Men’s 79 kg – 2025 IWF World Championships in Førde: Power, Precision and a Battle for History

A Night for the Ages

The Fordehuset arena in Førde, Norway, roared once again as the men’s 79 kg lifters took the platform for what quickly became one of the most thrilling contests of the 2025 IWF World Championships. Ten athletes in Group A – plus the shadow of record-breaking lifts from Group B earlier in the day – delivered an unforgettable display of strength, skill, and nerve.

With world and Olympic medallists sharing the stage with rising prospects, the 79 kg class brought together a rare mix of youth, experience, and rivalry. For the crowd, this was not just another session – it was a statement of where modern men’s middleweight weightlifting is headed.

The Category and Its Context

The 79 kg division made its senior world championship debut in Førde as part of the IWF’s new bodyweight categories. Positioned between the traditional 73 kg and 81 kg classes, it has already proven to be one of the most competitive divisions, merging the explosive speed of lighter classes with the brute strength of heavier lifters.

Several athletes entered with reputations built in adjacent categories. Olympic champion JUNIANSYAH Rizki (INA) moved up seeking a second world crown. Add to that Egypt’s rising talent ELSAYED A., rising American CAHOY Caden Taiyo, and a host of Asian and European challengers, and this final was destined to be dramatic.

Group B Sets the Stage

Before the marquee session began, Group B had already raised the stakes.Indonesia’s RAHMAT Erwin Abdullah, a world-record holder in the old 73 kg and 81 kg categories, lifted through shoulder pain to an incredible 359 kg total (156 + 203) – including the first world record in the new category with a 203 kg clean & jerk.

It was a masterclass in efficiency: 156 kg in the snatch, only two attempts, without the last one, then 192 and 203 kg for the record (same as for snatch, only 2 attempts made). He declined his remaining lifts, leaving an open challenge to Group A: “Catch me if you can.”

Meet the Athletes

JUNIANSYAH Rizki (INA) – The Olympic champion and crowd favourite, known for his composure and tactical precision. Returning from minor elbow issues, he aimed to reassert dominance after missing the 2024 Worlds podium.

ELSAYED A. (EGY) – A long-time Egyptian national champion and a promising lifter making his World Championship debut. Known for his explosive clean & jerk and confident stage presence, he displayed strong potential and composure beyond his experience.

CAHOY Caden Taiyo (USA) – The Pan-American silver medallist and breakout American star, praised for his textbook technique and fearlessness under pressure.

YEMBERDI Yedige (KAZ) – Two-time Junior World Champion stepping onto the senior world stage with enormous promise.

NING Gan (CHN) – Making his international debut for China, quiet but technically sound in the back room.

SUHAREVS Ritvars (LAT) – European Champion from Latvia, a lifter admired for resilience and crisp precision.

REYES MARTINEZ Oscar (ITA) – 2023 World Champion at 81 kg, back to defend pride and podium relevance.

SUEPSUAN Natthawut (THA) – The Thai powerhouse returning after a two-year break, cheered by a vocal crowd.

SON Hyeonho (KOR) – Compact, powerful, and fearless – a typical South Korean lifter with lightning turnover and confidence overhead.

Snatch Session – A Battle of Nerves and Strategy

The snatch opened at a blistering pace. Every lifter looked sharp, and through the early rounds, the scoreboard filled with white lights – a sign that this session would be decided by perfection, not chaos.

Suharevs Ritvars had a challenging but determined performance. He opened with a solid 146 kg, followed by a successful 150 kg on his second attempt. Pushing for 153 kg on his final lift, he came close but couldn’t stabilise the bar overhead. His best of 150 kg kept him mid-pack and still in contention heading into the clean & jerk.

Yemberdi Yedige opened the session with confidence, hitting 145 kg, 151 kg, and 155 kg in a flawless 3-for-3 series that set the tone for the session. Suepsuan Natthawut followed with a solid 150 kg opener, moving efficiently under the bar, but it was his one and only good lift in snatch this day. Cahoy Caden Taiyo built his way through the attempts, successfully lifting 155 kg on his third, showing determination and focus as the intensity began to rise.

