Top Lifters at 2024 Olympic Games (Review & Predictions)
This summer Paris will host the 33rd Olympic Games, where the weightlifting competitions are scheduled from 7 to 11 August at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.
It needs to be mentioned that some significant changes were made in the weightlifting program. Namely, the number of weight categories was cut from 14 as in Tokyo to 10; the total number of weightlifters is 120, with a split between males and females equally, will compete in each of the ten weight divisions.
Also, the qualified National Olympic Committee permits to enter a maximum of 3 weightlifters per gender, with one in each weight category at the maximum.
What about the Olympic weight classes that will compete at the Olympics in Paris this year? Just 4 categories coincide with the 2020 Games in Tokyo: Men’s 61 kg and 73 kg, and Women’s 49 kg and 59 kg. Here’s the table of weight divisions that will be presented in Paris:
| MEN’S | WOMEN’S |
|---|---|
| 61 kg | 49 kg |
| 73 kg | 59 kg |
| 89 kg | 71 kg |
| 102 kg | 81 kg |
| 102+ kg | 81+ kg |
Speaking about the official Olympic Qualifying Ranking, we can confirm that the Chinese team dominates in all men’s and women’s weight classes by occupying the leading spots.
Weightlifters from Indonesia and Thailand prevail more in lightweight divisions, while lifters from Georgia, Armenia, and Qatar – in the heavyweight classes. Athletes from the USA, Italy, Bulgaria, and Ecuador also tend to keep spots in the middle of the Olympic rating.
Let’s recall the dominant weightlifters in modern history to reveal who is going to Paris to outshine in their weight category.
Top Female Lifters
Hou Zhihui
Country: China
Age: 27
Medal Record:
2020 – gold, Olympic Games (Tokyo)
World Championships:
2018 – gold (Ashgabat)
2019 – silver (Pattaya)
2022 – bronze (Bogota)
2023 – silver (Riyadh)
Asian Championships:
2019 – gold (Ningbo)
2020 – gold (Tashkent)
2023 – silver (Jinju)
Best Results:
Snatch – 97 kg
Clean & Jerk – 120 kg
Total – 217 kg
Hou Zhihui is a profound Chinese weightlifter, Olympic champion, World champion, and two-time Asian champion.
At the 2024 World Cup in Thailand, she set a new World Record in the snatch event of 97 kg, 120 kg at the third attempt, and 217 kg in total, which was enough for her to book the spot in Paris.
Luo Shifang
Country: China
Age: 23
Medal Record:
World Championships:
2023 – gold (Riyadh)
Asian Games:
2022 – silver (Hangzhou)
Asian Championships:
2023 – gold (Jinju)
Best Results:
Snatch – 108 kg
Clean & Jerk – 140 kg
Total – 248 kg
Luo Shifang proved she’s the athlete worth competing with in Paris after breaking her own total world record in Phuket of 248 kg by one kilo.
She is the new blood and promising weightlifter in the Chinese Team. Starting from international youth performances in 2017, she stopped lifting at the IWF podium until Worlds in 2022.
At the last qualifying event, the World Cup in Phuket, she prevailed over her contender Canadian Maude Charron by 12 kg. This result enabled her to lead the Olympic Qualification Ranking in the 59-kg weight class.
Li Wenwen
Country: China
Age: 24
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liwenwen00/
Medal Record:
Gold – 2020 Olympic Games
World Championships:
2019 – gold (Pattaya)
2022 – gold (Bogota)
Asian Championships:
2019 – gold (Ningbo)
2020 – gold (Tashkent)
2023 – gold (Jinju)
Best Results:
Snatch – 148 kg
Clean & Jerk – 187 kg
Total – 335 kg
Competing in the Women’s super-heavyweight division, she won each event, with an impressive weight gap ahead of the opponents.
Bagging all three world records in the Women’s superheaviest division, Li made a solid comeback after getting injured and missed several starts – the 2023 Asian Games, Grand Prix in Qatar, and the Asians in Tashkent.
At the World Cup in Phuket, Li showed great results: 145-180-325.
