Kim Il Gyong Reigns Again: Women’s 59 kg Recap – Asian Weightlifting Championships 2025
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The 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jiangshan, China, continued to dazzle, with the Women’s 59 kg A session delivering a compelling mix of drama, precision, and legacy.
On May 11th, eight athletes took to the platform in one of the most talent-rich categories of the event — featuring seasoned Olympians, junior champions, and a reigning world record holder.
Spotlight on the Category
The Women’s 59 kg class is historically one of the most competitive in global weightlifting, and 2025 was no exception. All eyes were on KIM Il Gyong, who entered as the reigning world record holder in the snatch, clean & jerk, and total.
But there was also the return of living legend KUO Hsing-Chun, a five-time Asian champion and Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist, making her long-awaited comeback.
Meet the Athletes
- KIM Il Gyong: 2023 World Champion, WR holder (Snatch 111, C&J 141, Total 249). Only 21 years old, already rewriting history books.
- KUO Hsing-Chun (TPE): Olympic gold (2021), Olympic bronze (2024), 10-time Worlds competitor, and five-time Asian Champion. A modern legend.
- YODSARN Suratwadee (THA): 2023 SEA Games medalist and rising Thai star.
- QUANG Thi Tam (VIE): Asian silver medalist in 2022, consistent top 5 finisher.
- ABDULLAEVA Nigora (UZB): 2024 Asian Junior silver medalist, known for strong C&J.
- HENG Nicole (SGP): Making strides internationally, aiming for personal bests.
- ALMADANI Mai (UAE): Representing the emerging Middle East lifting scene.
BETEYOB Natasya (INA): 2024 World Cup participant, aggressive lifter but inconsistent.
Snatch Recap: KIM Leads, Legends Clash, and Time Runs Out
The snatch session began with a light-hearted duel between HENG and ALMADANI, both opening at 70 kg. Heng’s calm consistency brought her a 3/3 finish, peaking at 75 kg. Almadani matched her opener but missed both attempts at 73 kg.
BETEYOB of Indonesia struggled to lock out overhead, failing all three lifts at 93/94/94 kg, becoming the only athlete to bomb out in snatch.
QUANG Thi Tam (VIE) opened with 95 kg and ended with 98 kg, staying ahead of ABDULLAEVA Nigora (96 kg). Meanwhile, KUO Hsing-Chun had a rocky road. She nailed 95 kg but failed her next two attempts at 98, showing signs of wear but not surrendering.
KIM Il Gyong, however, was untouchable. She stormed through 98, 101, and 103 kg lifts.
YODSARN Suratwadee of Thailand made a statement of her own, completing all three lifts — 94, 97, 99 kg — securing silver in snatch.
Snatch Podium:
🥇 KIM Il Gyong (103 kg)
🥈 YODSARN Suratwadee (99 kg)
🥉 QUANG Thi Tam (98 kg)
Snatch Full Results:
Clean & Jerk Recap: Big Lifts, Big Misses, and a New World Record Attempt
Nicole HENG and Mai ALMADANI again went head-to-head, finishing with 90 kg and 88 kg respectively. ABDULLAEVA posted a solid 116 kg. QUANG responded with 121 kg.
KUO Hsing-Chun returned with flair: 120 kg good lift, 125 no lift and 125 kg good lift —executed with a surprising power jerk, securing a spot on the podium with grace.
YODSARN, after failing her opener at 123 kg, hit 123 in second attempt and 126 kg to lock in silver overall.
KIM Il Gyong, on the other hand, was chasing history. Opening at 127 kg, then leaping to 132 kg, she secured gold in C&J and total. Her final attempt? A staggering 142 kg, a world record bid—though missed in the clean, the message was clear: she’s here to push boundaries.
Clean & Jerk Podium:
🥇 KIM Il Gyong (132 kg)
🥈 YODSARN Suratwadee (126 kg)
🥉 KUO Hsing-Chun (125 kg)
Total Results and Medal Recap
Total Podium:
🥇 KIM Il Gyong – 235 kg (103/132) – Total dominance and attempt to beat a record.
🥈 YODSARN Suratwadee – 225 kg (99/126) – A career-best performance from Thailand’s rising star.
🥉 KUO Hsing-Chun – 220 kg (95/125) – The legend returns to the podium.
Records and Highlights
- Kim Il Gyong’s 142 kg clean & jerk attempt would have broken her own world record. Though missed, it affirmed her unmatched standing in the category.
- KUO’s power jerk comeback stole the hearts of fans. At 31, she remains a global icon.
- YODSARN’s 225 kg total is her career-best and makes her a contender for Paris 2028.
- BETEYOB’s bombout in snatch was unfortunate, but her 115 kg clean & jerk showed resilience.
UAE’s Mai Almadani struggled with timing issues and jury confusion — twice nearly missing her lift window.
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Author: Hladkova Vladyslava
Media Team Member
Best Results: Snatch – 57 kg,
C&J – 73 kg
I’m Vladyslava, and sport has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Over the past 10 years, I’ve explored it all – from CrossFit and powerlifting to running a half marathon. But my true passion found its home in Olympic weightlifting.
I’m proud to be a Ukrainian Weightlifting Champion (2018) and a prize winner of national championships in 2018–2019. My best lifts? A 57 kg snatch and a 73 kg clean & jerk in the 51 kg weight class. I’m also a Candidate for Master of Sports in weightlifting – and I’m still chasing new goals every day.
Beyond training, I’ve earned two Master’s degrees: one in Sport Management and another in Physical Education. Whether I’m lifting a barbell or helping others grow in sport, I’m all in – because for me, sport isn’t just a hobby, it’s a lifestyle.