Asian Games: weightlifter Ri sets 3 world records to win North Korea’s first medal

Meanwhile, South Korea’s badminton world No 1 An beats Japan’s Yamaguchi in team event, but has stern words for her watching father

North Korea’s Ri Song-gum set three world records to give her country their first gold in weightlifting at the Asian Games on Wednesday, while South Korea’s badminton world No 1 An Se-young had stern words for her watching father.

Ri set the world records in the women’s 49kg class in Nagoya, joining an elite club of just four weightlifters who have won three Asian Games gold medals.

The reigning two-time world champion added to her Asian Games golds in Jakarta in 2018 in the 48kg class and Hangzhou in 2023 at 49kg.

The weightlifter hauled 94kg above her head in the opening snatch discipline, one kilogramme more than the previous world standard mark of 93kg.