Zhihui is all but confirmed to represent China at 49 kilograms during the 2024 Olympic Games.
Last updated on April 1st, 2024
Team China is in top form. With only a few short months until the 2024 Paris Olympics, the most dominant weightlifting team in the world — thanks to athletes like 49-kilogram Hou Zhihui — is putting on a show at the 2024 IWF World Cup.
Zhihui set a new world record in the snatch of 97 kilograms, or 213.8 pounds, on Apr. 1, 2024, on the second day of competition in Phuket, Thailand.
[Related: The Best Weightlifting Belts You Can Buy]
Zhihui confirmed her ticket to Paris with a stellar performance in Phuket. Here’s a breakdown of her best lifts:
The 49-kilogram 2020 Olympic Champion made a truly enormous jump from her 113-kilogram first attempt to set a career best in the clean & jerk. However, Zhihui placed second overall at the Cup behind North Korean athlete Ri Song Gum. Gum set a world record in the Total with 221 kilograms.
[Related: Why Can’t North Korea Compete in Weightlifting at the 2024 Olympics?]
China vs. China
For weightlifters in most countries, the pathway to the Paris Olympics involves breaking into the top 10 on the International Weightlifting Federation’s (IWF) ranking leaderboards. But for Zhihui and other Chinese weightlifters, the real competition lies within the team itself.
China, like every other country, may only send three female athletes (and three males) to compete in the five Paris-recognized weight classes. For the majority of the 18-month qualification period, Zhihui has narrowly trailed behind teammate Jiang Huihua.
[Related: 5 of the Greatest Weightlifting Battles of All Time]
Here’s an illustration of the two Chinese womens’ Totals across a number of major events throughout the qualification period:
The Women’s 49-kilogram event at the World Cup was, quite literally, Zhihui’s final attempt. Her phenomenal snatching, along with an exceptionally gutsy performance with the barbell during the clean & jerks, will deliver Zhihui to, likely, her second Olympic gold medal.
People head to the gym for all sorts of reasons. Maybe you want to shake away some stress, and you know the barbell is helpful. Or maybe you’re aiming to lift heavier than you’ve ever done or build some ridiculously strong tree trunks. Still other folks work out, at least partially, when they’re wanting […]
We receive free products and receive commissions through our links. See disclosures page. A weightlifting belt may not have a long list of features, but it’s a valuable tool that can help keep you safe, stable, and supported during your training sessions. As a longtime rugby player and strength athlete, I’ve been using a […]
Kieliszkowski was due to compete in the UK on April 20, 2024. Last updated on April 3rd, 2024 Polish strongman Mateusz Kieliszkowski’s return to competition has hit a bump. He was scheduled to compete at the 2024 Europe’s Strongest Man event in Leeds, UK, on April 13, 2024, but it seems that will not come to pass. […]
