Men’s 110 kg – 2025 IWF World Championships Recap: Power, Precision, and Uzbek Dominance in Førde

A Championship of Strength and Legacy

The 2025 IWF World Weightlifting Championships in Førde, Norway, marked the 120th anniversary of the International Weightlifting Federation – and one of its most memorable tournaments yet. Inside the intimate yet roaring Fordehuset Arena, the men’s 110 kg category stood out as a celebration of pure power and world-class rivalry.

With two Olympic champions, multiple world record holders, and some of the most explosive lifters of the modern era, this session was a showcase of technical mastery and emotional resilience.

Context: A Deep, Elite Lineup

The men’s 110 kg division has become one of the most competitive new weight classes following the IWF’s category restructuring. It bridges the strength of the supers and the speed of the classic 102/109 group – a perfect recipe for drama.

Heading into Førde, the talk centered on Uzbekistan’s duo of Akbar Djuraev and Ruslan Nurudinov, the reigning Olympic and world champions, respectively. Armenia fielded its perennial medal threats Garik Karapetyan and Simon Martirosyan, while Spain’s Marcos Ruiz and Bulgaria’s Hristo Hristov brought European firepower. 

Meet the Athletes

DJURAEV Akbar (UZB) – Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champion, Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist, and three-time World Champion (2021, 2023, 2025). Calm, precise, and relentlessly consistent, Djuraev defines modern heavyweight weightlifting.

NURUDINOV Ruslan (UZB) – Rio 2016 Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion (2013, 2022, 2024). One of Uzbekistan’s greatest lifters, Nurudinov’s longevity and power continue to define the heavyweight class.

KARAPETYAN Garik (ARM) – Two-time European Champion and one of the most consistent snatchers in the world. Known for his sharp technique.

RUIZ I VELASCO Marcos (ESP) – 2019 World bronze medalist, now debuting at 110 kg with renewed power.

HRISTOV Hristo D. (BUL) – a Tokyo Olympian, returning after injury-ridden seasons to reclaim momentum.

MARTIROSYAN Simon (ARM) – Olympic silver medalist at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, and two-time World Champion. A powerhouse technician seeking redemption after recent setbacks.

DADASHBAYLI Dadash (AZE) – 2024 European Champion and two-time World Championships medalist (2023 bronze, 2024 silver). A powerful lifter known for bold openers and fearless execution under pressure.

BACHA Aymen (TUN) – Pan-Arab Champion, making his Group A debut and bringing North African representation.

NASIRI Alireza – the rising Iranian star, still technically a junior, now competing among seasoned champions.

LAURET RODRIGUEZ L. (ROU) – formerly of Cuba, competing under the Romanian flag, a technician with great mobility.

The Snatch Session

The snatch session in the men’s 110 kg category opened with Dadashbayli Dadash at 173 kg – a solid and composed lift that set the pace for the session. After securing his opener, the Azerbaijani lifter refused his remaining two attempts
Spain’s Marcos Ruiz I Velasco performed 180 kg at the first attempt, then failed 185 in second and finally snatched 185 kg in third attempt. Hristo Hristovmissed slightly forward at 180 and 181 kg before redeeming himself with 185 kg on his final attempt.

Ruslan Nurudinov looked powerful from the start, completing 183 kg and 186 kg with ease before narrowly missing 190 kg overhead. Even with that miss, his 186 kg was enough to keep him in fourth place after the snatch session.

Garik Karapetyan, a snatch specialist, failed twice at 186 kg,, but lifted 187 kg for his best lift – just a kilo ahead of Nurudinov. His sharp technique under the bar drew nods of respect from coaches around the platform, securing third place in the snatch standings.

Aymen Bacha struggled to find stability in the snatch, missing all three of his attempts and leaving the platform without a result. Simon Martirosyan faced a similar outcome – despite strong pulls, he failed to secure a good lift, marking an unexpected bomb-out in the snatch for the two-time Olympic silver medalist.

Lauret Rodriguez L. lifted impressively, opening with a solid 185 kg, missing his first try at 188 kg, then coming back strong to secure 188 kg on his final attempt, earning second place in the snatch.

Then the reigning Olympic and World Champion Akbar Djuraev took command. His 189 kg opener looked effortless, 193 kg second attempt was pure precision, and his final 196 kg set a new world record, a technically perfect lift that sealed his lead and electrified the hall in Førde.

🥇 Snatch Medalists

🥇 DJURAEV Akbar (UZB) – 196 kg (World Record)
🥈 LAURET RODRIGUEZ L. (ROU) – 188 kg
🥉 KARAPETYAN Garik (ARM) – 187 kg

Clean & Jerk Session

Behind the leaders, Aymen Bacha and Lauret Rodriguez L. both failed to register a successful lift in the clean & jerk, while Simon Martirosyan decided to withdraw from clean and jerk session after bombing out in snatch.

Hristo Hristov followed with attempts at 205, 212, completing his opener and second lift but missing the last jerk at 217 kg.. His 212 kg kept him consistent in the middle pack of the standings.

Marcos Ruiz I Velasco opened confidently with 215 kg, missed his second attempt at 219 kg, but came back strong to secure 221 kg on his final lift. His determined recovery and clean technique demonstrated smart pacing and resilience after a tight snatch session.

Garik Karapetyan made a good lift at 220 kg, followed by two narrow misses at 224 kg. 

Ruslan Nurudinov lifted with characteristic explosiveness – 224, 228, and missing his final 233 kg attempt  at lockout. His 228 kg was solid and powerful, putting him in the fight for medals.

Alireza Nasiri impressed with 218, 224, and 231 kg, improving with each attempt. His 231 kg clean & jerk was a personal best and positioned him as the closest challenger to the Uzbek champion Akbar Djuraev.

Then came Akbar Djuraev – calm, composed, and dominant.

He opened confidently at 227 kg, followed with 232 kg securing gold in both the clean & jerk and the total. He failed to lift 245 kg at his third attempt. However, his final good lift set a new world record in the total, bringing his combined result to 428 kg – a landmark achievement that confirmed his dominance and left the crowd in Førde roaring in celebration.

🥇 Clean & Jerk Medalists

🥇 DJURAEV Akbar (UZB) – 232 kg
🥈 NASIRI Alireza  – 231 kg
🥉 NURUDINOV Ruslan (UZB) – 228 kg

Total Results and Medal Recap

Records and Highlights

The Men’s 110 kg category in Førde delivered a showcase of world-class lifting and historic milestones. Akbar Djuraev was untouchable, setting two senior world records – 196 kg in the snatch and 428 kg in the total – completing all six lifts in flawless form.

Equally impressive was Alireza Nasiri, who not only earned the silver medal but also set two Junior World Records with 231 kg in the clean & jerk and 415 kg in the total.

Ruslan Nurudinov, the veteran of the category, added another World Championship bronze to his remarkable collection – his seventh career world medal – proving once again that precision and experience can still contend with the sport’s new generation.

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