The 2025 IWF World Championships in Førde, Norway, reaffirmed Asia’s commanding leadership in world weightlifting. Over ten days of competition, Asian lifters captured most of the gold medals, shattered numerous world records, and displayed unmatched technical mastery. From PRK’s precision and consistency, to Indonesia’s explosive breakthroughs, Iran’s generational resurgence, and Uzbekistan’s powerful finale, the Championships proved that Asia remains the epicenter of world weightlifting.
PRK’s Technical Perfection and Expanding Depth
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (PRK) once again delivered a near-flawless campaign. Its women’s team achieved a complete sweep of five gold medals, combining discipline, balance, and explosive speed:
- Ri Song Gum (48kg) – gold with world records in clean and jerk (122kg) and total (213kg).
- Kang Hyon Gyong (53kg) – gold with a 214kg total.
- Kim Il Gyong (58kg) – gold with a world-record total of 236kg.
- Ri Suk (63kg) – gold with four world records, totaling 253kg.
- Song Kuk Hyang (69kg) – gold with three world records (270kg total), surpassing marks previously held by Olympic champion Olivia Reeves.
The PRK men’s team also impressed, signaling the country’s renewed balance across genders. Ro Kwang Ryol (88kg) set a clean and jerk world record (215kg) and took silver overall, while younger lifters such as Ri Won Ju (71kg) delivered technically polished performances in deep fields. These results confirm that PRK’s structured athlete pipeline continues to produce medal-level depth across multiple Olympic categories.
Indonesia’s Explosive Breakthrough
The Southeast Asian nation delivered two of the most spectacular performances of the entire championship, showcasing a new generation of lifters redefining technical limits.
At 79kg, Rizki Juniansyah captured gold with a clean and jerk world record (204kg) and a 361kg total, establishing himself among the sport’s brightest stars. His teammate Rahmat Erwin Abdullah, competing in the B Group due to injury, answered with a clean and jerk world record (203kg) and a 359kg total.
Iran’s New Generation Steps Forward
Iran arrived in Førde with a clear objective — to demonstrate that a new era of lifters can carry the nation’s rich legacy forward. The results were emphatic.
In the 94kg category, Alireza Moeini set a snatch world record of 182kg and claimed silver overall, combining raw strength with improved technical rhythm.
At 110kg, Alireza Nasiri, only 20 years old, produced junior world records in clean and jerk (231kg) and total (415kg), also earning silver.
Both performances illustrated that the federation’s focus on youth development has restored Iran’s status as a consistent global contender.
Regional Expansion: Bahrain and Korea
Asia’s impact extended beyond its traditional giants. In a breakout performance, Ingrid Vanesa Segura, aged just 19, represented Bahrain and secured bronze at 69kg with a total of 107-134-241. Segura narrowly missed a junior world record in total, signalling the Gulf region’s growing investment in women’s elite sport.
Korea also celebrated major success: Park Hyejeong won gold in the women’s +87kg (125-158-283), while Song Yeonghwan earned bronze in the men’s super-heavyweights. Their results highlighted Korea’s long-term consistency, built on technical refinement and a strong domestic training culture.
Uzbekistan’s Heavyweight Authority
The Championships concluded with another statement of strength from Uzbekistan, whose heavyweight stars reaffirmed the country’s enduring influence.
Akbar Djuraev, Olympic champion and world record holder, dominated the 110kg category, posting two new world records — snatch (196kg) and total (428kg) — to win gold by a commanding margin. His lifts were a masterclass in timing and power, reaffirming his place as one of the sport’s most complete athletes.
His teammate Ruslan Nurudinov, the 2016 Olympic champion, returned to the podium with a technically assured performance that underscored Uzbekistan’s depth and continuity in the men’s divisions.
Djuraev’s comeback symbolized both personal redemption and national excellence, closing the Championships on a triumphant note for Central Asia.
Global Participation and Performance Summary
The 2025 IWF World Championships brought together 412 athletes from across all five continental federations and one refugee athlete — a clear reflection of the sport’s global inclusivity.
Europe (39.32%) and Asia (32.77%) together accounted for over 70% of participants, demonstrating their deep competitive structures and strong development systems. Pan America (18.69%) maintained a solid presence through lifters from Colombia and the USA, while Africa (5.58%) and Oceania (3.40%) continued to strengthen their participation.
A total of 144 medals were awarded (48 gold, 48 silver, 48 bronze). Asia’s representatives dominated with 78 medals (54.17%), including 32 golds, driven by powerhouses PRK, China, Uzbekistan, and Thailand. Europe followed with 24 medals (16.67%), Pan America with 31 (21.53%), Africa with 9 (6.25%), and Oceania with 2 (1.39%).
Notably, 40 world records were set during the Championships — an astonishing 32 by Asian athletes. This overwhelming output reflects not only Asia’s competitive dominance but also its unmatched technical precision, innovation, and consistency, reinforcing the continent’s role as the global leader in weightlifting excellence.