Jordan Delacruz
Country: USA
Age: 25
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jourdannn_14/
Medal Record:
World Cup:
2020 – gold (Rome)
Pan American Championships:
2019 – gold (Guatemala City)
2020 – gold (Santo Domingo)
2023 – gold (Bariloche)
2022 – silver (Bogota)
World Championship:
2023 – bronze (Riyadh)
Best Results:
91-116-207 (2019, Guatemala City)
She is a bronze medalist at the World Championship and a four-time medalist, including three gold medals, at the Pan Ams.
In 2021 she represented the United States at the Olympics in Tokyo.
At the World Championship in Riyadh, she took bronze in and then won the gold medal at the Pan Am Championship in Bariloche, Argentina.
Olivia Reeves
Country: USA
Age: 20
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliviareeves.71/
Medal Record:
World Championships:
2023 – bronze (Riyadh)
Pan American Games:
2023 – gold (Santiago)
Pan American Championship:
2023 – bronze (Bariloche)
Junior World Championships:
2021 – gold (Tashkent)
2022 – gold (Heraklion)
Best Results:
118-150-268 (2024, World Cup, Phuket)
Reeves is the bronze medalist at the 2023 World Championship in Riyadh, the gold medalist at the Pan American Games in Santiago in the 81-kg weight category.
At the Pan Ams in Bariloche, Reeves became third in her weight division.
At the Grand Prix II in Doha broke 3 new Junior world records: 115 kg in Snatch, 147 kg in Clean & Jerk, and 262 kg in total.
Kate Vibert
Country: USA
Age: 25
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katevibert/
Medal Record:
Olympic Games:
2020 – silver (Tokyo)
World Championship:
2019 – gold (Pattaya)
Pan American Championships:
2019 – gold (Guatemala)
2021 – gold (Guayaquil)
2020 – silver (Santo Domingo)
2023 – silver (Bariloche)
Best Results: 113-145-258, 2024 World Cup, Phuket
Katherine Vibert is a silver medalist of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, 2019 World Champion, two-time gold medalist and two-time silver medalist at the Pan American Championships, and Junior World Champion.
Mary Theisen Lappen
Country: USA
Age: 33
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marytheisenlappen/
Medal Record:
World Championships:
2023 – silver (Riyadh)
Pan American Games:
2023 – gold (Santiago)
Pan American Championships:
2021 – gold (Guayaquil)
2023 – gold (Bariloche)
Best Results:
120-157-277, 2023 Pan American Games, Santiago
117-160-277, 2023 World Championship, Riyadh
Mary Theisen Lappen won silver at the 2023 World Championship in Riyadh; she’s a three-time gold medalist at the Pan American Championships.
At the final qualifying event in Phuket, the 2024 World Cup, she finished with a result of 118-156-274, ranking 5th in the OQR list.
Surodchana Khambao
Country: Thailand
Age: 24
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surodchana_/
Medal Record:
World Championships:
2021 – gold (Tashkent)
Asian Games:
2018 – bronze (Jakarta)
Asian Championships:
2023 – bronze (Jinju)
Southeast Asian Games:
2021 – gold (Hanoi)
Junior World Weightlifting Championships:
2018 – gold (Tashkent)
Best Results:
86-115-201, 2018 Asian Games, Jakarta
She’s a Thai weightlifter who won gold in the 49 kg weight category at the 2021 World Championships in Tashkent.
In 2018, when she was competing in the 53-kg weight division, she took all three gold medals at the Junior World Championships in Tashkent. She also won the bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.
At the Worlds in Riyadh, she finished 4th in the 49 kg event. In Phuket, at the World Cup, Khambao became 5th with 85-109-194 that enabled her to rank third with a total of 200 kg.
Koanda Solfrid
Country: Norway
Age: 25
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/98solfrid/
World Championships:
2022 – gold, Bogota
2021 – bronze, Tashkent
European Championships:
2022 – gold (Tirana)
2023 – gold (Yerevan)
World Cup:
2024 – gold (Phuket)
Best Results:
123-152-275, 2024 World Cup, Phuket
She is a two-time gold medalist at the European Championships and got gold in the Clean & Jerk exercise at the Worlds in Saudi Arabia
Having won three golds at the World Cup, and gaining a total of 275 kg, Solfrid is ranked third in the Olympic qualification list.
