Asian Weightlifting Championships 2025: Ayat Sharifikelarijani Claims +109 kg Title in Jiangshan Showdown

The 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships wrapped up in powerful fashion with the Men’s +109 kg session—a small but spectacular finale that provided one of the most tightly contested battles of the competition. Held at Hushan Sports Park in Jiangshan, China, this final event on May 15th featured six athletes and a dramatic clash for the gold medal.

Championship Context: Superheavy Drama

The +109 kg category always carries an air of prestige and expectation, showcasing the largest lifters and often the biggest moments. With only six athletes on the start list, this session had a fast pace but no shortage of intensity. Though no world or Asian records were broken, the competition came down to the wire, with a single kilogram separating gold from silver in the total.

Meet the Athletes: Profiles of the Final Six

• SHARIFIKELARIJANI Ayat: A decorated contender and former Asian medalist, he entered as the top favorite.
• HWANG Wooman (KOR): Returning to international lifting after a break, HWANG brought experience and poise.
• LEE Yangjae (KOR): A consistent performer with a long tenure on Korea’s national team.
• ABDULLAEV Amir (UZB): A powerful young Uzbek transitioning from junior to senior levels.
• ALNAJJAR M Moayad (UAE): A charismatic crowd-pleaser showing great progress and determination.
• GHAFUROV Akbarzhon (TJK): New to this stage, representing Tajikistan in the superheavyweight class.

Snatch Recap: Wooman vs. Ayat

GHAFUROV began with an opener of 116 kg—light by superheavy standards—and eventually hit 121 kg. While outclassed, he brought energy and perseverance.

ALNAJJAR hit a confident 177 kg, lifting with flair. Lee succeeded in lifting 176 kilograms only on the third attempt. The first two attempts were unsuccessful. ABDULLAEV demonstrated raw power, going up to 182 kg.

The true battle played out between SHARIFIKELARIJANI and HWANG. The latter completed a flawless 186/192/196 series, meanwhile, Ayad also successfully completed all three attempts — 185, 191, and 195 — and took second place in the snatch, just 1 kg behind Hwang.

Snatch Medals:

• 🥇 HWANG Wooman (KOR) – 196 kg
• 🥈 SHARIFIKELARIJANI Ayat – 195 kg
• 🥉 ABDULLAEV Amir (UZB) – 182 kg

Snatch Results Table:

Clean & Jerk Recap: Ayat Seals the Title

GHAFUROV once again started the session, lifting 148 kg and finishing with 269 kg in total. While not near medal range, his effort was inspiring.

ABDULLAEV continued his strong outing with 205 kg and 213 kg — a new personal best in total. LEE managed to lift 220 kilograms only on the second attempt. The first attempt at 220 and the third at 230 were unsuccessful. ALNAJJAR succeeded only on his first attempt with 213 kilograms; his second and third attempts at 220 were unsuccessful.

HWANG aimed high with two 230 kg attempts but couldn’t stick them. He ended with 225 kg in first attempt.

Ayat lifted 227 kilograms on his first attempt. The second attempt at 235 kilograms was unsuccessful, and he withdrew from the third. He won the clean and jerk and finished first overall.

Clean & Jerk Medals:

• 🥇 SHARIFIKELARIJANI Ayat – 227 kg
• 🥈 HWANG Wooman (KOR) – 225 kg
• 🥉 LEE Yangjae (KOR) – 220 kg

Clean & Jerk Results Table:

Total Results and Final Ranking

Ayat’s 422 kg total gave him gold by just a single kilogram over HWANG, who couldn’t surpass Ayat’s clean & jerk.. LEE secured bronze with 396 kg, while ABDULLAEV was just one kilo behind.

Total Medal Recap:

• 🥇 SHARIFIKELARIJANI Ayat – 422 kg (195/227)
• 🥈 HWANG Wooman – 421 kg (196/225)
• 🥉 LEE Yangjae – 396 kg (176/220)

Total Results Table:

Highlights and Talking Points

• Nail-Biting Finish: Only 1 kg separated the top two in the total — a rare margin in superheavy categories.
• Strategic Masterclass: SHARIFIKELARIJANI’s pass on final snatch and clean & jerk attempts demonstrated high-level planning.
• Return of HWANG: After a three-year absence, he delivered a 196 kg snatch and total silver.
• UZB Youth: ABDULLAEV continues to rise and nearly cracked the podium.

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