30 PM: Men’s +102KG
Sunday, August 11
- 5:30 AM: Women’s +81KG
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Featured Image: USA Weightlifting