Emily Campbell
Country: Great Britain
Age: 29
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyjade_gb/
Medal Record:
Olympic Games:
2020 – silver (Tokyo)
World Championships:
2022 – silver (Bogota)
2021 – bronze (Tashkent)
European Championships:
2019 – bronze (Batumi)
2021 – Gold (Moscow)
2022 – Gold (Tirana)
2023 – Gold (Yerevan)
Best Results: 122-161-283, 2022 Olympic Games
She’s a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympic Games; a silver and bronze medalist at the Worlds, a three-time gold medalist at the European Championships, and also gold and bronze at the Commonwealth Games.
In Thailand, Campbell withdrew from the competition, focusing on preparation for Paris.
Neisi Dajomes
Country: Ecuador
Age: 26
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neisi_dajomes/
Medal Record:
Olympic Games:
2020 – gold (Tokyo)
World Championships:
2017 – silver (Anaheim)
2018 – bronze (Ashgabat)
2019 – bronze (Pattaya)
Pan American Championships:
2022 – gold (Bogota)
2023 – gold (Bariloche)
2024 – gold (Caracas)
Best Results: 123-146-269, 2024, World Cup, Phuket
She’s an Ecuadorian weightlifter, 2020 Tokyo Olympic Champion in the 76-kg weight class, 6-time Pan American Champion, Pan American Games Champion and 3-time Junior World Champion.
At the World Cup, she did five good lifts winning in the category with a total of 269 kg, reigning the Olympic qualification list as well.
Eileen Cikamatana
Country: Australia
Age: 24
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eileen87/
Medal Record:
World Championships:
2022 – silver (Bogota)
2023 – bronze (Riyadh)
Commonwealth Games:
2018 – gold (Gold Coast)
2022 – gold (Birmingham)
Best Results: 115-151-266, 2019 IWF Grand Prix, Lima
In 2018, she competed in the 90-kg event at the Commonwealth Games, winning the gold medal. In 2022, she also took gold in the 87-kg category at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
This event made her the first woman to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games for two different countries – Fiji and Australia. At the 2024 World Cup, Cikamatana finished third with a total of 263 kg, while being fifth on the Olympic Qualification ranking list.
Toma Loredana
Country: Romania
Age: 29
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomaloredanaelena/
Medal Record:
World Championships:
2019 – bronze (Pattaya)
2022 – gold (Bogota)
European Championships:
2013 – silver (Tirana)
2019 – gold (Batumi)
2021 – gold (Moscow)
2023 – gold Yerevan
Best Results: 119-137-256, 2022, World Championships, Bogota
A two-time gold and two-time bronze World Champion and five-time European Champion.
In Phuket, Toma Loredana finished twelth with a total of 235 kg and is fourth in the OQR list with 256 kg overall.
Michaela Cambei
Country: Romania
Age: 21
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmv.valentina18/
Medal Record:
European Championships:
2023 – gold (Yerevan)
2021 – bronze (Moscow)
Junior World Championship:
2021 – silver (Tashkent)
European Youth Championship:
2017 – gold (Pristina)
2018 – gold (San Donato Milanese)
2019 – gold (Eilat)
Best Results: 91-110-201, 2024 World Cup, Phuket
She’s a three-time gold medalist at the European Youth Championship who won the gold medal at the 2023 European Championship in Yerevan and bronze at the same-level competition in 2021.
What about her performances at the World Championship, she didn’t succeed in winning a medal in total. However, she managed to secure medals in the single exercises. At the Worlds in Bogota, she took silver in Snatch but finished fourth in totals.
In Riyadh, Cambei clinched bronze in Snatch as well and became fifth overall. At the World Cup in Phuket, Cambei competed in the 55-kg weight category, with the result of 201 kg in total, finishing second. While on the OQR list, she became fifth.
