China’s Jiang Huihua breaks Mirabai Chanu’s world record

The Chinese lifter also created a new world record for the total lift as she heaved 215kg, two kilograms better than the previous world mark (213kg).

FILE PHOTO: Huihua bettered Chanu’s record of 119kg, which the Indian had created at the 2021 Asian Championships, in the women’s 49kg clean and jerk section. | Photo Credit: Lintao Zhang

Chinese lifter Jiang Huihua obliterated Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu’s clean-and-jerk world record by lifting 120kg at the World Championships on Tuesday.

Huihua bettered Chanu’s record of 119kg, which the Indian had created at the 2021 Asian Championships, in the women’s 49kg clean and jerk section as she successfully defended her World Championships crown.

The Chinese lifter also created a new world record for the total lift as she heaved 215kg, two kilograms better than the previous world mark (213kg) which was in her compatriot and reigning Olympic champion Hou Zhihui’s name.

Huihua lifted 95kg in snatch to claim the top honours in the marquee event. Zhihui finished second 211kg (95kg+116kg) while USA’s Jourdan Delacruz 200kg (88kg+112kg) took home the bronze medal.

Chanu, who is the frontrunner in the weight class, had withdrawn from the competition after weighing in as she focusses on the Asian Games, scheduled to begin later this month.