Light-Heavyweight (≤81 kilograms), Men

After two days of rest, the weightlifting competition continued with the men’s light-heavyweight class (up to 81 kg). China had already won the first three men’s events in Tokyo and, as only four athletes per gender were allowed to compete, this was the last men’s event with a Chinese athlete entered and it was ex Olympic champion Lu Xiaojun. He had won gold in 2012 and silver in 2016, when beaten only by bodyweight in the 77 kg class. Lu, the winner of many titles, was the back-to-back world champion, winning at the last two editions in 2018 and 2019. He was also the reigning Asian champion, winning the title in April 2021, and was also the world record holder in clean & jerk (207 kg) and total (378 kg). His strongest opponent was his compatriot Li Dayin, who was almost 15 years younger. Li was the Asian champion in 2019 and World Championship runner-up in 2019 and was also the world record holder in snatch (175 kg), set at the last Asian Championships. Due to the one athlete per nation rule, however, Li did not compete in Tokyo, and it was Lu who was selected. The challengers to Lu for gold were Antonino Pizzolato, season best 370 kg, and winner of the last two European championships, Brayan Rodallegas, season best 363 kg and winner of the last two Pan American championships, Zacarías Bonnat, season best 360 kg and second at the last two Pan American championships, and Rejepbaý Rejepow with a qualification best of 363 kg.

After the snatch element, Lu led with 170 kg followed by Pizzolato (165 kg) and Rejepow (164 kg), who both failed to improve their results when they failed their last lifts. As Rodallegas also failed with his last attempt, he finished fourth together with Bonnat and Ritvars Suharevs who all lifted 163 kg. Lu started the clean & jerk element with a solid 197 kg lift, Bonnet followed with a 198 kg, and Pizzolato and Harrison Maurus both lifted 200 kg. Rodallegas missed his last attempt over 200 kg, which left him without a medal. Bonnat was able to clear 202 kg and then 204 kg, which gave him 367 kg in total and brought him to second place. Lu had previously also cleared 204 kg for a clear lead. When Maurus failed to lift 205 kg in his last attempt the bronze medal was already secured by Pizzolato, so he tried to go for gold with the new world record weight of 210 kg, but he did not make it. Lu also tried this weight, but also failed.

The Olympic Standard for Olympic records was 168 kg for snatch, 201 kg for clean & jerk, and 365 kg for total. Lu set the only Olympic record in snatch with 170 kg, while in clean & jerk Bonnat first set the Olympic record with 202 kg, for it only to be bettered by Lu with 204 kg. New in total Olympic records were set by Lu with 367 kg and 374 kg.

Lu became the first Chinese weightlifter to win three Olympic medals and also became the oldest ever Olympic weightlifting gold medallist at 37 years 4 days. He was almost a year older than Rudolf Plyukfelder, who won gold back in 1964. With the fourth gold medal for the Chinese men’s weightlifting team they finished unbeaten in Tokyo. This was the first time that a men’s weightlifting team had won four gold medals since 2008, when it was also China, but with six lifters competing. The last time a men’s weightlifting team won more gold medals was in 1992 when the Unified Team won five golds, with ten starters. Also competing in Tokyo was Amur Al-Kanjari who got a Tripartite Commission Invitation to become the first Olympic weightlifter representing Oman.