Iranian weightlifter Alireza Yousefi set a new world record at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in India and dedicated his medal to children killed during a missile strike earlier this year.
The 22-year-old athlete competed in the men’s +110 kg category during the championship in Ahmedabad. He lifted 261 kg in the clean and jerk event, creating the first world record under the International Weightlifting Federation’s newly introduced weight categories.
Yousefi also achieved a total lift of 445 kg across both events. His strong performance earned him the silver medal overall and the gold medal in clean and jerk. The Iranian athlete had earlier lifted 184 kg in the snatch section and was placed third before his final successful attempt changed the standings.
Historic Lift Changes Final Rankings
The Asian Weightlifting Championships featured many top athletes from across the continent. Yousefi’s final lift allowed him to move ahead of several competitors and finish in second place overall.
The International Weightlifting Federation changed its official weight categories last year. Because of these changes, Yousefi’s 261kg lift became the first official world record in the new +110kg division.
After completing the lift, Yousefi removed his competition singlet to reveal a T-shirt carrying the Persian words “Martyrs of Minab.” The message honored more than 120 school children who reportedly died after a missile strike destroyed the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, located in Iran’s Hormozgan province.
Championship Records and Team Results
According to reports from the Indian Weightlifting Federation, the championship saw 25 new world records and 27 Asian records broken during the competition.
The Iranian Embassy in India later praised Yousefi’s actions in a statement shared on social media platform X. The embassy congratulated the athlete for both his world-record lift and his dedication to the victims of the Minab tragedy.
India finished 11th in the overall medal standings with 11 medals, including one silver and 10 bronze medals. China topped the medal table with 21 gold medals, while North Korea finished second with 18 gold medals. Chinese Taipei secured third place in the rankings.
North Korean athlete Ri Suk was named the best women’s lifter of the tournament, while China’s He Yueji received the award for best men’s lifter.
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