Both Son Hyeonho and Reyes Martinez Oscar were unable to record a successful lift. Son missed all three attempts at 155 kg, while Reyes Martinez struggled with 157 kg, leaving both athletes with no total and snatch results.

Ning Gan quietly impressed with a sharp 157 kg lift on his second attempt, his best result yet on the international stage. The young Chinese lifter’s smooth pull and confident lockout drew appreciative applause from the crowd, marking him as one to watch in the new 79 kg category.

Juniansyah Rizki entered the snatch session with quiet focus. He secured 157 kg on his first attempt, showing control and precision. However, two following attempts at 162 kg ended in narrow misses. With just one good lift, he secured the bronze medal in snatch and stayed within striking distance of the leaders, clearly relying on his clean & jerk strength to turn the competition around.

Elsayed A. started strong, successfully lifting 162 kg on his first attempt. However, his next two lifts were not counted by the judges, leaving him with just the opening result. Despite this, his solid 162 kg lift earned him the silver medal and kept him among the top contenders heading into the clean & jerk.

RI Chong Song won a gold medal in snatch with a 163 kg result.

Snatch Medalists

🥇 RI Chong Song – 163 kg
🥈 ELSAYED A. (EGY) – 162 kg
🥉 JUNIANSYAH Rizki (INA) – 157 kg

Clean & Jerk 

If the snatch was technical chess, the clean & jerk was a bare-knuckle fight. With Rahmat Erwin’s 203 kg world record looming large, the pressure was immense.

The clean & jerk session opened under pressure, and the early minutes quickly turned dramatic. Suepsuan Natthawut attempted 187 kg three times but couldn’t complete a single lift, ending the competition without a total. Suharevs Ritvars managed a good opener at 184 kg, but failed his next two attempts at higher weights, finishing with that single success. Ning Gan made his 186 kg opener look smooth but missed both subsequent attempts, leaving him on that lift alone – far below his training hall form.

Cahoy Caden Taiyo approached the clean & jerk with discipline and composure. He opened successfully at 193 kg, then followed with a confident 198 kg to secure a strong total and 4th place. His final attempt at 204 kg was an ambitious World Record attempt, but fell just short. Still, his 198 kg stood as an impressive international performance, keeping him within striking distance of the podium.

Moments later, ELSAYED A. hit 198 kg on the second attempt after failing the first one. His coach signalled for 201 kg, but a fraction of over-rotation cost him the lift.

Yemberdi Yedige impressed with clean lifts at 190 kg and 196 kg, showing strong control before narrowly missing 199 kg.

Son Hyeonho made a decisive 198 kg on his first attempt, earning the bronze medal in the clean & jerk. 

The decisive moment came from Juniansyah Rizki. After a confident opener at 195 kg, he stunned the arena with a flawless 204 kg lift on his second attempt – setting a new world record in the clean & jerk. That monumental lift brought his total to 361 kg, also a new world record total, enough to edge past both Ri Chong Song and Elsayed A..

This result was better than a Rahmat’s result by one kilo. Rizki’s celebration was pure emotion – a roar that echoed through the Fordehuset arena, marking not just victory but a defining moment in modern weightlifting history.

Clean & Jerk Medalists

🥇 JUNIANSYAH Rizki (INA) – 204 kg (World Record)
🥈 RAHMAT Erwin Abdullah (INA) – 203 kg (World Record)
🥉  SON Hyeonho (KOR) – 198 kg

Total Results and Medal Recap

The totals told a story of extraordinary balance: technique, power, and strategy perfectly aligned. Just one kilo separated gold from silver and bronze – proof of how finely poised the modern 79 kg class has become.

Full Results Table

Records and Highlights

The world record from Group B – Rahmat Erwin Abdullah’s 203 kg clean & jerk – stood only until the decisive moments of the A-session. Then Juniansyah Rizki took the stage and rewrote history with a breathtaking 204 kg lift. Executed with precision and confidence, it sent the crowd to its feet and set a new world record in both the clean & jerk and the total at 361 kg. The performance not only eclipsed Abdullah’s mark but also cemented Rizki’s dominance in the newly established 79 kg category.

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