Top Male Lifters:
Li Fabin
Country: China
Age: 31
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifabin61kg/
Medal Record:
Olympic Games:
2020 – gold (Tokyo)
World Championships:
2018 – silver (Ashgabat)
2019 – gold (Pattaya)
2022 – gold (Bogota)
2023 – gold (Riyadh)
World Cup:
2024 – gold (Phuket)
Asian Games:
2022 – gold (Hangzhou)
Asian Championships:
2020 – gold (Tashkent)
2023 – gold (Jinju)
Best Results: 145-173-318, 2019 World Championships, Pattaya
He’s an Olympic gold medalist, World Champion, and four-time Asian Champion.
In 2024, at the World Cup in Thailand, he became a leader with 312 kg in total, and he’s first on the Olympic Qualification ranking list in the 61-kg weight division.
Shi Zhiyong
Country: China
Age: 30
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shi_zhi_yong/
Medal Record:
Olympic Games:
2016 – gold (Rio de Janeiro)
2020 – gold (Tokyo)
World Championships:
2018 – gold (Ashgabat)
2019 – gold (Pattaya)
Asian Championships:
2019 – gold (Ningbo)
2020 – gold (Tashkent)
Best Results: 169-194-363, 2020, Asian Championships, Tashkent
He’s a two-time Olympic Champion, three-time World Champion, and four-time Asian Champion. In Phuket, he secured second place, while on the Olympic qualification list, Shi is also second with a total of 356 kg.
Liu Huanhua
Country: China
Age: 22
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liuhuanhua102kg/
Medal Record:
World Championships:
2023 – gold (Riyadh)
2022 – bronze (Bogota)
World Cup:
2024 – gold (Phuket)
Asian Games:
2022 – gold (Hangzhou)
Asian Championships:
2023 – gold (Jinju)
World Cup:
2024 – gold (Phuket)
Best Results: 185-233-418, 2023 Asian Games, Hangzhou
He is the current senior World Record holder in Clean & Jerk and total in the 102-kg weight class. In Phuket, he broke two world records and built a lead in the Olympic ranking with his final lift. He finished first with a total of 413 kg, winning gold.
Hampton Morris
Country: USA
Age: 20
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hamptonmorris/
Medal Record:
Pan American Championships:
2021 – gold (Guayaquil)
2022 – gold (Bogota)
2023 – gold (Bariloche)
Junior Pan American Games:
2021 – silver (Cali)
Junior World Championships:
2022 – gold (Heraklion)
2023 – silver (Guadalajara)
Youth World Championship:
2021 – gold (Jeddah)
World Cup:
2024 – silver (Phuket)
Best Results: 127-176-303, 2024 World Cup, Phuket
He’s a three-time gold medalist at the Pan American Championships and also a gold and silver medalist at the Junior competitions.
At the World Cup, he made an impressive final lift to take the Clean & Jerk world record. Moreover, he became the first American to set a senior world record in 55 years.
So, Morris finished second at the World Cup and the Olympic qualification rating as well.
Eko Irawan Yuli
Country: Indonesia
Age: 34
Medal Record:
Olympic Games:
2016 – silver (Rio de Janeiro)
2020 – silver (Tokyo)
World Championships:
2018 – gold (Ashgabat)
2019 – silver (Pattaya)
2022 – silver (Bogota)
2023 – silver (Riyadh)
IWF Grand Prix:
2023 – gold (Havana)
Best Results: 146-175-321, 2023 World Championships, Riyadh
He’s an Indonesian Olympian, and World Champion who started his career at the 2006 Junior World Championships, when he won a silver medal. Since then, he continues his remarkable career by achieving many achievements.
He holds the title as an Indonesian athlete with the most medal collections at the Olympics, namely four medals. What’s more, he is the first Indonesian athlete to compete in five consecutive Olympic Games.
Qualifying for the Paris 2024 made him make history as an Indonesian athlete with the most appearances at the Olympics.
