Ri Song Gum sets world record in women’s 49kg snatch

NAGOYA, Japan – North Korean weightlifter Ri Song Gum set a new world record in the women’s 49kg snatch at the Asian Games in Nagoya on Wednesday.

Aiming for a third consecutive Asian Games gold medal, Ri lifted 94kg in her opening snatch attempt, one kilogramme more than the previous world record of 93kg.

Indonesia’s Diana Tri Wijayana and India’s Mirabai Chanu remained in medal contention after lifting 88kg and 87kg respectively in the opening phase.

Ri is attempting to become only the fourth weightlifter, and the first woman, to win three Asian Games gold medals.

With the clean and jerk still to come, she could join Iran’s Mohammad Nassiri (1966-74), South Korea’s Kim Tae-hyun (1990-98) and Iran’s Behdad Salimi (2010-18) in an elite group of lifters who have won three golds. No one has won four. –AFP