• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
BarBend

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Top Athletes
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • Competition Results
    • Latest Research
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini Massage Guns
      • Individual Recovery Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Whey Protein Powders
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainers
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
        • Best Fat Burners for Men
        • Best Fat Burners for Women
        • Best Non-Stim Fat Burners
      • More Supplements
        • Best Supplements for Muscle Growth
        • Best Supplements for CrossFit
        • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
        • Best Supplements for Bodybuilding
        • Best Supplements for Men
        • Best Supplement Stacks
      • Individual Supplements Reviews
    • Equipment
      • Cardio
        • Best Treadmills
        • Best Rowing Machines
        • Best Exercise Bikes
        • Best Ellipticals
        • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Strength
        • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
        • Best Dumbbells
        • Best Kettlebells
        • Best Barbells
        • Best Squat Racks
        • Best Free Weights
        • Best Weight Benches
        • Best Resistance Bands
        • Best Slam Balls
        • Best Weighted Vests
        • Best Leg Extension Machines
        • Best Cable Machines
        • Best Power Racks
        • Best Pull Up Bars
      • Best Home Gyms
        • Best Smart Home Gyms
        • Best Gym Equipment Under $100
        • Best Home Gym Essentials
        • Best Home Gym Flooring
      • Individual Equipment Reviews
    • Fitness Accessories
      • Apparel
        • Best Weightlifting Shoes
        • Best Cross Training Shoes
        • Best Gym Bags
        • Best Gym Shorts
      • Training
        • Best Weightlifting Belts
        • Best Knee Sleeves
        • Best Lifting Straps
        • Best Grip Strengtheners
        • Best Wrist Wraps
        • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Individual Fitness Product Reviews
    • Certifications
      • Best Sports Nutrition Certifications
      • Best Personal Trainer Certifications
      • Best Nutrition Certifications
      • Individual Certifications Reviews
    • Programs
      • Best Online Workout Programs
      • Best Workout Streaming Services
      • Best Home Workout Programs
      • Individual Program Reviews
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Nutrition Tips
      • Daily Protein Needs
      • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
      • Foods With Creatine
      • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Bent-Over Row
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Crunches
      • Farmer’s Carry
    • Best Exercises
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Back Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Glute Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Hamstring Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Calf Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
      • Triceps Exercises
    • Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • German Volume Training
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • The Cube Method
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Build Your Own Program
    • Fat Loss
      • How to Burn Fat
      • Spot Fat Reduction
      • How to Train on a Cut
      • Body Conditioning
      • Workouts
        • Kettlebell Circuits
        • Dumbbell Complexes
        • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Muscle Gain
      • Muscle Hypertrophy Explained
      • How to Build Muscle
      • How to Maintain Muscle
      • What Researchers Say About Muscle Gain
        • Workouts
          • 20-Minute Workouts
          • Kettlebell Circuits
          • CrossFit Workouts for Muscle
          • Bodybuilding Workouts
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
News

Rahmat Erwin Abdullah (81KG) Sets 209-Kilogram Clean & Jerk World Record at 2023 World Weightlifting Championships

Abdullah stole the record away from Bulgaria's Karlos Nasar by a single kilo.

Written by Jake Dickson
Last updated on September 11th, 2023

Indonesia’s Rahmat Erwin Abdullah is the dark horse of men’s weightlifting. Since the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Abdullah has made a name for himself as a podium contender in both the 73 and 81-kilogram divisions by lifting monstrous weights out of the less-competitive “Group B” sessions.

On Sep. 11, 2023, Abdullah did just that. He set a new senior World Record in the clean & jerk, 209 kilograms (460.7 pounds), in the 81-kilogram category at the International Weightlifting Federation‘s (IWF) World Weightlifting Championships (WWC). 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Weightlifting House (@weightlifting_house)

[Check In: 2023 IWF World Weightlifting Championships Full Results]

According to Weightlifting House commentators, this is the first time in history that any weightlifter holds the Senior world records in two sequential weight categories (Abdullah holds the jerk record in the 73s with 200), both set from Group B. 

