The 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, are finally here. On Aug. 7, 2024, the Women’s 49-kilogram class was the second weight category to step onto the lifting platform, following the Men’s 61-kilogram class earlier in the morning.
China’s Hou Zhihui was the clear favorite to claim the gold entering the event, but the rest of the podium was expected to be a battle between five athletes, including Team USA’s Jourdan Delacruz.
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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: Women’s 49KG Weightlifting
- Hou Zhihui (CHN): 217
- Mirabai Chanu (IND): 200
- Surodchana Khambao (THA): 200
- Jourdan Delacruz (USA): 200
- Mihaela-Valentina Cambei (ROU): 199
- Rira Suzuki (JPN): 197
- Nina Sterckx (BEL): 193
- Katherin Echandia Zarate (VEN): 193
- Fang Wan Ling (TPE): 192
- Beatriz Piron Candelario (DOM): 191
- Rosina Randafiarison (MAD): 172, Continental
- Nicola Lagatao (GUM): Universality
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2024 Olympics Women’s 49KG Weightlifting Results
Women’s 49KG Podium
- Gold: Hou Zhihui (CHN) — 206 (89/117) — Olympic Record Clean & Jerk
- Silver: Mihaela-Valentina Cambei (ROU) — 205 (93/112)
- Bronze: Surodchana Khambao (THA) — 200 (88/112)
Event Recap — Snatch
56 kilograms was the opening snatch for Nicola Lagatao of Guam, beginning the competition. The bar rapidly advanced to 80 kilograms and beyond, signaling a brief but fiery session. Japan’s Rira Suzuki commanded the room with 83 kilograms on her first attempt, and then it was off to the races with athletes from Venezuela and Chinese Taipei following suit.
Team USA’s Jourdan Delacruz appeared first for 84 kilograms and was wobbly but got herself on the board. Saikhom of India followed with a commanding opener at 85 kilograms. Suzuki twice failed her 85-kilogram attempts, closing her out of the first half of the competition.
Medal contender Surodchana Khambao of Thailand appeared for 86 kilograms and smoked it. Belgium’s Nina Sterckx failed her first snatch at 86 despite urging silence from the crowd before lifting. With her face scrunched, Sterckx missed her second attempt.
Venezuela’s Echandia showed a lot of heart but couldn’t clinch her last two attempts at 86 kilograms. Heroically, Sterckx attempted 86 kilograms a third time but was unsuccessful. Delacruz followed with a second-attempt miss at 87, while Saikhom, Khambao, Piron, and Delacruz again missed 88.
Saikhom held 88 kilograms overhead after seven attempts from athletes before her, finally breaking the barrier; Khambao, on her third attempt, matched it, though it took moments to stabilize.
Presumptive gold medalist Hou Zhihui of China came out to begin at 89 kilograms and nearly powered her bar — at the last moment, the judges unexpectedly took the lift from her. The final athlete to open was Romania’s Mihaela Cambei, who took the lead with 89.
Zhihui’s second attempt was successful at 89. Cambei returned fire by smoking 91 kilograms. Zhihui missed 93 kilograms on her final attempt despite holding the world record at 97. Cambei took the final attempt of the snatch portion at 93, closing out the portion as the leader.
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Event Recap — Clean & Jerk
74 kilograms was the initial weight on the bar, but things quickly heated up as athletes declared 100 kilograms and above.
Rosina Randafiarison won the crowd with a heroic 100-kilogram personal best clean & jerk, followed by a jubilant celebration. The judges decided to invalidate her effort, citing that she had dropped the weight early. With the stadium behind her, Randafiarison appeared once more and left no doubt on her final attempt.
Fang Wan Ling put away a 102-kilogram opener with pristine technique. Delacruz followed with a 105-kilo opener, which put her on the board and corrected her bomb-out from Tokyo three years prior. Echandia matched it with her opener. Snatch leader Cambei took 106 for her opener and demolished it.
Venezuela, Chinese Taipei, and the Dominican Republic attempted 107 kilograms. Suzuki comfortably made her 108-kilogram opener. A back-room error forced Echandia out early, barely beating the clock; she missed her final clean.
Zhihui came out for her 110-kilogram opener earlier than expected but sent the bar flying overhead. Khambao followed, narrowly making the lift and stumbling across the platform. After a long hiatus, Delacruz also took 110 on her second attempt, missing it behind. Cambei showed dominance over 110 on her second attempt, making a case for the top of the podium.
Saikhom attempted 111 to kick her attempts off but was unsuccessful; she corrected her error on her second attempt at the same weight. Delacruz had a triumphant final attempt, successfully lifting 111 kilograms to close her Paris chapter.
Khambao heroically lifted 112 on her final attempt as the competition wound down. Cambei, on her final attempt, put away 112 for a massive personal record and a 205-kilogram Total. Saikhom made a big push with 114 to get herself onto the podium but couldn’t clinch it.
On the final lift of the competition, facing down a bronze medal instead of gold, Zhihui set a new Olympic record to swipe the win out of Cambei’s hands by a single kilogram.
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 courtesy of USA Weightlifting
