Record-Breaking Naser Claims Fourth World Title

Bulgarian weightlifter Carlos Naser redefined the limits of strength at the World Weightlifting Championship in Ningbo, China, by breaking three world records en route to his fourth global gold medal. The 21-year-old, fresh off his 2024 Olympic victory, dominated the newly adjusted men’s 95 kg class with an awe-inspiring 415 kg aggregate score.

Naser’s technical precision was on full display as he successfully completed all six of his planned lifts. He hammered out snatches of 175 kg, 180 kg, and 185 kg, before powering through clean and jerk attempts of 213 kg, 220 kg, and a record-shattering 230 kg. His final clean and jerk surpassed the previous best of 220 kg, while his total more than eclipsed the 398 kg benchmark previously held by Iranian lifter Ali Alipour.

The podium round-out featured strong international competition. Kazakhstan’s Nurgisa Adiletuli secured silver with a 399 kg total, finishing 16 kg behind the leader. Alipour, coming off his 2024 Asian Games triumph, took bronze with 396 kg, and China’s Feixiang Qian placed fourth with a 385 kg effort.

Beyond the individual triumphs, this championship marks a crucial starting point for the global qualification campaign leading to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Earlier in the competition, North Korea’s Song Kuk-hyang made headlines in the women’s 69 kg category. The 25-year-old athlete dismantled the record books with a 275 kg total, fueled by a 122 kg snatch and a 153 kg clean and jerk. Her lifts not only broke world records but also improved upon her own September marks from the Asian Games by margins ranging from one to two kilograms.

Lee Suk of North Korea took the silver medal with a 259 kg performance, while Colombia’s Julith Rodriguez claimed bronze with a 245 kg lift, rounding out a highly competitive women’s bracket.