Juniansyah Rizki
Country: Indonesia
Age: 20
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rjuniansyah_/
Medal Record:
World Championships:
2022 – silver (Bogota)
World Cup:
2024 – gold (Phuket)
Asian Championships:
2024 – silver (Tashkent)
Junior World Championships:
2021 – gold (Tashkent)
2022 – gold (Heraklion)
Best Results: 164-201-365, 2024 World Cup, Phuket
This Indonesian weightlifter won silver in the 73-kg event at the 2022 World Championships held in Bogota. He’s also a three-time gold medalist at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Konya.
In Phuket, Rizki became the winner in the 73-kg weight class resulting in 365 kg in total, defeating his compatriot Rahmat Erwin who led the Olympic ranking for 482 days. So, Juniansyah is first on the OQR list being ahead of his opponent by 9 kilos.
Sergio Massidda
Country: Italy
Age: 22
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sergio_massidda/
Medal Record:
World Championship:
2023 – silver (Riyadh)
European Championship:
2023 – silver (Yerevan)
Best Results: 145-172-317, 2024 World Cup, Phuket
A silver medalist at the 2023 European Championship in Yerevan; and also a silver medalist at the World Championship in Riyadh.
At the World Cup in Thailand, Massidda competed in the 67-kg division, finishing second with 317 kg in total. So, he became third on the Olympic qualification list with a total of 302 kg.
Antonino Pizzolato
Country: Italy
Age: 27
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nino_pizzolato/
Medal Record:
Olympic Games:
2020 – bronze (Tokyo)
World Championship:
2017 – bronze (Anaheim)
European Championship:
2019 – gold (Batumi)
2021 – gold (Moscow)
2022 – gold (Tirana)
Mediterranean Games:
2022 – gold (Oran)
Best Results: 175-217-392, 2022 European Championship, Tirana
Olympian bronze medalist in Tokyo, and three-time European Champion, two-time gold medalist at the Mediterranean Games.
In Phuket, Pizzolato was fourth with a total of 380 kg, falling behind Li Dayin by 3 kilos. On the Olympic qualification rating, he became sixth.
Varazdat Lalayan
Country: Armenia
Age: 24
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/v_lalayan_001/
Medal Record:
World Championships:
2021 – silver (Tashkent)
2023 – silver (Riyadh)
2022 – bronze (Bogota)
European Championships:
2022 – silver (Tirana)
2023 – silver (Yerevan)
2021 – bronze (Moscow)
Best Results: 210-253-463, 2024 World Cup, Phuket
He is a three-time medalist at the World Championships and a three-time medalist at the European Championships.
In Thailand, at the 2024 World Cup, Lalayan became the winner with a total of 463 kg, defeating his opponents with a great weight gap. On the Olympic qualification list, he is ranked third falling behind his rival Minasyan just by one kilo.
Lasha Talakhadze
Country: Georgia
Age: 30
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talakhadzelasha_official/
Medal Record:
Olympic Games:
2016 – gold (Rio de Janeiro)
2020 – gold (Tokyo)
World Championship:
2018 – gold (Ashgabat)
2019 – gold (Pattaya)
2021 – gold (Tashkent)
2022 – gold (Bogota)
2023 – gold (Riyadh)
European Championship:
2018 – gold (Bucharest)
2019 – gold (Batumi)
2021 – gold (Moscow)
2022 – gold (Tirana)
2023 – gold (Yerevan)
Best Results: 225-267-492, 2021 World Championship, Tashkent
Lasha is a two-time Olympic Champion, seven-time World Champion, and seven-time European Champion who currently holds all-time world records in Snatch, Clean & Jerk, and total.
This time he was absent at the final qualifying event, the 2024 World Cup in Thailand. He decided to withdraw after weighing in because of knee problems and set himself for long-term preparations for Paris.
Karlos Nasar
Country: Bulgaria
Age: 20
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karlos_nasar_/
Medal Record:
World Championship:
2021 – gold (Tashkent)
European Championships:
2023 – gold (Yerevan)
2021 – silver (Moscow)
2022 – silver (Tirana)
IWF Grand Prix:
2023 – gold (Doha)
World Youth Championship:
2019 – gold (Las Vegas)
IWF Youth World Cup Online:
2020 – gold (Peru)
IWF World Cup:
2024 – gold (Phuket)
Best Results: 181-215-396, 2024 World Cup, Phuket
He is one of the youngest world record holders and champions ever. At 18 years old, Karlos broke the world record in the 89-kg category of 220 kg to win the gold medal in Clean & Jerk at the 2022 World Championship.
