More than 1,000 athletes and team officials from over 90 countries and regions have gathered in Ningbo for the 2026 World Weightlifting Championships, running from Oct 27 to Nov 8 and serving as the first qualifying event for weightlifting at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. 

The championships mark the event's first return to China in 31 years. It is held at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center and feature eight weight classes each for men and women.

Ningbo has spent three years preparing for the event, upgrading competition facilities and expanding services for athletes. A dedicated training hall with 50 platforms and a new sauna with massage services are among the facilities designed to support competitors during the championships. Advanced lighting and sound systems have also been installed to enhance the spectator experience.

The first day of competition features the women's 49 kg and men's 60 kg categories, with Chinese athletes among those to watch.

In the men's 60 kg event, Yang Yang is a leading contender for China. He won gold at the Asian Games in September, setting new Games records, and faces challengers such as North Korea's Pang Un-chol.

In the women's 49 kg category, China's Zhao Jinhong faces a major challenge from North Korea's Ri Song-gum, who set world records in the snatch, clean and jerk, and total at the Asian Games.

With Olympic qualification points at stake, the championships offer lifters an important opportunity to build momentum on the road to Los Angeles, while bringing one of weightlifting's biggest international events to Ningbo.