Rahmat Erwin (Photo UWW)
The last time Indonesian Rahmat Erwin lifted in an Olympic qualifier, he was so distraught he could barely raise himself off the floor 10 minutes after his heartbreaking defeat.
It was in Phuket, Thailand two and a half years ago, where Rahmat’s Indonesia team-mate Rizki Juniansyah knocked him out of Paris 2024 with a sensational victory. Rahmat said last month that he had sunk so low, he had to learn to crawl out of his depression.
Yesterday, at the IWF World Championships in Ningbo, China – the first step on the road to Los Angeles 2028 – Rahmat was beaten again. He lost his chance at a world record because of a timing foul-up and finished second to Ri Ryong Hyon, who claimed North Korea’s fifth title in five days at 75kg.
But this time there were no tears, only smiles and laughter. When Rahmat realised, with 11 seconds to go, that he was long overdue on the platform he ran on, waved at the crowd, chalked his hands and somehow lifted the barbell with less than a second to spare. He cleaned it but could not complete the lift and finished second on 157-202-359, which was 7kg down on his record winning total at the Asian Games in Japan five weeks ago.
Ryong Hyon was within 1kg of Rahmat’s record total on 160-205-365, and the Olympic medallist Weeraphon Wichuma from Thailand finished third on 155-200-355, declining his final attempt. The top three finished a long way clear.
Rahmat laughed his way off the platform, joined his father, who is his coach, and sauntered into the back room where he joked about what had happened with his fellow athletes.
Making a big total was the priority here, more than winning a third world title and setting more world records. That may have been one reason for his change in attitude, and another is the fact Rahmat is a father now. He married fellow weightlifter Tsabitha Alfiah Ramadan last year.
That is what Rahmat said on his return to Indonesia from the Asian Games. “What makes it different from the previous ones is that now I have my little one supporting me. It feels different. This (victory) is dedicated to my child, my wife, my parents and also the people of Indonesia.”
He also said, “I want my child to see me on top of the podium. And I haven’t reached my limit yet!”
There was no Rizki to worry about today, because the Olympic champion is provisionally suspended for whereabouts failures. Rizki is among the preliminary entries for the IWF Qualifier in Qatar in December but will have to win a CAS challenge to be eligible.
The age range among 38 entries across four sessions was 18 to 36, and there were notable performances from the youngest and oldest athletes.
Didarbek Jumabayev from Turkmenistan lifted in the A Group, setting a sweep of junior world records on 152-188-340. In all eight international appearances since he made his debut as a 14-year-old, Jumabayev has bettered his previous total.
The average age of Turkmenistan’s talented team of ten is 20 years 7 months, and they have so far set six age-group world records in Ningbo.
Yusuf Fehmi Genc, the European 71kg champion, had a day to forget. After making his 150kg snatch opener he failed with every attempt and did not make a total.
The oldest of two 36-year-olds, Hugo Montes from Colombia, won a snatch bronze from the B Group and finished fourth on 158-188-346. Masanori Miyamoto from Japan was fifth from the B Group on 153-190-343.
In the C Group another Turkmenistan athlete, Bektimur Reyimov, snatched 157kg for fourth place in that discipline, and the Russian Zulfat Garaev made all six attempts for ninth place overall on 155-181-336. Reinner Arango from Venezuela looks capable of improvement; he weighed in more than a kilo light and made 150-180-330 from only two good lifts.
The other 36-year-old, Erkand Qerimaj from Albania, bombed out for the seventh time in his past 12 international appearances, failing three times to snatch 147kg.
