The 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships came to an end on May 17 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India, after six days of high-level competition featuring Asia’s top weightlifters. Hosted at the Mahatma Mandir Exhibition Hall-1, the championships also served as an important qualification pathway for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The event delivered one of the strongest editions in recent history, highlighted by an extraordinary number of world, Asian, junior and national records.
China finished at the top of the final medal standings with an impressive total of 41 medals, including 21 gold, 12 silver and 8 bronze medals. DPR Korea followed in second place with 18 gold medals and 30 total medals, while Chinese Taipei completed the top three with 13 medals (3 gold, 7 silver and 3 bronze). Bahrain, Iran, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Korea and host nation India also secured podium finishes throughout the tournament.
A total of 27 Asian records and 25 world records — including Senior and Junior categories — were set during the championships, underlining the exceptional level of performance displayed throughout the week.
Among the standout performers was DPR Korea’s Pang Un Chol, who opened the championships with a new world record in the men’s 60 kg clean & jerk with 174 kg on his way to a 304 kg total. China’s He Yueji later added world records in the men’s 65 kg clean & jerk and total with 183 kg and 329 kg respectively.
One of the most remarkable achievements of the championships came on May 14, when China’s Yang Liuyue registered a 251 kg total in the women’s 63 kg category. Her performance simultaneously broke the Senior World Record, Senior Asian Record, Junior World Record and Junior Asian Record — a rare accomplishment at continental-level competition.
The championships concluded with a dramatic showdown in the men’s +110 kg division. Bahrain’s Gor Minasyan secured gold with 457 kg, while Iran’s Alireza Yousefi electrified the crowd by setting new senior world and Asian records in the clean & jerk with 261 kg — the heaviest successful lift and highest record achieved during the entire championships.
Host nation India celebrated a successful home campaign with 10 medals, including 1 silver and 9 bronze medals, reflecting the nation’s growing competitiveness in Asian weightlifting.
In total, athletes from 15 countries reached the podium during the championships, highlighting the increasing depth and competitiveness of weightlifting across Asia.
