2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships: Qatar’s Fares Jaber Sets New Personal Bests in India
Gandhinagar-India, May 16 (QNA) – Qatari weightlifter Fares Ahmed Jaber delivered an impressive performance at the 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships, achieving new personal records as the continental competition heads into its final day on Sunday.
The championship, which features 172 male and female athletes representing 28 national federations, is regarded as one of the strongest editions in the history of the Asian event.
Competing in Group B of the Under-20 110kg category and the Under-17 +94kg division, Jaber topped the overall Group B standings after producing standout lifts that kept him firmly in contention for medals ahead of the decisive Group A competitions scheduled for Sunday.
The Qatari lifter successfully lifted 160kg in the snatch, 203kg in the clean and jerk, and recorded a total of 363kg, marking significant progress and new personal bests that underline his rapid technical development on the continental stage.
Jaber will officially learn his final standings and medal prospects after the conclusion of the Group A contests in both categories on Sunday.
Meanwhile, First Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, President of the Qatar, Arab, Asian and Afro-Asian Weightlifting Federations; and Vice President of the International Weightlifting Federation Mohammed Yousef Al Mana praised the athlete’s performance during the championship.
Al Mana said Jaber’s new personal records reflect the extensive technical work carried out by both the athlete and the coaching staff in recent months.
“He possesses great potential, and what he is achieving today represents an important step in his sporting career, especially given the strength of the Asian competition and the presence of world and Olympic champions in the tournament,” Al Mana said.
On the women’s side, Qatari weightlifter Wisal Khalaf is set to compete on Sunday in the women’s +86kg category, carrying strong ambitions of continuing her impressive run of continental and regional success.
Wisal has enjoyed a remarkable period recently, highlighted by winning nine gold medals across the 10th Qatar International Weightlifting Championship, the Arab Championship, and the West Asian Championship, all held in Doha last December.
She also claimed three gold medals at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh last November.
Elsewhere, the championship witnessed dominant displays from the North Korean team, which broke 12 international records, including six senior world and Asian records as well as six junior records.
Among the standout performances, North Korea’s Ri Suk won gold in the women’s 63kg category with a total of 254kg, setting new world and Asian records in the clean and jerk and total lifts. China’s Yang Liuyu secured silver with 251kg, while Fang Lin took bronze with 235kg.
In the men’s 71kg division, North Korea’s Ri Won Ju captured gold with a total of 351kg, including a new world and Asian record in the clean and jerk. China’s Chen Jian finished second with 335kg, while India’s Ajith Narayana claimed bronze with 314kg.
North Korean lifter Ri Ryong Hyon also secured gold in the men’s 79kg category with a total of 364kg, including a world and Asian clean and jerk record of 206kg, ahead of compatriot Ri Chung Song and China’s Lu Naijiang. (QNA)
