World Weightlifting C'ships: Chinese lifter breaks Mirabai Chanu's world record

Chinese weightlifter Jiang Huihua broke Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Mirabai Chanu's clean and jerk world record by lifting 120kg at the World Weightlifting Championships on Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Chinese lifter bettered Chanu's record of 119kg created by the Indian at the 2021 Asian Championships in the women's 49kg clean and jerk section.

Huihua defended her World Championships crown successfully and created a new world record for total lift as she heaved 215kg, two kilograms better than the previous world mark (213kg) which was in her compatriot and reigning Olympic champion Hou Zhihui's name.

Huihua lifted 95kg in the snatch to claim the top honours in the marquee event. Zhihui finished second at 211kg (95kg+116kg) while USA's Jourdan Delacruz at 200kg (88kg+112kg) took home the bronze medal.

Chanu, who is the frontrunner in the weight class, had withdrawn from the competition after weighing in as she focuses on the Asian Games, scheduled to begin later this month.

Apart from Mirabai Chanu, Bindyarani Devi also withdrew from the World Championships citing the same reason while Shubham Todkar finished in men's 61kg with a final lift of 269kg.

Other Indian weightlifters Achinta Sehuli and N Ajith Kumar will be in action in men's 73kg on 8th and 9th September