Rizki Juniansyah

2.1. Birth and Family Background

Rizki Juniansyah was born on June 17, 2003, in Serang, Banten, Indonesia. He grew up in a household where weightlifting was a family tradition. His father, M. Yasin (1966-2024), was a distinguished national weightlifter who represented Indonesia in five consecutive Southeast Asian Games from 1983 to 1993, earning bronze medals at the 1985 SEA Games and 1987 SEA Games. His mother, Yeni Rohaeni, was also a competitive weightlifter at the provincial level in Banten. Both of his older siblings, Randy Maulida Yasin and Riska Anjani Yasin, were active weightlifters. Furthermore, his brother-in-law, Triyatno, is an Olympic medalist, having won bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and silver at the 2012 London Olympics, and later became one of Juniansyah's coaches. Rizki began his training at his father's gym when he was in the fourth grade of elementary school, at the age of nine.

2.2. Early Training and Domestic Achievements

Juniansyah started his competitive career early, quickly demonstrating his talent in various national and provincial championships. He secured gold medals at the PPLP National Championships in both 2017 and 2018. Additionally, he achieved gold medals at the 2018 Youth Regional Sports Week, the 2018 Provincial Sports Week, and the 2021 National Sports Week, all while representing the province of Banten. These early successes laid a strong foundation for his future international career.

3.1. Youth World Records

By the age of 17, Juniansyah had already made a significant mark by holding several youth world records. At the 2020 Asian Youth & Junior Weightlifting Championships, he set two youth world records in the 73 kg category with a snatch of 306 lb ^{(139 kg)} and a total lift of 677 lb ^{(307 kg)}. Later in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Youth World Weightlifting Championships were replaced by an online event called the IWF Youth World Cup. During this event, Juniansyah delivered an impressive performance, achieving a snatch of 320 lb ^{(145 kg)}, a clean and jerk of 397 lb ^{(180 kg)}, and a total of 717 lb ^{(325 kg)}. Although these lifts surpassed all existing youth world records at the time, they were not officially recognized as new world records due to the online format of the competition. Nevertheless, in recognition of his outstanding performance, the IWF honored him with the title of 'The Best Lifter' in the competition.

3.2. Junior World Records

As Juniansyah transitioned into the junior competitive levels, he continued his record-breaking trajectory. At the 2021 Junior World Weightlifting Championships, he established three junior world records in the 73 kg category with a snatch of 342 lb ^{(155 kg)}, a clean and jerk of 428 lb ^{(194 kg)}, and a total lift of 769 lb ^{(349 kg)}. The following year, in 2022, he further solidified his dominance by setting two consecutive junior world records in the snatch. He first broke his own record with a 344 lb ^{(156 kg)} snatch at the 2022 Junior World Weightlifting Championships, where he successfully defended his 2021 title. Later that same year, at the 2022 Asian Youth & Junior Weightlifting Championships, he improved the record once more with a 346 lb ^{(157 kg)} snatch, which currently stands as the junior world record.

4.1. Road to Paris 2024

The qualification pathway for the 2024 Paris Olympics required athletes to compete in key events, including the 2023 World Weightlifting Championships in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and the 2024 IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, along with at least three other Olympic qualification tournaments. Juniansyah actively participated in this rigorous qualification process, competing in events such as the 2022 World Weightlifting Championships in Bogotá, Colombia; the 2023 IWF Grand Prix 1 in Havana, Cuba; and the 2024 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

His journey to Paris was not without its obstacles. In August 2023, Juniansyah underwent an appendectomy, which necessitated a 5 to 6 month break from training and competitions. This period of recovery posed a significant challenge to his Olympic qualification efforts. However, he resumed training by the end of January 2024 and quickly returned to peak form. He successfully secured his qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics by winning the gold medal at the 2024 IWF World Cup in Phuket. During this event, he set a new senior world record with a total lift of 805 lb ^{(365 kg)}, surpassing the previous record held by China's Shi Zhiyong. This victory not only secured his Olympic spot but also marked him as Indonesia's highest-scoring lifter in the Olympic qualification rankings.

4.2. 2024 Paris Olympics

At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Rizki Juniansyah made a historic debut. Competing in the men's 73 kg event, he clinched the gold medal, delivering a monumental victory for Indonesia. During the final, he set a new Olympic record with a 439 lb ^{(199 kg)} clean and jerk lift on his second attempt.

This gold medal was particularly significant for Indonesia and its people. At just 21 years old, Juniansyah became the youngest Indonesian Olympic gold medalist in history, surpassing the record previously held by badminton legend Susi Susanti from the Barcelona 1992 Olympics. His victory also marked a groundbreaking achievement for Indonesian weightlifting, as it was the nation's first-ever Olympic gold medal in the sport since Indonesia began competing in weightlifting at the Helsinki 1952 Olympics. This win ended a 72-year streak during which Indonesian weightlifters had accumulated 7 silver and 8 bronze medals at the Olympics but had never reached the top of the podium. Furthermore, Juniansyah's triumph broke China's five-consecutive-gold dominance in the men's lightweight category, underscoring the magnitude of his performance on the global stage.

4.3. International Competition Results

Key to Abbreviations:

• OR - Olympic Record
• CWR - Current World Record
• GR - Games Record (specifically SEA Games in this context)
• CJWR - Current Junior World Record
• JWR - Junior World Record (historical/former)
• YWR - Youth World Record (historical/former)

5.1. Current Records Held

As of late 2024, Rizki Juniansyah currently holds several prestigious records:

• Senior World Record (Total): 805 lb ^{(365 kg)}, set at the 2024 IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, on April 4, 2024.
• Olympic Record (Clean & Jerk): 439 lb ^{(199 kg)}, achieved at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, on August 8, 2024.
• SEA Games Records (73 kg):
  • Snatch: 344 lb ^{(156 kg)}
  • Clean & Jerk: 421 lb ^{(191 kg)}
  • Total: 765 lb ^{(347 kg)}

  These three records were set at the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia on May 14, 2023.

  • Junior World Record (Snatch): 346 lb ^{(157 kg)}, set at the Asian Youth & Junior Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on July 21, 2022.

5.2. Former Records Held

Juniansyah previously held several junior and youth world records that have since been surpassed by other athletes or himself:

• Former Junior World Records (73 kg):
  • Snatch: 342 lb ^{(155 kg)}, set at the 2021 Junior World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on May 26, 2021. This record was subsequently broken by Juniansyah himself.
  • Snatch: 344 lb ^{(156 kg)}, set at the 2022 Junior World Championships in Heraklion, Greece, on May 5, 2022. This record was also surpassed by Juniansyah himself.
  • Clean & Jerk: 428 lb ^{(194 kg)}, set at the 2021 Junior World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on May 26, 2021. This record was later broken by Weeraphon Wichuma of Thailand in October 2023.
  • Total: 769 lb ^{(349 kg)}, also set at the 2021 Junior World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on May 26, 2021. This record was also broken by Weeraphon Wichuma of Thailand in October 2023.
  • Former Youth World Records (73 kg):
    • Snatch: 306 lb ^{(139 kg)}, set at the 2020 Asian Youth & Junior Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on February 16, 2020. This record was later broken by Mohammed Bassam Al Marzouq of Saudi Arabia in September 2024.
    • Total: 677 lb ^{(307 kg)}, also set at the 2020 Asian Youth & Junior Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on February 16, 2020. This record was later broken by Yedige Yemberdi of Kazakhstan in June 2022.

    It is important to note that the International Weightlifting Federation defines the Youth category for ages 13-17 and the Junior category for ages 15-20.