1. Early life and background
Om Yun-chol's early life and entry into the sport of weightlifting were shaped by his family background and his discovery by a coach.
1.1. Birth and upbringing
Om Yun-chol was born on 18 November 1991, in Chongjin, North Korea, specifically in Sunam-guyok. He was born into a family of fishermen.
1.2. Entry into weightlifting
His talent for weightlifting was discovered when he was practicing football at a local sports school. He was identified by weightlifting instructor Sin Gap-jun, who then guided him into the sport.
2. Career
Om Yun-chol's career is marked by significant achievements across various major international weightlifting competitions, including the Olympics, World Championships, and Asian Games, where he consistently demonstrated dominance and set numerous records.
2.1. Olympics
Om Yun-chol made a significant impact at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom, where he won the gold medal in the men's 123 lb (56 kg) event. Competing in the B session, he set an Olympic Record in the clean and jerk with a lift of 370 lb (168 kg). This remarkable feat also made him only the fifth man in the history of weightlifting to successfully clean and jerk three times his own body weight.
At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Om Yun-chol was a strong favorite to defend his gold medal in the men's 123 lb (56 kg) weightlifting event. He broke his own Olympic record with a clean and jerk lift of 373 lb (169 kg). However, he was ultimately surpassed by Long Qingquan of China and secured the silver medal.
2.2. World Championships
Om Yun-chol claimed his first World Championship title in 2013 in Wrocław, Poland, just one year after his Olympic gold. He won the 123 lb (56 kg) category by defeating his rival Long Qingquan by a margin of 4.4 lb (2 kg).
In 2014, held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, he successfully defended his World Champion title by lifting a total of 653 lb (296 kg). Although his total was tied with the second-place finisher, Thạch Kim Tuấn, Om Yun-chol was awarded the gold medal due to his lighter body weight (123 lb (55.71 kg) compared to 123 lb (55.75 kg)).
He continued his winning streak at the 2015 World Weightlifting Championships in Houston, United States, securing his third consecutive World Championship gold medal in a spectacular manner. Despite trailing Wu Jingbiao by 18 lb (8 kg) in the snatch portion, where he set a new world record of 306 lb (139 kg), Om Yun-chol outlifted Wu Jingbiao by 18 lb (8 kg) in the clean and jerk, establishing a new world record of 377 lb (171 kg). Their total lifts were tied at 666 lb (302 kg), but Om Yun-chol once again won by virtue of his lighter body weight.
Om Yun-chol did not participate in the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships as the North Korean team boycotted the event.
In 2018, following the International Weightlifting Federation's reorganization of weight categories, he competed in the newly established 121 lb (55 kg) class. He won his fourth World Championship title by a significant margin of 53 lb (24 kg) over the second-place finisher, earning gold medals in all lifts. During this competition, he set a new world record in the clean and jerk with 357 lb (162 kg).
He further extended his dominance at the 2019 World Weightlifting Championships in Pattaya, Thailand, where he secured his fifth World Championship gold medal in the 121 lb (55 kg) category. During this event, he set a current world record in the clean and jerk with a lift of 366 lb (166 kg) and a current world record in the total with 648 lb (294 kg).
2.3. Asian Games
At the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, Om Yun-chol won the gold medal in the 123 lb (56 kg) category. During the clean and jerk portion of the competition, he set a new world record with a lift of 375 lb (170 kg). His total lift of 657 lb (298 kg) also set an Asian Record at the time.
At the subsequent 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, he was a strong contender for another gold medal. After finishing in second place in the snatch portion, just 2.2 lb (1 kg) behind Thạch Kim Tuấn, Om Yun-chol decisively outlifted him by 18 lb (8 kg) in the clean and jerk, securing his second Asian Games gold medal.
2.4. Other major competitions
Om Yun-chol has also achieved significant success in other major international weightlifting events. In 2013, he won a gold medal at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, in the 123 lb (56 kg) category, with a 278 lb (126 kg) snatch, a 353 lb (160 kg) clean and jerk, and a 631 lb (286 kg) total.
At the 2013 Summer Universiade in New Taipei, Taiwan, he earned a gold medal in the 123 lb (56 kg) class, setting Universiade Records with a 284 lb (129 kg) snatch, a 364 lb (165 kg) clean and jerk, and a 648 lb (294 kg) total.
He also competed at the 2013 Asian Interclub Championships held in Pyongyang, North Korea, where he won gold in the 123 lb (56 kg) category, achieving a 265 lb (120 kg) snatch, a world record 373 lb (169 kg) clean and jerk, and a 637 lb (289 kg) total.
Earlier in his career, he competed at the 2011 World Junior Championships in Penang, Malaysia, where he placed fourth in the 123 lb (56 kg) category but won a gold medal in the clean and jerk with a lift of 344 lb (156 kg). At the 2011 World Weightlifting Championships in Paris, France, he finished sixth in the 123 lb (56 kg) category with a 254 lb (115 kg) snatch, a 335 lb (152 kg) clean and jerk, and a 589 lb (267 kg) total. In 2019, he placed sixth at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Ningbo, China, in the 134 lb (61 kg) category, lifting 287 lb (130 kg) in the snatch, 364 lb (165 kg) in the clean and jerk, for a total of 650 lb (295 kg).
3. Major records and achievements
Om Yun-chol is recognized for several significant accomplishments in weightlifting, particularly his ability to lift more than three times his body weight. He is the fourth man in history to lift over three times his body weight in the clean and jerk on multiple occasions, and the sixth man to achieve this feat seven times in international competitions.
Throughout his career, Om Yun-chol has set six senior world records: five in the clean and jerk and one in the total.
His notable world and Olympic records include:
- Clean and Jerk:
- 370 lb (168 kg) (2012 London Olympics, Olympic Record)
- 373 lb (169 kg) (2013 Asian Interclub Championships)
- 375 lb (170 kg) (2014 Asian Games)
- 377 lb (171 kg) (2015 World Weightlifting Championships)
- 357 lb (162 kg) (2018 World Weightlifting Championships)
- 366 lb (166 kg) (2019 World Weightlifting Championships, Current World Record)
- Snatch:
- 306 lb (139 kg) (2015 World Weightlifting Championships)
- Total:
- 648 lb (294 kg) (2019 World Weightlifting Championships, Current World Record)
His personal bests are: Snatch: 295 lb (134 kg) (2016), Clean and Jerk: 377 lb (171 kg) (2015), Total: 668 lb (303 kg) (2016).
Year Venue Weight Snatch (kg) Clean & Jerk (kg) Total Rank 1 2 3 Rank 1 2 3 Rank Olympic Games 2012 London, United Kingdom 56 kg 120 125 125 6 160 165 168 1 293 
alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 2016 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 56 kg 128 132 134 2 165 169 169 2 303 
alt=2nd place, silver medalist(s) World Championships 2011 Paris, France 56 kg 115 118 118 10 152 152 152 5 267 6 2013 Wrocław, Poland 56 kg 124 127 130 alt=2nd place, silver medalist(s) 162 170 -- alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 289 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 2014 Almaty, Kazakhstan 56 kg 124 124 128 5 162 162 168 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 296 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 2015 Houston, United States 56 kg 127 131 133 
alt=3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 165 171 WR 175 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 302 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 2018 Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 55 kg 120 125 128 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 155 162 162 WR alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 282 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 2019 Pattaya, Thailand 55 kg 121 126 128 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 155 163 166 CWR alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 294 CWR alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) Asian Games 2014 Incheon, South Korea 56 kg 123 128 131 3 160 166 170 WR 1 298 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 2018 Jakarta, Indonesia 56 kg 127 131 131 2 160 172 172 1 287 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) Asian Championships 2013 Astana, Kazakhstan 56 kg 122 126 126 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 160 169 169 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 286 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 2019 Ningbo, China 61 kg 125 130 133 7 165 172 172 4 295 6 Asian Interclub Championships 2013 Pyongyang, North Korea 56 kg 115 118 120 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 155 169 WR -- alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 289 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) World Junior Championships 2011 Penang, Malaysia 56 kg 115 121 121 6 150 156 156 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 271 4 Summer Universiade 2013 New Taipei, Taiwan 56 kg 122 129 UR -- alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 155 165 UR 172 alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) 294 UR alt=1st place, gold medalist(s) - CWR: Current world record
- WR: World record
- UR: Universiade record
4. Personal life and post-retirement activities
After concluding his competitive career, Om Yun-chol transitioned into new roles, focusing on education and contributing to the development of weightlifting in North Korea.
4.1. Personal life
After his retirement from competitive weightlifting in 2019, Om Yun-chol pursued higher education. He graduated from Kim Hyong Jik University of Education, where he majored in athletics.
4.2. Retirement and coaching activities
Following his retirement, Om Yun-chol began working as a weightlifting researcher. He is involved with the youth athletics school under the Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports, contributing to the training and development of young athletes.