Park Hye-jung sweeps three golds at weightlifting championships

South Korea’s weightlifting star Park Hye-jung overcame back pain to reclaim her world championship title.

On Oct. 11 in Førde, Norway, 22-year-old competed in the women’s super-heavyweight division (86 kilograms and above) at the 2025 International Weightlifting Federation World Championships. She lifted 125 kilograms in the snatch and 158 kilograms in the clean and jerk, totaling 283 kilograms to claim three gold medals. Unlike the Olympics, which award medals only for total weight, the World Championships give separate medals for each lift and the overall total. This marks Park’s first world championship win since 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

On the same day, 24-year-old Song Young-hwan earned a bronze medal in the men’s super-heavyweight division (110 kilograms and above) for the total score, lifting 175 kilograms in the snatch and 235 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a 410-kilogram total. These results gave South Korea a tie for fifth place in the overall medal standings, with one gold and one bronze.

North Korea dominated the women’s events, claiming gold in all five weight categories. The country topped the overall medal standings with five golds, three silvers, and one bronze.


조영우 기자 jero@donga.com