At the 2023 Europeans, he set five new World records in the 89 kg event in one day in the Junior and Senior categories.
He’s also a gold medalist at the Grand Prix II in Qatar. In Thailand, Karlos lifted 396 kg in total leading the category’s ranking, holding the current World Record in Clean & Jerk of 223 kg.
He’s also the leader in the 89-kg weight class on the Olympic qualification list.
Ivan Dimov
Country: Bulgaria
Age: 21
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slavqkatriplesix/
Medal Record:
European Championships:
2022 – gold (Tirana)
2023 – bronze (Yerevan)
European Junior & U23 Weightlifting Championship:
2021 – bronze (Rovaniemi)
European Youth Weightlifting Championship:
2018 – silver (San Donato Milanese)
Best Results: 140-160-300, 2023 Grand Prix II, Doha
He won the gold medal in the men’s 61 kg event at the 2022 Europeans in Tirana, and bronze at the IWF Grand Prix in Qatar.
At the 2024 World Cup, Dimov didn’t compete as he had knee surgery, he came there to weigh in and protect his eligibility for the Olympics.
Bozhidar Andreev
Country: Bulgaria
Age: 27
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bojidar.andreev.31/
Medal Record:
World Championship:
2019 – bronze (Pattaya)
European Championships:
2019 – gold (Batumi)
2021 – bronze (Moscow)
2022 – bronze (Tirana)
Youth Olympic Games:
2014 – gold (Nanjing)
European Youth Championship:
2014 – Gold (Ciechanow)
European Junior & U23 Weightlifting Championships:
2018 – gold (Zamosc)
2019 – gold (Bucharest)
Best Results: 163-198-361, 2019 European Junior & U23 Weightlifting Championship, Bucharest
He’s a gold medalist and two-time bronze medalist at the European Championships.
At the final qualifying event, the 2024 World Cup, Andreev didn’t perform, already claiming his spot for Paris.
El-Bakh Fares Ibrahim (Meso Hassouna)
Country: Qatar
Age: 25
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mesohassona/
Medal Record:
Olympic Games:
2020 – gold (Tokyo)
World Championships:
2019 – silver (Pattaya)
2021 – silver (Tashkent)
2022 – gold (Bogota)
Asian Championships:
2020 – silver (Tashkent)
2022 – gold (Manama)
Best Results: 176-228-404, 2019 Qatar Cup, Doha
He is an Olympic Champion, World Champion, and two-time Junior World Champion. With his Olympic gold, he became the first Olympic Champion of Qatar.
At the World Cup in Thailand, he claimed his fantastic form heading into the competition. However, he got injured while preparing for the final qualifying event and didn’t compete in the 102-kg session.
Still, he’s ranked third on the Olympic qualification list with a total of 400 kg.
Place your bets on the most powerful and skilled weightlifters who will lead the podium and reign in their weight categories at these Olympic Games. It’s more than likely we’ll spectate an unforgettable performance and new weightlifting stars who will set new indications for lifting weights.
Follow our media channels to keep up-to-date about everything related to the Olympic Games in Paris. You’ll be informed about the smallest details and latest news from everyday events.
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Author: Tanya Shaiko
News Editor, Olympic Lifting Enthusiast
Best Results: Snatch – 61 kg,
C&J – 78 kg
I’m Tanya, and I just can’t do without fitness. About six years ago, I got into Olympic weightlifting and instantly fell in love with it. Weightlifting is like no other sport – it’s just you versus the bar. Driven by my unwavering passion for an active lifestyle, I’ve been eager to share my personal journey and sports enthusiasm with others. As a journalist and photographer, my interests come full circle, adding an extra dimension to the news column that I curate. This way, I keep my readers updated with the latest happenings in the sports world.
