Taiwan's Chen wins gold, breaks world record at weightlifting world championships

Taipei, Sept. 21 (CNA) Taiwanese weightlifter Chen Guan-ling (陳冠伶) won gold and broke the world record in the women's 55-kilogram division at the 2024 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Junior Championships in León, Spain on Friday.

The 19-year-old achieved a lift of 98 kg in the snatch and 119 kg in the clean and jerk, taking gold in all three categories of the snatch, clean and jerk, and combined lift, while also setting junior world records in each.

Her combined total of 217 kg put her 25 kg ahead of silver medalist Gelen Yulieth Torres Gomez of Columbia and 14 kg more than her gold-winning performance at last year's IWF World Weightlifting Championships in Saudi Arabia.

At the IWF world championships, medals are awarded in the snatch, clean and jerk, and combined total categories.

Chen is currently the national record holder in the women's 55 kg category.

Speaking during an interview at the awards ceremony, Chen said, "My goal was to set the world record here, and it will be the same in Bahrain (at the senior World Championships)."

The 2024 IWF World Weightlifting Championships will be held in Bahrain from Dec. 6-15, and Chen will seek to defend her gold title.

IWF rules group weightlifters between 15 and 20 years of age in the junior events, while athletes aged 15 years old or above are allowed to participate in senior competitions.

Meanwhile, according to an IWF news release, IWF president Mohammed Jalood congratulated Chen at the award ceremony and said to her, "You will be the next Kuo."

He was referring to Kuo Hsing-chun (郭婞淳), the first Taiwanese weightlifter to win a medal in three consecutive Olympic Games (one gold and two bronzes). Kuo also holds five IWF World Championships golds.

The 2024 IWF World Junior Championships are being held until Sept. 27.