Liao Guifang of China competes during snatch of the women's 86kg event at the 2026 IWF World Championships in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)
NINGBO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's Liao Guifang set two world records on her way to sweeping all three gold medals in the women's 86kg category at the World Weightlifting Championships on Saturday.
Liao successfully completed all six lifts, recording 128kg in the snatch and 163kg in the clean and jerk for a world-record total of 291kg, finishing 19kg ahead of her nearest rival.
Her final clean-and-jerk attempt of 163kg also set a world record, while her best snatch of 128kg fell just one kilogram short of the existing mark.
Despite having already secured the title, Liao continued to push for higher weights, saying she wanted to test her limits in competition.
"I mainly wanted to test and improve my ability in competition. There are points on offer, but the priority was always to win the title," she said.
Liao moved up to the 86kg category this year after previously competing at 77kg, but said she had focused on her own performance rather than the competition.
"I don't think too much about the others. If you pay too much attention to them, it can affect you," she said.
Bahrain's Alina Marushchak took silver in all three disciplines, lifting 123kg in the snatch and 149kg in the clean and jerk for a 272kg total.
The Dominican Republic's Mejia Peguero claimed bronze in the clean and jerk with 147kg and in the total with 266kg.
American Ella Nicholson, making her senior world championships debut, earned snatch bronze with 120kg but narrowly missed another medal, finishing fourth overall with 265kg, just one kilogram behind Peguero. ■
Total gold medalist, snatch gold medalist, clean and jerk gold medalist Liao Guifang of China poses during the awarding ceremony for the women's 86kg event at the 2026 IWF World Championships in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)
Kim Suhyeon of South Korea reacts during clean and jerk of the women's 86kg event at the 2026 IWF World Championships in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)
Kim Suhyeon of South Korea reacts during clean and jerk of the women's 86kg event at the 2026 IWF World Championships in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)
Total gold medalist Liao Guifang (C) of China, silver medalist Alina Marushchak (L) of Bahrain and bronze medalist Yudelina Mejia Peguero of the Dominican Republic pose during the awarding ceremony for the women's 86kg event at the 2026 IWF World Championships in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)
Liao Guifang of China competes during snatch of the women's 86kg event at the 2026 IWF World Championships in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)
Liao Guifang of China is seen during the women's 86kg event at the 2026 IWF World Championships in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)
Ella Nicholson of the United States reacts during snatch of the women's 86kg event at the 2026 IWF World Championships in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)
