China's Zhang wins 53kg total at weightlifting worlds

Total gold medalist Zhang Haiqin (C) of China, total silver medalist Miranda Eleanor Ulrey (L) of the United States and total bronze medalist Kim So Hyon of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) react during the awarding ceremony of women's 53kg at the 2026 IWF World Championships in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 29, 2026. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

NINGBO, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's Zhang Haiqin won the women's 53kg title at the Weightlifting World Championships here on Thursday, holding off American Miranda Ulrey by one kilogram in the total standings.

Zhang lifted 98kg in the snatch and 123kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 221kg. Ulrey matched Zhang's 98kg in the snatch but managed 122kg in the clean and jerk for a 220kg total.

The two traded successful lifts throughout the snatch, both opening at 95kg before making 98kg. Both failed at 100kg on their third attempts, with Zhang taking snatch gold by virtue of her lighter body weight.

"I really wanted to make 100, that weight was over the record and I wanted it, but I rushed it a little," Zhang said. After the snatch, she initially thought she had finished second. "I didn't realize at the time, I thought I was second, and then my coach told me I was first."

Rosegie Ramos of the Philippines took snatch bronze with 97kg.

In the clean and jerk, Ulrey missed her first attempt at 119kg before making 120kg and 122kg. Zhang made 120kg and then 123kg on her second attempt, a lift she knew was crucial.

"The second lift is key. If you fall behind on the second lift it's very hard to come back," Zhang said.

Zhang then attempted 126kg on her final lift, which would have given her clean-and-jerk gold and broken the total world standard of 223kg, but she was unable to complete the lift.

"On the third lift I pulled too hard off the floor and my whole frame kind of collapsed, the weight just crushed me," Zhang told Xinhua. "I tried to stand up but I really gave it everything."

Clean-and-jerk gold instead went to Kim So Hyon of the DPR Korea, who lifted 123kg in the afternoon's Group B session before the Group A competition. Kim finished with a 214kg total, enough for bronze overall.

Because Kim reached 123kg first, she ranked ahead of Zhang in the clean and jerk. Zhang said she did not watch Kim's afternoon session.

"I was resting in the back, I didn't see it, it didn't affect my rhythm, I just focused on myself," Zhang said.

The world standards for the new 53kg category, which took effect Aug. 1 under the Los Angeles Olympic cycle, are 99kg in the snatch, 126kg in the clean and jerk and 223kg in total. Zhang lifted 101kg in the snatch and totaled 227kg at a national Grand Prix in August, but came up short of those marks on Thursday.

"Of course there's regret, the world record felt right there, but regret gives me even more motivation," Zhang said. "I just need to take it one competition at a time, make every lift, and go back and build a stronger, more solid base."

The men's 70kg Group A competition is scheduled for Friday.