Li Wenwen Wins China's Fifth Weightlifting Gold
China's Li Wenwen won the women's +81kg weightlifting division at the Paris Olympics with a commanding total of 309 kilograms (681 pounds), securing China's fifth gold medal in the sport. This victory caps off China's dominant performance and firmly reestablishes the nation as weightlifting's powerhouse at the Games.
- This was Li's second consecutive Olympic gold; she also won the super-heavyweight title at the 2020 Tokyo Games, where she set three Olympic records. - Li currently holds all three world records in her category: a 148 kg snatch, a 187 kg clean and jerk, and a 335 kg total, all set in 2021. - The silver medalist was Park Hye-jeong of South Korea with a total lift of 299 kg, and Emily Campbell of Great Britain took bronze with 288 kg. - China's other weightlifting gold medalists at the Paris games were Li Fabin (men's 61kg), Hou Zhihui (women's 49kg), Luo Shifang (women's 59kg), and Liu Huanhua (men's 102kg). - Despite her commanding 10kg victory margin, Li's total of 309 kg was the lowest she has registered in a major international competition. - With gold already guaranteed, Li used her final attempt to playfully lift her coach, Wu Meijin, onto the stage, a move suggested by fans online. - In addition to her Olympic success, Li is a two-time world champion and a three-time Asian champion in her weight class.
