An unprecedented level of excitement has engulfed weightlifting. With the onset of 2025, elite lifters around the world are shattering jaw-dropping records. Not only are they setting record-breaking lifts, but inspiring practitioners across the globe. This guide will detail the feats of the current top ten weightlifters in the world, shedding light on their accomplishments, which include Olympic triumphs and historic lifts. The guide will cover key metrics, world records (heaviest snatch, clean & jerk totals), and future outlooks for the 2025 championships. Insights tailored for both fitness enthusiasts and competitors will be provided along with expert answers on questions regarding lifting records and categories.
World and Olympic Record Leaders
Lasha Talakhadze (Georgia)
The undisputed world king of weightlifting. Lasha has smashed every record in the super-heavyweight class (+109kg). At 31 years old, he owns the men’s world records with a 225 kg snatch, a 267 kg clean & jerk, and a 492 kg total. (For comparison, that’s lifting well over four times an 80 kg person’s body weight!) As of now, he is a three-time Olympic gold medalist, having won in the years 2016, 2020 and 2024. His dominant frame of 183 kg, coupled with massive lifts, helps his claim of being the strongest man in the sport of weightlifting.
Li Wenwen (China)
The strongest woman alive. This 26-year-old Chinese superstar holds the world records in the women’s super-heavy class (+87kg) weight category. In 2021, her unmatched achievement of snatching 148 KG, clean and jerking 187 KG (totaling 335 KG) lifted made her the unrivaled figure among females. Li Wenwen’s victory of an Olympic gold in 2020 during the Tokyo Olympics had her participating in the +87kg class and later defending her title in Paris 2024, where she surged to +81kg hence proving her dominance. It is her incredible performance in lifting over a 75 kg person dead weight, effortless to what many called her “The strongest female weightlifter.”
Shi Zhiyong (China)
One of the champions in the mid-weight division. Shi won the Olympic gold medal twice (2016 Rio, 2020 Tokyo) and is a multi-time world champion in the men’s 73 kg category. He has set the current world record in the men’s 73 kg snatch (169 kg) and clean & jerk (198 kg) lifts. His explosive technique with lifting and consistency guarantees him a spot among the top lifters. (Though he attempted a 2024 Olympic pre-Olympic comeback, he continues to be a power-to-weight benchmark.)
Kuo Hsing-chun (Chinese Taipei)
A goddess of weightlifting in the 59kg category, Kuo was born on 30th November 1994. Kuo is a three-time Olympian with gold in the 59 kg division in Tokyo 2020, bronze in 2016, and 2024. She’s a five-time world champion in her lightweight division for years. Kuo set 11 world records in her career, having stunning records of 110 kg snatch and 142 kg clean & jerk. Her story – rising from humble beginnings to an Olympic champion – is an inspiring tale.
Lu Xiaojun (China)
A veteran record-breaker. Widely regarded as one of weightlifting’s all-time greats, Lu is a three-time Olympic champion in the 69 kg, 77 kg, and 81 kg classes (2012, 2016, 2020). He set world records of 177 kg snatch and a 380 kg total in the former 77/81kg class (the records changed after categories were restructured). Even at 40, he shocked fans by winning Paris 2024 at 81 kg with a 309 kg total. His mastery of technique and longevity in the sport keep him good amongst the world’s best.
Neisi Dajomes (Ecuador)
South America’s queen. In the 2020 Olympics, she made history by becoming Ecuador’s first-ever Olympic weightlifting champion in the women’s 76kg category. She remains a top contender for the title, competing at 81kg in Paris 2024. Dajomes is known for her explosive strength and has put up world-class totals, including 269kg in qualifiers. She won a second Olympic medal (bronze in 2024) and continues to lift among the elite, representing the reality that weightlifting excellence is not limited to one region.
Mirabai Chanu (India)
The Indian weightlifting icon. Her remarkable achievement includes winning India’s inaugural Olympic medal in weightlifting, a silver in the 49 kg category at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She holds numerous titles, including Commonwealth and World championships, and set a record for the clean & jerk lift at 119 kg in 2021. In the Tokyo Olympics, Chanu lifted a total of 202 kg at the competition, which featured her weighing a mere 49 kg. Her journey of overcoming numerous hurdles inspires several athletes and emerging fitness enthusiasts around the world.
Hou Zhihui (China)
49 kg two-time Olympic champion. 2020 and 2024 saw her back-to-back victories in the 49kg weight division at the Olympics. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, she lifted 89 kg snatch and set an Olympic record by clean & jerking 117 kg, totaling 206 kg. Those lifts, though remarkable, are even more astonishing coming from a 49 kg athlete. She is adored by fans due to her steady demeanor and her character, which wins over audience empathy. With Zhou’s triumphant rise to stardom as seen in the 2024 Paris Olympics, her celebration on the podium has become a symbol of success.
