The 2023 World Weightlifting Championships are held in Saudi Arabia from September 4-17, and one team has taken the competition by storm. Of course, the team in question is China, as their athletes have contended for the title in nearly all weight classes. They also claimed multiple medals, World Records, and other achievements, but one specific performance will be talked about for many more years to come. It was put up by Liang Xiaomei, who competed in the 81–kilogram weight class and set a new 159-kilogram (350.5 pound) Clean & Jerk World Record.
You might be wondering why Liang Xiaomei’s record is so special, as other athletes have also set records in their weight classes. Well, to explain, we have to track back to 2018 when the 81–kilogram weight class was formed.
At the time, to avoid setting subpar records in this new division, the IWF put in place “World Standards” for each of the three events (Snatch, Clean & Jerk, and Total). World Standard is basically an imaginary lift which sets a precedent for the athletes, as the IWF did not want to recognize any Clean & Jerks lighter than this as World Records.
So, since 2018 no one has managed to outperform any of the World Standards, that is until Liang Xiaomei put up a 159-kilogram (350.5 pound) Clean & Jerk. So, she is basically the first ever record holder in the 81-kilogram weight class.
The World Standard for the Clean & Jerk in the 81-kilogram weight class was set to 158 kilograms (348.3 pounds). So, Liang Xiaomei has managed to break it by exactly 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds).
Watch the Clean & Jerk here:
Liang Xiaomei’s Full Performance
Liang Xiaomei had six attempts overall, that is three for Snatch and Clean & Jerk each. She made the most of them, successfully locking out all of them and claiming the victory in the 81-kilogram weight class. She was even close to setting a new Total World Record as well, having fallen just 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) short in the end.
Snatch
- 115 kilograms (253.5 pounds)
- 110 kilograms (242.5 pounds)
- 122 kilograms (269 pounds)
Clean & Jerk
- 150 kilograms (330.7 pounds)
- 156 kilograms (343.9 pounds)
- 159 kilograms (350.5 pounds) — U81KG World Record
Total — 281 kilograms (619.5 pounds)
2023 World Weightlifting Championships — U81KG Podium (Per Total)
Liang Xiaomei’s only rival was her fellow Chinese representative, Wang Zhouyu. These two women beat other competitors by over 20 kilograms (44.1 pounds). However, Liang turned out to be the better prepared out of the duo, having accumulated 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds) more.
- Liang Xiaomei (CHN) — 281 kilograms (619.5 pounds)
- Wang Zhouyu (CHN) — 277 kilograms (610.7 pounds)
- Eileen Cikamatana (AUS) — 256 kilograms (564.4 pounds)
Related: 20-yo Garik Karapetyan (102KG) Lands Massive 183-kg (403.4-lb) Snatch Junior World Record
Liang Xiaomei has been a pleasant addition to the 81-kilogram weight class ever since making her debut on the big scenes just one year ago. However, she has already claimed one of the most prestigious titles in the sport, that is the 2023 World Champion. In addition, although no one was able to outperform any “World Standards” in her weight class, Liang has now become the first woman to do so, despite not even competing for a long time.
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