The 2024 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships in Manama, Bahrain, from Dec. 6-15, 2024, featured some of the most memorable world record overhauls in recent memory. New weight categories will be instituted in June 2025, meaning less than half a year to alter the history of the current weight categories before they become obsolete.
Among those rewriting history is China’s Yan Li, who competed in Bahrain in the Women’s superheavyweight class. Yan Li competed in the Open competition despite being only 20 years old and set a new snatch world record of 149 kilograms. Given her age, the record also stands as the new Junior world record.
Yan Li’s performance earned her the overall gold medal with a 324-kilogram total, a remarkable 29 kilograms more than the silver medalist, Hyejeong Park, and 44 kilograms ahead of the bronze medalist, Younghee Son, both representing South Korea.
Yan Li’s world record lift can be seen in the video below, courtesy of the IWF’s Instagram page:
[Related: Karlos Nasar (89KG) Sets Snatch and Total World Records at 2024 IWF World Championships]
2024 IWF World Championships Results — Women’s +87KG
The results below are listed in kilograms as: snatch/clean & jerk — total.
- Yan Li (CHN) — 149/175 — 324 — World Record Snatch
- Hyejeong Park (KOR) — 124/171 — 295
- Younghee Son (KOR) — 118/162 — 280
Watching the speed and control with which Yan Li snatched the barbell from the floor overhead and stood up, one might not realize that world record weight was loaded onto it. At no point did the lift appear in doubt, nor did Yan Li express any difficulty in her flawless technique, nor did she express any hardship on her face.
Yan Li’s snatch was 25 kilograms more than Hyejeong Park’s 124-kilogram lift and all but guaranteed Yan Li’s eventual gold medal before the athletes attempted their first clean & jerks.
Upon achieving the new world record, Yan Li dropped the barbell, stepped back, and humbly bowed to the judges and fans in attendance.
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Featured image: @iwfnet on Instagram
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