Long Qingquan is just 25 years old, but he’s already had a career full of ups and downs in the sport of weightlifting. In Rio, though, Qingquan proved he’s still one of the sport’s best lifters, winning gold in the 56kg weight class and setting a new world record total (307kg, beating Halil Mutlu‘s 305 total from the 2000 Sydney Olympics) in the process.
The podium from the men’s 56kg is below.
1. Long Qingquan (China)
2. Om Yun Chol (North Korea)
3. Sinphet Kruaithong (Thailand)
Qingquan led after the snatches and finished that portion of the competition with 137kg, three above Chol. Qingquan then went 161 – 166 – 170 in the clean & jerk to seal victory, while Chol made his third attempt at 169kg after missing the weight on his second attempt.
Qingquan is the 2008 Beijing Olympic gold medalist in the weight class, but he missed out on London. Qingquan also bombed out at the 2015 World Weightlifting Championships in Houston, leaving some to question his competition prep. But Qingquan has silenced his critics with a 5 for 6 performance — missing only his second snatch — and beating out 2012’s champion, Om Yun Chol of North Korea. In 2012, Chol pulled off the rare feat of winning gold while lifting in the “B” session.
Before this Games, Chol had won every international competition he’d entered since London 2012. His silver medal finish ends a remarkable streak that saw multiple world records broken.
Chol — who holds the clean & jerk world record at 171kg — finished 14 kilograms above the third place finisher, Sinphet Kruaithong of Thailand. Kruaithong finished 11 kilograms above the 4th place finisher, Arli Chontey of Kazakhstan.
Featured image: IWF Instagram (@iwfnet)