Liu Huanhua (China)
The teenage sensation. At age 22, Liu captured the title of 2024 Olympic Champion in the men’s 102 kg weight class. In Paris, he performed a historic first snatch of 186 kg and clean & jerked 220 kg, achieving a remarkable total of 406 kg, which made him China’s first men’s heavyweight Olympic champion. Liu has also set world records on clean & jerk and total lift in the 102 kg class and is touted to be the future of Lasha’s dynasty. His meteoric rise (he also won the 2023 World gold at 109kg) showcases that he is indeed a contender.
Rizki Juniansyah (Indonesia)
The youngest champion. At the age of 21, Juniansyah won Olympic Gold in Paris 2024 in the men’s 73 kg division. His previous accolades include breaking multiple youth and junior world records, which showcased his tremendous promise. Marking a historical moment as Indonesia’s first weightlifting Olympic Gold medalist, he reported a total lift of 354 kg in Paris and is already a medalist at the World Championships. The combination of Juniansyah’s rapid rise, coupled with his astonishing gifts, makes him one of the most promising young talents in the sport.
Quick Facts & Training Tips
Weightlifting vs. Squats
The Olympic weightlifting events are snatch and clean & jerk; squats are not contested there. (Squat records come from powerlifting) Ray Williams, for example, holds the raw squat world record at 490 kg, but that lift is in powerlifting, not Olympic lifting.
Weight Categories
Athletes are categorised from super-light to super-heavy. Lasha Talakhadze (~183 kg) and top women like Hou Zhihui (at 49 kg) are examples. Set training targets that are appropriate for your category – lighter athletes tend to be more technical and quicker while heavyweights prioritize maximal strength.
Progressive Training
All champions used incremental build-up strategies. A main suggestion is to increase the weight slowly and fine-tune your form. For instance, Lasha and Li Wenwen didn’t jump to 200 kg; they stripped the bar and focused on proper technique and added kilos year by year. Maintaining training logs, light-technique sessions, and recovery (sleep and protein) is essential.
Nutrition & Diet
Top-performing athletes are fueled by nutritious diets that contain sufficient protein to aid in muscle recovery, carbohydrates for energy, and vitamins and minerals that assist in recovery. While we won’t cite a specific diet, experts suggest that even amateur lifters perform better when they “eat big” lean protein (chicken, fish, eggs) and complex carbohydrates (rice, vegetables) meals in appropriate portions. Proper hydration as well as meal timing is important too.
Age and Longevity
Strength can be achieved with advancing age. Edith Murway-Traina from the USA is the oldest competitive weightlifter in the world, having lifted at age 100. Conversely, Juniansyah proves a 21-year-old can be an Olympic gold medalist. This indicates there is no ideal age for focusing on building strength, provided that training is smart and safe.
Competitions in 2025
The 2025 IWF World Championships Quota and Forde, Norway, from October 2-11. Lifters of all ages will compete for medals. The Youth & Junior Worlds will take place in Lima, Peru, from April 30 to May 5. Numerous athletes will participate in these events and will be joined by new standout performers. These competitions are great for sports fans to witness the progress of weightlifting.
FAQ – People Also Ask
Who is the strongest weightlifter in the world?
Georgia’s Lasha Talakhadze holds that title with world records of 225 kg snatch and 267 kg clean & jerk (492 kg total) — the highest ever in competition.
What is the world record in weightlifting?
As of 2025, Lasha Talakhadze leads the men’s +109kg with a 492 kg total. Li Wenwen holds the women’s +87kg record: 148 kg snatch, 187 kg clean & jerk, 335 kg total.
What are the Olympic weightlifting records?
Olympic records often match world records. Hou Zhihui’s 117 kg clean & jerk in women’s 49 kg is an Olympic best. Many top lifts were made during the Olympic events.
How much do weightlifters weigh?
Men compete from 49 kg to 109+ kg; women from 45 kg to +87 kg. Superheavyweights like Lasha weigh ~183 kg, while others, like Hou Zhihui, weigh under 50 kg.
Who is the youngest weightlifter?
Elite lifters must be 16+. Indonesia’s Rizki Juniansyah won gold at 21. Youths as young as 7 train and compete locally, with official records starting at age 13.
Who is the oldest weightlifter?
Edith Murway-Traina competed at 100 as a powerlifter. In Olympic lifting, Masters athletes compete from age 35+, with many active into their 50s and 60s.
What is the world record for men’s weightlifting squats?
Squats aren’t part of Olympic weightlifting. In powerlifting, Ray Williams holds the raw squat record at 490 kg.
Conclusion
The top weightlifters of 2025—like Lasha Talakhadze and Li Wenwen—set the bar high, blending power and precision. Champions like Shi Zhiyong and Hou Zhihui prove that success is built on consistency and technique.
