VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - Rahmat Erwin Abdullah, an Indonesian weightlifter, made an outstanding achievement at the "IWF World Championships 2023" Weightlifting World Championship at the Prince Faisal bin Fahad Olympic Complex, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday (11/9).

Rahmat Erwin Abdullah managed to break the world record with a 209 kg Clean and Jerk force in the 81 kg category. He also won gold and silver medals as the best athlete in Group B, with a Snatch 145 kg and Clean and Jerk 209 kg, a total force of 354 kg.

The Indonesian Ambassador in Riyadh, Dr. Abdul Aziz Ahmad, was present to witness and pinned the medal to Rahmat Erwin Abdullah. "Congratulations to Rahmat!" Ambassador Aziz said. "Rahmat Erwin Abdullah's achievements not only inspire other athletes and the pride of the Indonesian people, but also inspire the strengthening of relations between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia in the field of sports."

Ambassador Aziz emphasized the importance of organizing international sports events in Saudi Arabia as part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which can be used to strengthen bilateral relations between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia in the field of sports.

Rahmat Erwin Abdullah, who was born in Makassar on October 13, 2000, previously won bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the 73 kg category. However, in the "IWF World Championships 2023" in Riyadh, he competed in the 81 kg category, showing a consistent performance in Group B without competing in Group A filled with world-class lifters.

In the Snatch, Rahmat Erwin Abdullah managed to lift 145 kg, without changing the weight on subsequent occasions. In the Clean and Jerk force, his mainstay, he started with a 195 kg force, then increased the weight to 200 kg in the second successful force.

Rahmat Erwin Abdullah's crowning achievement came during the third lift, where he broke the Clean and Jerk world record of 209 kg, beating the previous record of 208 kg held by Bulgarian lifter Nasar Karlos May Hasan at the 2021 World Championships.

With these results, Rahmat Erwin Abdullah became the best in Group B with a Snatch of 145 kg and a Clean and Jerk of 209 kg, and a total force of 354 kg. Rahmat Erwin Abdullah's gold victory in the Clean and Jerk force was confirmed after competitors in Group A were only able to lift lower weights.

Rahmat Erwin Abdullah's remarkable achievement in breaking the Clean and Jerk world record in the 81 kg category is his second World Record. Previously, he also broke the 73 kg category World Record at the 2022 Weightlifting World Championships in Bogota, Colombia, with a 200 kg force.

"Rahmat Erwin Abdullah is the only Indonesian lifter to break the Clean and Jerk World Record in two different categories, 73 kg and 81 kg," said Ir. Hadi Wihardja, Development and Achievement Division of the Indonesian Weightlifting Association (PABSI). "So, he deserves the nickname 'The King of Clean and Jerk'."

PABSI fielded 15 national athletes at the "IWF World Championships 2023" in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia which was held on September 4-17, 2023. The achievements of the national weightlifters at the World Championships are a strong base as they prepare to compete in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in the near future. (VOI)