Taiwanese athlete Kuo Hsing-chun (郭婞淳) secured the bronze medal in the women’s 59kg weight class at the Paris Olympics on Thursday, despite entering the competition with minor injuries. Kuo lifted 105kg in the snatch and 130kg in the clean and jerk, achieving a total of 235kg.
Kuo began her snatch attempts with a successful lift of 103kg. Although she missed her second attempt at 105kg, she successfully lifted the same weight on her third attempt, surpassing her previous snatch record set at the Tokyo Olympics.
In the clean and jerk session, Kuo initially struggled with 130kg, failing her first attempt. However, she managed to lift the weight on her second attempt. For her final attempt, she increased the weight to 137kg but was unable to complete the lift, bringing her competition to a close.
The competition was particularly fierce this year, with Kuo competing against a larger field of athletes due to a recalibration of weight classes.
China’s Luo Shifang claimed the gold medal, setting a new world record with a combined total of 241kg, lifting 107kg in the snatch and 134kg in the clean and jerk. Canada’s Maude Charron took the silver medal with a total of 236kg, lifting 106kg in the snatch and 130kg in the clean and jerk.
Kuo earned a silver medal in the 58kg women’s weightlifting category at the 2016 Rio Olympics and secured a gold medal in the same category at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Despite the challenging circumstances, Kuo made history by reaching the podium final in three consecutive Olympic Games, becoming the first Taiwanese athlete to attain this milestone.