Akbar Djuraev

2.1. Junior Career

Djuraev began his competitive career in the junior categories, demonstrating early promise. At the 2017 Junior World Weightlifting Championships held in Tokyo, Japan, he competed in the 231 lb ^{(105 kg)} weight category, finishing sixth overall with a total lift of 776 lb ^{(352 kg)} (357 lb ^{(162 kg)} in the snatch and 419 lb ^{(190 kg)} in the clean & jerk).

In 2018, Djuraev won a gold medal at the Junior Asian Championships, achieving a total of 820 lb ^{(372 kg)}. Later that year, at the 2018 Junior World Weightlifting Championships in his home city of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, he secured a silver medal. His total lift was 814 lb ^{(369 kg)}, comprising 368 lb ^{(167 kg)} in the snatch and 445 lb ^{(202 kg)} in the clean & jerk. He continued his junior success by becoming the Junior World Champion in 2019, lifting a total of 877 lb ^{(398 kg)}.

2.2. Senior Career

Djuraev transitioned to senior-level competitions, competing initially in the 231 lb ^{(105 kg)} category until 2018. Following the International Weightlifting Federation's reorganization of weight categories in 2018, he began competing in the 225 lb ^{(102 kg)} and 240 lb ^{(109 kg)} divisions.

At the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships in Anaheim, United States, Djuraev placed 13th in the 231 lb ^{(105 kg)} category with a total of 822 lb ^{(373 kg)}, lifting 384 lb ^{(174 kg)} in the snatch and 439 lb ^{(199 kg)} in the clean & jerk. In early November 2018, at the 2018 World Weightlifting Championships in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, he won a gold medal in the snatch for the 225 lb ^{(102 kg)} weight category by lifting 397 lb ^{(180 kg)}. He finished fourth overall with a clean & jerk of 467 lb ^{(212 kg)}, totaling 864 lb ^{(392 kg)}, narrowly missing the bronze medal by just 2.2 lb ^{(1 kg)}. In December 2018, Djuraev earned a bronze medal at the Qatar International Cup in the new 240 lb ^{(109 kg)} weight category, matching his World Championships total of 864 lb ^{(392 kg)}.

In April 2019, Djuraev improved his personal record at the Asian Championships in the 240 lb ^{(109 kg)} category, achieving a silver medal with a total of 904 lb ^{(410 kg)} (408 lb ^{(185 kg)} snatch and 496 lb ^{(225 kg)} clean & jerk). Later that year, at the 2019 World Weightlifting Championships in Pattaya, Thailand, he won a silver medal in the clean & jerk for the 240 lb ^{(109 kg)} category, lifting 505 lb ^{(229 kg)}. He finished fourth in the overall standings with a total of 919 lb ^{(417 kg)}, a result that also stood as a junior world record at the time. He also won the Qatar Cup with a total of 893 lb ^{(405 kg)} (408 lb ^{(185 kg)} snatch and 485 lb ^{(220 kg)} clean & jerk).

In 2020, Djuraev secured a gold medal at the International Solidarity Championships with a total of 904 lb ^{(410 kg)}. In April of the same year, at the Asian Championships, he once again finished second in the 240 lb ^{(109 kg)} category, achieving a career-best total of 944 lb ^{(428 kg)} (428 lb ^{(194 kg)} snatch and 516 lb ^{(234 kg)} clean & jerk). He qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo by defeating Olympic champion Ruslan Nurudinov by 26 lb ^{(12 kg)} at the Uzbekistan Championship. In Tokyo, Djuraev overcame Armenian weightlifter Simon Martirosyan to claim the Olympic gold medal. He later added a World Championship gold medal to his achievements at the 2021 World Weightlifting Championships held in his hometown of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in the 240 lb ^{(109 kg)} event.

At the 2023 World Weightlifting Championships in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Djuraev competed in the 240 lb ^{(109 kg)} category and won the gold medal with a total of 915 lb ^{(415 kg)}. He also earned a small gold medal in the snatch and a small silver medal in the clean & jerk. In 2023, at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, he secured a silver medal in the 240 lb ^{(109 kg)} category with a total of 919 lb ^{(417 kg)} (417 lb ^{(189 kg)} snatch and 503 lb ^{(228 kg)} clean & jerk). At the 2023 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jinju, South Korea, Djuraev won a bronze medal in the +240 lb ^{(109 kg)} category, achieving a total of 963 lb ^{(437 kg)}.

In 2024, Djuraev participated in the 2024 IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, lifting a total of 917 lb ^{(416 kg)} (417 lb ^{(189 kg)} snatch and 500 lb ^{(227 kg)} clean & jerk) in the 240 lb ^{(109 kg)} event. He also competed at the 2024 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in the 225 lb ^{(102 kg)} category, where he totaled 882 lb ^{(400 kg)} (397 lb ^{(180 kg)} snatch and 485 lb ^{(220 kg)} clean & jerk). At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, Djuraev competed in the men's 225 lb ^{(102 kg)} event, where he secured a silver medal with a total of 891 lb ^{(404 kg)}, finishing 4.4 lb ^{(2 kg)} behind the gold medalist, Liu Huanhua of China.

2.3. Records and Personal Bests

Akbar Djuraev holds several records and has achieved impressive personal bests throughout his career. He is a junior world record holder in both the snatch and total in the 225 lb ^{(102 kg)} division. Additionally, he holds junior world records in the snatch, clean & jerk, and total in the 240 lb ^{(109 kg)} division.

His personal bests are:

• Snatch: 430 lb ^{(195 kg)} (achieved in 2021)
• Clean & jerk: 534 lb ^{(242 kg)} (achieved in 2023)
• Total: 963 lb ^{(437 kg)} (achieved in 2023)