Sport
North Korean Weightlifter Sets Three World Records at Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games
Ri Song-gum secured her third consecutive Asian Games gold medal in the 49kg weightlifting category, shattering three world records in the process.
At the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on September 23, North Korean weightlifter Ri Song-gum delivered a historic performance in the women’s 49kg division. According to Khaosod Online Thailand, Ri claimed her third consecutive Asian Games gold medal by dominating the competition and setting three new world records.
Ri began by lifting 94kg in the snatch, surpassing the previous world record of 93kg. She continued her record-breaking streak in the clean and jerk, successfully lifting 116kg and then 121kg, effectively shattering the previous 115kg world record twice. Her total lift of 215kg exceeded the former world record by 7kg, placing her 17kg ahead of the silver medalist, Mirabai Chanu Saikhom of India. This victory marks North Korea’s first gold medal of the current Asian Games.
For residents and travelers in the region, this event highlights the high level of international athletic competition currently taking place in Japan. While the results confirm Ri’s dominance in the sport, observers may look forward to seeing how these new world records influence the training and performance standards for upcoming international weightlifting championships. As the games continue, further updates on medal tallies and additional record-breaking performances are expected to be released by official tournament organizers.