Asian Championships: ‘Beautiful memories’ for Rahmat Erwin, agony for Olympic champion Rizki – and China wins 57 medals

Rahmat Erwin said farewell to the outgoing body weight categories with a memorable performance at the Asian Championships in Jiangshan, China, where he set his fifth 73kg clean and jerk world record in 30 months.

His Indonesia team-mate Rizki Juniansyah, the Olympic 73kg champion, was beaten by a newcomer from China when he moved up to 81kg and failed to make his final attempt after tearing the skin on both thumbs.

While Erwin was the only world record breaker in the men’s events, China and PRK collectively claimed seven world records in the women’s categories.

Rahmat Erwin (INA)

When Yang Qiuxia bettered Angie Palacios’ 71kg snatch mark, she ensured that every female world record holder in the “old” categories, which will cease to exist on May 31, is from China or PRK. China won 57 medals in Jiangshan, far more than any other nation.

Erwin, a multiple world and continental champion, was sensationally beaten by Rizki in the final qualifying event for the Olympic Games just over a year ago. Rizki won gold in Paris while Erwin stayed at home.

In Jiangshan, Erwin declined his third snatch, then bettered his own world record of 204kg when he made all three clean and jerks. In his five good lifts he made 155-205-360 to register the best Sinclair points score of the Championships on 486.3.

Yang Qiuxia (CHN)

His father and coach Erwin Abdullah told Indonesian media that there had been “so many bittersweet memories” during 16 competitions at 73kg over a period of six and a half years.

“But this is one we will never forget,” Abdullah said. “We have beautiful memories of May 2025. Now we move on to a new weight category.” Whether that will be down to 71kg or up to 79kg is to be decided.

Erwin weighed 72.75kg in Jiangshan, and Rizki 79.66kg. Rizki had finished second in his only other competition at 81kg three years ago at the South East Asian Games, where Erwin won 73kg gold. This week Rizki was second again, behind the international debutant Luo Chongyang, who missed two snatches in making 162-100-362.

Rizki tore calluses on both thumbs on his second clean and jerk at 190kg, according to his coach Triyatno. He was in so much pain he could not complete his final attempt at 202kg, which would have given him victory.

Another Olympic champion, Liu Huanhua from China, won by a wide margin at 102kg.

Artyom Antropov from Kazakhstan, who won the world title in Liu’s absence last December, was 15kg behind at halfway and could not make a contest of it. Liu finished 180-230-410 and Antropov 165-221-386.

Ro Kwang Ryol (PRK)

Ro Kwang Ryol from PRK, who was second to Karlos Nasar at the World Championships, claimed his first career victory when he finished ahead of Li Dayin at 89kg. Ro made 168-212-380 while Li, a multiple champion for China, missed his final two attempts and finished 1kg behind on 176-203-379.

PRK had another impressive winner in Pak Myong Jin at 61kg. Pak overcame a 6kg deficit at halfway to win on 136-170-306 ahead of Wang Hao from China on 142-163-305. Ayat Sharifi from Iran won the +109 super-heavyweights on 195-227-422.

China’s women started with two world records on day one – snatches of 88kg and 90kg by the 45kg champion Zhao Jinhong – and won seven of the ten categories. PRK won two, and Thanyathon Sukcharoen from Thailand was the only winner from elsewhere, at 49kg.

Zhao Jinhong (CHN)

The highest-quality contest was at 71kg, where China and PRK both had world records, Yang Qiuxia in snatch and Song Kuk Hyang in clean and jerk and total. Yang made 122-140-262 and Song was outstanding in clean and jerk to record the highest women’s Sinclair score on 121-155-276.

Kuo Hsing-Chun from Chinese Taipei, the Tokyo Olympic champion and a medallist in Paris, was only 80 per cent fit after a recent injury when she finished third at 59kg, according to her coach. Kim Il Gyong won for PRK with a total of 235kg.

Thanyathon Sukcharoen (THA)

China’s winners were Zhao at 45kg, Zhang Haiqin at 55kg, Li Shuang at 64kg, Liao Guifang at 76kg, Wu Yan at 81kg, Jiang Yujia at 87kg and Li Yan in the +87 super-heavyweights, where she finished 140-170-310.

Liao had 76kg world records in snatch and total in making 125-154-279 on Tuesday, a day when five women’s world records were broken.

By Brian Oliver