Player aspiring after top weightlifter
Kim Il Gyong is a woman weightlifter of the April 25 Combat Sports Team who was selected as one of the top ten best players of the DPRK in 2024 after 2022 and 2023.
Since she started her career as a weightlifter, she has immersed herself in training by displaying her natural aptitude and amazing perseverance and fortitude.
She participated in the Asian Junior and Youth Weightlifting Championships to register good results. Later, she fully displayed her capability in domestic and international games.
In the women's 59kg weightlifting of the 19th Asian Games in 2023, in particular, she established a new world record in snatch and new records of the games in jerk and total, thereby winning three gold medals.
As a result, she joined the ranks of the world record holders in the domestic women's weightlifting circles.
Her eyes were fixed on the world games beyond Asia.
Though she won four gold and two silver medals at the women's 59kg category in the 2024 Asian Weightlifting Championships and 2024 IWF World Cup last year, she could not rest on her laurels. Her aim was not the mere first place, but the record-breaking top place.
She made painstaking efforts with great ambition and finally felt the joy of success.
She snatched three gold medals and the best player award at the 2024 IWF World Championships by snatching 108kg, jerking 141kg (new world record) and lifting 249kg in total (new world record).
"Victory for medal cannot be called a victory. The genuine victory is the win achieved by setting a new record," said Kim, winner of the Kim Il Sung Children Honour Prize and Merited Athlete.
She now holds all the world records of the women's 59kg snatch, jerk and total.
Woman of ability in weightlifting circles
Known as one of the aces in the women's weightlifting circles, Ri Song Gum is the winner of the Kim Il Sung Youth Honour Prize and Merited Athlete.
She was one of the top ten players of the DPRK in succession from 2021 to 2024.
Starting to learn weightlifting at a county juvenile sports school (at that time), she laid stepping stones to success with painstaking efforts.
With her special ability in jerk, she always won victory in different domestic and international games in succession by relying on it as a weapon, recording a new record.
She snatched three gold medals at the women's 44kg category of the 2014 Asian Junior and Youth Weightlifting Championships and established a new world record in jerk.
She won the women's weightlifting event of the 19th Asian Games in 2023 and renewed her world record in the jerk and total events at the 49kg category in the 2024 Asian Weightlifting Championships and the 2024 IWF World Cup.
More From Pyongyang Times
Russian presidential press secretary Dmitri Peskov at a press conference on March 8 denounced European countries for their attitud
March 14, 2026
Russian presidential press secretary Dmitri Peskov at a press conference on March 8 denounced European countries for their attitud
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un received congratulatory messages and letters from different countries on the occasion of his
March 14, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un received congratulatory messages and letters from different countries on the occasion of his
The central election committee for the election of deputies to the 15th Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's
March 14, 2026
The central election committee for the election of deputies to the 15th Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's
A stamp exhibition opened with due ceremony at the Korean Stamp Exhibition House in Pyongyang on March 12 in commemoration of the
March 14, 2026
A stamp exhibition opened with due ceremony at the Korean Stamp Exhibition House in Pyongyang on March 12 in commemoration of the
Officials and members of the women's union held a meeting at the plaza of the Monument to Party Founding on March 12 to vow to
March 14, 2026
Officials and members of the women's union held a meeting at the plaza of the Monument to Party Founding on March 12 to vow to
The World Meteorological Organization, in a report issued in January, noted that 2025 was recorded as one of the hottest years
March 13, 2026
The World Meteorological Organization, in a report issued in January, noted that 2025 was recorded as one of the hottest years
Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to the root cause of the Ukrainian crisis in an interview with a journalist of the
March 13, 2026
Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to the root cause of the Ukrainian crisis in an interview with a journalist of the
The Mexican president stressed the need to enhance the role of women in nation building as she addressed an event held on the occa
March 13, 2026
The Mexican president stressed the need to enhance the role of women in nation building as she addressed an event held on the occa
The 39th Pyongyang Municipal Festival of Science and Technology opened with due ceremony at the Sci-Tech Complex on March 11 under
March 13, 2026
The 39th Pyongyang Municipal Festival of Science and Technology opened with due ceremony at the Sci-Tech Complex on March 11 under
Many students in the final year of senior middle schools in North Hwanghae Province volunteered for military service in the
March 13, 2026
Many students in the final year of senior middle schools in North Hwanghae Province volunteered for military service in the
The coal-mining industry sector is waging a vigorous struggle for increased production. Coal production is going up day by day
March 13, 2026
The coal-mining industry sector is waging a vigorous struggle for increased production. Coal production is going up day by day
There was a solemn ceremony at the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, the General Staff of the revolution, in
March 13, 2026
There was a solemn ceremony at the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, the General Staff of the revolution, in
Russian presidential press secretary Dmitri Peskov at a press conference on March 6 gave Finland a warning as to its announcement
March 12, 2026
Russian presidential press secretary Dmitri Peskov at a press conference on March 6 gave Finland a warning as to its announcement
The 25th Winter Paralympics opened in Italy on March 6. At the opening ceremony held on the theme of “Active life”, the
March 12, 2026
The 25th Winter Paralympics opened in Italy on March 6. At the opening ceremony held on the theme of “Active life”, the
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, sent a reply message to Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of
March 12, 2026
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, sent a reply message to Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's
March 12, 2026
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's
True to original ambition Jong Song Hui, who has been chosen as one of the top 10 coaches of the DPRK for the second time, is a
March 12, 2026
True to original ambition Jong Song Hui, who has been chosen as one of the top 10 coaches of the DPRK for the second time, is a
Amid the continued tests of operational efficiency of the destroyer Choe Hyon of the Navy of the Korean People's Army, a strategic
March 11, 2026
Amid the continued tests of operational efficiency of the destroyer Choe Hyon of the Navy of the Korean People's Army, a strategic
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denounced the West’s policy hostile toward his country on March 5. The aim of the
March 11, 2026
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denounced the West’s policy hostile toward his country on March 5. The aim of the
The 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup is under way in Australia.Divided into three groups, twelve teams play league matches, and winners
March 11, 2026
The 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup is under way in Australia.Divided into three groups, twelve teams play league matches, and winners
More Articles
