Weightlifting worlds in Ningbo: Pak Myong Jin breaks two world records as Hampton Morris loses out on appeal

The 2026 World Weightlifting Championships in Ningbo, China, have had two world records and a jury decision in their first two days. North Korea's Pak Myong Jin won the men's 65kg title on Wednesday, 28 October, with a 187kg clean and jerk and a 331kg total, both world records. American Hampton Morris lost his chance at gold when the jury ruled out his final lift. A US man has not won a world title since 1969.

Morris's final lift ruled out

The 65kg final went to the last attempt. Turkey's Muhammed Furkan Ozbek made all six of his lifts for 147kg and 183kg, a 330kg total that was briefly a world record. Pak then lifted 187kg with his final clean and jerk to finish on 144-187-331.

Morris, who had briefly held the clean and jerk world record at 185kg, needed 189kg on his last attempt to win. One referee and all four members of the jury gave red lights, and after discussion the lift was ruled out for bending and extending the arms, according to the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). Morris took bronze on 143-185-328. He said afterwards it was "as close as I could have gotten."

China's He Yueji won the 65kg snatch with 148kg but missed twice at 177kg in the clean and jerk and finished sixth overall on 315kg. Pak had also beaten He at the Asian Games in Japan last month.

Ri Song Gum and Yang Yang win on day one

The championships opened on Tuesday with two titles. Ri Song Gum of North Korea won the women's 49kg on 92-119-211. Sport-Liga reports it was her third straight world title. She missed a world record attempt at 122kg. China's Zhao Jinhong took silver with a career-best 207kg, and Chinese Taipei's Huang Yi-Chen won bronze with 186kg.

In the men's 60kg, home lifter Yang Yang won gold with 136-168-304. North Korea's Pang Un Chol and Pak In Song both totalled 300kg, with Pang placed second and Pak third. Pak, 22 and competing at his first world championships, won the clean and jerk with 171kg. Bulgaria's Angel Rusev pulled out of the snatch with an injury on his first attempt.

Southeast Asian highlights

A 17-year-old from Vietnam set youth records. Nguyen Thanh Duy lifted 130-166-296 in the 65kg. His clean and jerk and total were new youth world records, and the IWF said he beat the previous standard by 11kg. He failed two snatch world record attempts and missed a 170kg final clean and jerk.

In the women's 49kg, the Philippines' Rose Jean Ramos won bronze in the snatch with 86kg and finished fifth overall on 181kg. At world championships, separate medals are awarded for the snatch, the clean and jerk and the total.

Thailand's Theerapong Silachai, the 61kg silver medallist at Paris 2024, competed at 65kg for the first time.

What comes next

The championships run until 8 November at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center. Ningbo is on the same time as Malaysia, so sessions are at local times for viewers here. Several lifters, including Nguyen and Theerapong, are also entered for the IWF Qualifier in Qatar in December, with another qualifier planned for March 2027 as part of the road to LA28.

Key takeaways

• Pak Myong Jin won 65kg gold with world records of 187kg (clean and jerk) and 331kg (total).
• Hampton Morris's winning 189kg attempt was ruled a no-lift by the jury, so the USA's wait for a men's world champion since 1969 goes on.
• Ri Song Gum (women's 49kg) and Yang Yang (men's 60kg) won the opening-day titles.
• Vietnam's Nguyen Thanh Duy, 17, set youth world records in the clean and jerk and total.
• The championships continue in Ningbo until 8 November.

FAQ

Q: Where and when are the 2026 World Weightlifting Championships? They are in Ningbo, China, from 27 October to 8 November 2026.

Q: Why did Hampton Morris not win gold? His final 189kg clean and jerk was ruled a no-lift for bending and extending the arms, so he finished third behind Pak Myong Jin and Muhammed Furkan Ozbek.

Q: Did any Southeast Asian lifter win a medal? Yes. Rose Jean Ramos of the Philippines won bronze in the women's 49kg snatch. Vietnam's Nguyen Thanh Duy set youth world records without winning a senior medal.

Sources: International Weightlifting Federation, Infinity Sport, Sportaran, Sport-Liga, Weightlifting House