Rahmat Erwin Abdullah Reclaims 73kg Throne with World Record at 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships

The Men’s 73 kg category at the 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jiangshan, China, turned into a masterclass of control, rivalry, and world record brilliance. All eyes were on Indonesia’s Rahmat Erwin Abdullah — and he did not disappoint.

Context: Stakes and Spotlight

The 73 kg men’s category has long been one of the most anticipated in Olympic weightlifting. With Rizki Juniansyah moving up in weight and Rahmat Erwin Abdullah returning for redemption after narrowly missing Olympic qualification in 2024, fans and experts alike expected fireworks — and they got them.

Meet the Athletes

RAHMAT ERWIN ABDULLAH (INA) – World record holder in Clean & Jerk (204 kg before today) and 2020 Olympic bronze medalist. The clear favorite.

WU Haifeng (CHN) – 26-year-old debutant competing at home. Calm, technically sharp, and with a point to prove.

PETR KHREBTOV (KAZ) – One of Kazakhstan’s most promising new athletes. Strong in both lifts, he brought smart attempts and consistency.

ABDULAZIZ ALIMJANOV (UZB) – Junior Asian Champion, making his senior debut.

BUNYAD RASHIDOV & BEKTIMUR REYIMOV (TKM) – Two top-level snatchers from Turkmenistan, less dominant in clean & jerk.

Other Notables: CHUANG Sheng-Min (TPE), MUHAMMAD Erry Hidayat (MAS), CHIANG Tsung-Han (TPE), and ARDARAYA (INA) rounded out a strong field.

Snatch Session: Turkmenistan Surprises, Rahmat Rises

The snatch session saw early lifts from Malaysia, Taipei, and Indonesia’s debutant ARDARAYA. CHUANG Sheng-Min went 2-of-3 to finish at 147 kg, just 1 kilo from bronze medal in Snatch.

Turkmenistan’s REYIMOV (148 kg) and RASHIDOV (150 kg) displayed their snatching prowess with great execution and aggressive jumps.

But Rahmat Erwin Abdullah stole the show. Opening with 150 kg, he looked composed and strong. He nailed 155 kg on his second—a lift that would eventually secure him snatch gold. Though he passed on his third, his dominance was clear.

Snatch Medals:

• 🏅 RAHMAT ERWIN ABDULLAH (INA) – 155 kg
• 🥈 BUNYAD RASHIDOV (TKM) – 150 kg
• 🥉 BEKTIMUR REYIMOV (TKM) – 148 kg

Snatch Full Results:

Clean & Jerk: Record Redemption and Tactical Brilliance

MUHAMMAD, ALIMJANOV, and CHUANG posted respectable lifts between 170 and 183 kg. WU Haifeng thrilled the crowd with 189 kg, moving himself into podium contention.

PETR KHREBTOV impressed with three clean lifts, peaking at 187 kg. ALIMJANOV bounced back from a missed jerk at 180 kg to lift 183 and missed again at 186.

Then came Rahmat. Calm and commanding, he opened at 190 kg, then crushed 200 kg. For his third? A stunning 205 kg — a new World and Asian record. The crowd erupted as he held the bar overhead, delivering a lift that was as emotional as it was historic.

Clean & Jerk Medals:

• 🏅 RAHMAT ERWIN ABDULLAH (INA) – 205 kg WR
• 🥈 WU Haifeng (CHN) – 189 kg
• 🥉 KHREBTOV Petr (KAZ) – 187 kg

Total Recap and Medalists

With 360 kg (155/205), Rahmat took the gold convincingly. WU Haifeng earned silver with a 334 kg total, and KHREBTOV’s smart lifting got him bronze at 333 kg.

Rahmat Erwin Abdullah’s 205 kg clean and jerk broke his own previous world record, further cementing his legacy in the sport. It was a lift fueled by redemption after a heartbreaking Olympics miss in 2024.

Total Medals:

• 🏅 Total Gold – RAHMAT ERWIN ABDULLAH (INA) – 360 kg (155/205)
• 🥈 Total Silver – WU Haifeng (CHN) – 334 kg (145/189)
• 🥉 Total Bronze – KHREBTOV Petr (KAZ) – 333 kg (146/187)

Full Total Results:

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