China's Hou Zhihui is aiming for a second straight Olympic gold in Paris after topping the podium in the women's 49kg division three years ago in Tokyo.

Hou set an Olympic record by hoisting 210kg to claim the first weightlifting gold on offer in Tokyo. That total includes 94kg in the snatch and 116kg in the clean and jerk, with those two lifts also setting Olympic records. The defending champion is one of six Chinese weightlifters heading to Paris, after the sport's divisions and qualifiers were streamlined.

Hou continued to excel after Tokyo and won titles at multiple events including the World Championships and Hangzhou Asian Games. She sealed her spot in Paris this past April after setting a world record in the snatch with 97kg at the World Cup in Thailand, before finishing as runner-up with an overall total of 221kg. The 27-year-old credits her consistency to staying simple, but adds that she's also looking to make further breakthroughs in the French capital.