China's Lyu Xiaojun wins three gold medals at IWF World Championships
Liu Jiaqi
Lyu Xiaojun in the game /VCG Photo

Lyu Xiaojun in the game /VCG Photo

Thirty-five-year-old Chinese veteran Lyu Xiaojun won all three gold medals in the men's 81 kilograms (kg) category during the 2019 World Weightlifting Championships in Thailand on Sunday, breaking world records in the clean and jerk and total despite dealing with an injury. 

In the snatch, the 2012 Olympic champion lifted 171 kg to claim the gold while teammate Li Dayin won silver. Then in the clean and jerk, the 35-year-old suffered a recurrence of a lower back injury while lifting 191 kg in his first attempt and was soon face down on the floor getting ice applied. However, the five-time world champion powered through the pain and was able to lift 205 kg on his second attempt, despite clearly struggling with his back.

The star weightlifter has risen in the weights since taking 69 kg gold at Rio 2016 and further proved himself with both the snatch and total world records in April's Asian Championships. 

When Li Dayin took the lead by lifting 206 kg, Lyu ignored the pain to hoist a record 207 to beat him, claiming all three gold medals and setting a world record total of 378 kg.

In the women's 64 kg category, 2016 Olympic champion Deng Wei dominated from the start and lifted a world record 116 kg to win the snatch. In clean and jerk, she lifted 142 kg and then a world record 145 kg for a total of 261 kg, literally raising the bar in all three categories. Toma Roledana-Elena won the silver.