While Abdullah is undeniably one of the strongest light-middleweight weightlifters in the world, his medal-winning performances from outside of the Group A aren’t without controversy. 

Rahmat Erwin Abdullah | 2023 World Weightlifting Championships

Abdullah is typically a 73-kilogram weightlifter, but decided not to cut weight to participate in the 73s at the 2023 WWC in Riyadh, which run from Sep. 4 to 17. Weighing just 76.67 kilograms, Abdullah set the bar quite high for the men in the Group A division before they ever took the stage.

  • Snatch: 145 kilograms
  • Clean & Jerk: 209 kilograms, World Record
  • Total: 354 kilograms

Notably, Abdullah’s bodyweight in Riyadh highlights his performance in a historical context as well. When the famous Men’s 77-kilogram category was abolished in 2018, the heaviest clean & jerk in competition in that category was 214 kilos, set by Kazakhstan’s Nijat Rahimov at the 2016 Olympic Games. 

Abdullah’s respectable 145-kilogram snatch, though, is miles away from the legendary 177 world record set by China’s Lu Xiaojun, also set in Rio. That Abdullah could have contended with the best 77s in the world at just 22 years old speaks to his potential in the sport.

A Controversial Approach

Abdullah’s habitual acquisition of medals from outside the Group A session at major weightlifting competitions is surprising, but may not always be incidental. Moreover, this tactic shines a light on a potential flaw within the IWF’s qualification procedures ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, which are less than a year away.

At last year’s World Championships, two out of the three 73-kilogram medalists came from Group B — including Abdullah, who won his first senior World title there. Historically, entrants are divided across different Groups based on their entry Totals, the weights they initially declare they’ll lift before the competition begins. 

This stratifies the competition so athletes of comparable strength are forced to compete against one another, encouraging competitive spirit and enhancing the viewing experience for spectators. By declaring a modest entry Total, Abdullah places himself among athletes not of his true caliber.

As such, he can perform under less pressure and threat from other weightlifters who might otherwise attempt to jockey or sabotage his six competitive attempts. 

Abdullah controls his barbell at the 2023 World Weightlifting Championships.
Credit: Sofia Martinez / International Weightlifting Federation

To qualify for the Paris Olympics, athletes in any given category must rank in the top 10 in the world in their class. The simplicity of this system may encourage athletes like Abdullah (though he’s certainly not the only lifter to win a medal out of the Group B, or even C) to exploit the structure of weightlifting meets in their favor.

That isn’t to say that Abdullah’s performance in Riyadh was inherently malicious; he simply opted to not cut weight to compete in his regular category. And since Group B always competes before Group A, the Group A weightlifters also know exactly what numbers they have to beat to make it to the podium. It’s unorthodox, but so far, it’s working.

More Weightlifting Content

  • How an Unexpected Phone Call Might Get Weightlifter Caine Wilkes Back to the Olympics
  • Hampton Morris Wins First Gold Medal for USA in Over 50 Years
  • Jiang Huihua Sets 120-Kilogram Clean & Jerk World Record at 2023 World Weightlifting Championships

Featured Image: Sofia Martinez / International Weightlifting Federation

About Jake Dickson

Jake is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a B.S. in Exercise Science. He began his career as a weightlifting coach before transitioning into sports media to pursue his interest in journalism.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

Ashley Kaltwasser’s Tricks For Longevity in Competitive Bikini Bodybuilding

Enahoro Asein (83KG) Deadlifts a Monster 355-Kilogram (783-Pound) Triple Raw

2023 Rising Phoenix and Arizona Pro Women’s Bodybuilding Show Preview

2023 Sheru Classic France Pro Bodybuilding Show Preview

2023 Daytona Pro-Am Bodybuilding Show Preview

Latest Reviews

Alaskan Cold Plunge Feature

Redwood Outdoors Alaskan Cold Plunge Review

Living.Fit Grip Strengthener Review

Bells of Steel Competition Kettlebell Review

Bells of Steel Barenaked Powerlifting Bar 2.0 Review

REP BlackWing Feature

REP Fitness BlackWing Weight Bench Review

Be the smartest person in your gym

The BarBend newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I Want In!
BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2023 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap