Asian Weightlifting Championships 2025 Recap: Pak Myong Jin Triumphs in Men’s 61 kg with a One-Kilo Thriller

The 61 kg men’s group A at the 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships turned out to be one of the closest contests of the week, ending in a dramatic finish where the gold was decided by a single kilogram.

Held on May 10 at the Hushan Sports Park in Jiangshan, China, the session featured a compact but fiery group of seven athletes, including returning contenders and new names on the rise. The crowd witnessed fierce battles in both the snatch and clean & jerk phases, topped with surprising lifts and strategic gambits.

Early Drama on Day Two

As the second men’s session of the tournament, the 61 kg A group carried both expectations and pressure. Coming in were two lifters with totals above 300 kg, one of whom was PAK Myong Jin — already known in youth and junior circuits for his promise. The other, WANG Hao, a seasoned Chinese lifter, had the biggest snatch in the session and was the favorite for gold. But as often happens in Olympic weightlifting, the title wasn’t decided until the very last clean & jerk attempt.

Meet the Athletes: Precision, Promise, and Pressure

• PAK Myong Jin – Already a known name from junior records, he came in with nerves of steel and surgical execution.
• WANG Hao (CHN) – A powerhouse in snatch and seasoned performer at continental level.
• WANG Min (CHN) – A rising name on the Chinese national team, calm and composed throughout.
• ALJASIM Aqeel (KSA) – The young Saudi lifter showed big potential and clean lines in the jerk phase.
• ASYRANI Syahmi (SGP) – Representing Singapore with competitive energy.
• NGUYEN Tran Anh Tuan (VIE) – An experienced Vietnamese lifter with previous SEA Games medal.
• MOHAMAD ANIQ Bin Kasdan (MAS) – Strong in the snatch.

Snatch Recap: WANG Hao Pulls Ahead

The snatch session featured multiple athletes with high-stakes consistency. WANG Hao completed all three lifts (137/140/142 kg), taking the gold in this discipline with precision and ease.

Pak Myong successfully lifted 131 kg in his first attempt and 136 kg in his second, but failed his third attempt at 139 kg. His strategy was conservative, clearly aimed at setting up a strong clean & jerk.

China’s second lifter, WANG Min, completed all three snatch attempts successfully: 128 kg in the first, 131 kg in the second, and 134 kg in the third. Meanwhile, ANIQ Bin Kasdan (MAS) lifted a respectable 132 kg, placing fourth in snatch before bombed out in clean & jerk.

The crowd appreciated ALJASIM Aqeel’s clean 121 kg lift, which kept him in the top five. ASYRANI of Singapore succeeded with 93 kg, while Vietnam’s NGUYEN missed all three attempts.

🏅 Snatch Medals:

• 🥇 WANG Hao (CHN) – 142 kg
  
• 🥈 PAK Myong Jin – 136 kg
  
• 🥉 WANG Min (CHN) – 134 kg

📊 Full Snatch Results:

Clean & Jerk Recap: Pak Clinches Gold

The clean & jerk podium battle was a showcase of nerve and discipline. Vietnam’s NGUYEN opened well with 150 kg, but could not complete the next two lifts. 

ALJASIM who stole attention early on with 137 and 142 kg lifts, eventually missing his third at 150 kg. He settled for a total of 263 kg, finishing fourth overall.

WANG Min of China hit 160 kg to lock in a total of 294 kg, which at that time looked podium-worthy. But then came the head-to-head: WANG Hao made 163 kg but failed to add more (167 and 168 kg). He totaled 305 kg.

With the pressure on, PAK failed at opener, but then made 167, followed by a stunning 170 kg lift on his third attempt. That gave him a total of 306 kg — just one kilo ahead of WANG Hao and good enough for the gold medal in Clean and Jerk and Total.

🏅 Clean & Jerk Medals:

• 🥇 PAK Myong Jin – 170 kg
  
• 🥈 WANG Hao (CHN) – 163 kg
  
• 🥉 WANG Min (CHN) – 160 kg

📊 Full Clean & Jerk Medals:

Total Recap: Gold in the Final Lift

The overall podium was defined in the last round of lifts. PAK’s total of 306 kg barely edged past WANG Hao’s 305 kg. WANG Min locked in bronze with 294 kg. The tight margins underscored the high-level strategy in this class, where every decision had medal implications.

🏅 Total Medal Recap:

• 🥇 Total Gold – PAK Myong Jin – 306 kg (136/170)
  
• 🥈 Total Silver – WANG Hao (CHN) – 305 kg (142/163)
  
• 🥉 Total Bronze – WANG Min (CHN) – 294 kg (134/160)

📊 Full Total Results:

Records and Highlights

No Asian or World records were set during this session, but it was among the most thrilling finishes of the championship. PAK’s final clean & jerk sealed one of the narrowest gold medal wins of the week. We can note WANG Hao’s technical polish in snatch and praised PAK’s cold-blooded finishing strategy.

Meanwhile, WANG Min’s third-place finish demonstrated depth in China’s 61 kg roster, and ALJASIM’s breakthrough puts Saudi weightlifting on the radar for future events.

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