Taiwan powerlifter wins 2 golds, tops world record at Reykjavik Championships

Taipei, Nov. 16 (CNA) Taiwanese powerlifter Yang Sen (楊森) clinched two gold medals at the World Equipped Open Powerlifting Championships on Friday in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Competing in the men's 120 kilogram category, Yang broke the world record with his squat lift of 453 kilograms, winning the gold medal, and he won another gold with his total lift of 1,098 kg.

Yang also snagged a bronze medal in the bench press category with a lift of 325 kg.

It was Yang's second time breaking the squat lift world record, following his achievement in that category at the 2022 World Games when he won a silver medal.

Combined with his deadlift of 320 kg, his scores at the championships qualified him to compete in the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China.

In an interview with CNA, Yang's coach, Hsu Siao-li (許小莉), said that he did not perform at his usual training level in the deadlift competition and had made some minor errors in his bench press.

She said she would adjust Yang's training after returning to Taiwan to prepare for the World Games, this time aiming for the gold.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's Lin Hsiang-chu (林湘筑) won a bronze in the women's 76kg category with a deadlift of 222.5 kg.