DgcityLiao Guifang delivered one of the performances of the year on home soil, sweeping all three gold medals in the women’s 86-kilogram category at the World Weightlifting Championships in Ningbo while breaking two world records. The 25-year-old completed all six of her lifts, snatching 128 kilograms and clean-and-jerking 163 kilograms for a total of 291 kilograms, a massive 19 kilograms clear of the runner-up.
The final was effectively decided before her last attempt, but Liao kept loading the bar anyway. Having raised the clean and jerk to 162 kilograms on her second lift to set a new total world record of 290 kilograms, she returned for 163 kilograms and made it, improving both the clean-and-jerk and total records. Her best snatch of 128 kilograms fell just one kilogram short of that world mark. She said afterward that chasing heavier weights, even after the title was secure, was a way to test herself under competition pressure.
The victory continued a remarkable pattern for Liao, who has now won world titles in three different weight classes, having previously stood on top of the podium at 71 kilograms in 2023 and 81 kilograms in 2024. She moved up to 86 kilograms this year and insisted she paid little attention to the rest of the field. Her 291-kilogram total surpassed her previous international best by 12 kilograms.
Bahrain’s Alina Marushchak took silver in all three disciplines with 123 kilograms in the snatch, 149 kilograms in the clean and jerk and 272 kilograms overall. The Dominican Republic’s Yudelina Mejia Peguero claimed bronze in the clean and jerk and total, finishing with 266 kilograms. American Ella Nicholson, in her senior world championships debut, took snatch bronze with 120 kilograms and placed fourth overall, one kilogram off the podium.
The Ningbo event carried extra significance as the first of ten qualifying meets for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. A day after Liao’s display, China’s Li Yan won the women’s super-heavyweight category, breaking her own snatch world record twice. For the host country, the weekend offered an early statement about its depth ahead of the next Olympic cycle.
