IRANIAN WEIGHTLIFTER SHATTERS WORLD RECORD, DEDICATES GOLD TO CHILDREN KILLED IN MISSILE STRIKE
Ahmedabad, India | May 18, 2026By International Sports DeskIranian weightlifter Alireza Yousefi set a stunning new world record at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Ahmedabad, lifting 261 kg in the clean and jerk event in the 110+kg category — and dedicated his gold medal to children killed in a missile strike on a school in…
Ahmedabad, India | May 18, 2026
By International Sports Desk
Iranian weightlifter Alireza Yousefi set a stunning new world record at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Ahmedabad, lifting 261 kg in the clean and jerk event in the 110+kg category — and dedicated his gold medal to children killed in a missile strike on a school in Iran earlier this year.
The 22-year-old champion made the moment unforgettable when he lifted his jersey after his record-breaking lift to reveal a message written in Farsi: “Shohada-e-Minab” — Martyrs of Minab — a tribute to the children of Shajara Tayyiba Elementary School in Minab, Hormozgan province, who were killed in a missile attack in February 2026. Iranian officials say more than 120 children, teachers, and parents lost their lives in the strike, which occurred in the early days of escalating military tensions between the United States and Iran.
Yousefi lifted a total of 445 kg across both disciplines (184 kg snatch + 261 kg clean and jerk), earning gold in the clean and jerk and silver in the overall rankings. His clean and jerk world record is also the first in the newly restructured weight category, following changes made by the International Weightlifting Federation last year.
The Iranian Embassy in India praised Yousefi on X, writing: “Alireza Yousefi has set a world record lifting 261 kg in Gandhinagar. This Iranian champion dedicated his gold medal to the martyred children of the Minab tragedy.”
The Championships saw a total of 25 world records and 27 Asian records broken, making it one of the most historic weightlifting events in recent memory. China topped the medal table with 21 gold, 12 silver, and 8 bronze medals, followed by North Korea. India finished with 11 medals — one silver and 10 bronze — and placed third in the women’s team rankings.
