North Korea’s Om wins third world title

World Champion podium winners of the mens 56kg division is gold medal winner Yun Chol Om , North Korea (center) , bronze medal winner Jingbiao Wu, China, (left) and bronze medal winner Kim Tuan Thach , Vietman (right) at the International Weightlifting Federation World Championships at George R. Brown Convention Center - USA TODAY Sports

AFP: North Korea’s Om Yun Chol won his third consecutive title Saturday at the World Weightlifting Championships, breaking a world record in the process and vowing to defend his Olympic title next year.

Om captured the 56kg crown on body weight over China’s Wu Jingbiao, each with a combined 302kg, while China’s 17-year-old Jiang Huihua won the women’s 48kg crown with a combined 198kg.

“I’m going to win gold every time I compete until I finish my career in weightlifting,” Om said. “When my rival runs towards a gold medal, I fly.”

Wu lifted 139 kg to break Turkish star Halil Mutlu’s 14-year-old snatch world record and lifted 163 in the clean and jerk, forcing Om to break his own world record in clean and jerk to take the lead. Om did exactly that, hoisting 171kg for the title.

Vietnam’s Kim Tuan Thach, who lost on bodyweight to Om at last year’s worlds, was third overall on 287.

Jiang defeated Vietnam’s Thi Huyen Vuong by 4kg with Japan’s Hiromi Miyake third on 193kg.