Yang Yang celebrates during the men's 60-kg competition at the 2026 IWF World Weightlifting Championships in Ningbo. [Photo/Yongpai App]

China's Yang Yang claimed two gold medals and a bronze in the men's 60-kg category as the 2026 IWF World Weightlifting Championships opened in Ningbo on Oct 27, getting the host nation off to a strong start.

Yang lifted 136 kg in the snatch and 168 kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 304 kg. His snatch and total scores secured gold, while his clean and jerk earned bronze.

In the snatch, Yang opened with a successful 132-kg lift before raising the bar to 136 kg on his second attempt, securing the gold medal ahead of his final lift. He then attempted 139 kg but was unable to complete it.

The clean and jerk brought a tougher challenge. North Korea's Pang Un-chol opened at 170 kg, the heaviest starting weight in the field, but failed on his first two attempts before successfully lifting the weight on his third.

Yang began at 162 kg and followed up with a successful 168 kg lift. He later attempted 171 kg but could not complete the lift, finishing third in the discipline.

Competing in front of a home crowd, Yang said the atmosphere made him feel both relaxed and energized. He also acknowledged that a technical flaw had cost him the chance to lift 139 kg in the snatch.

The championships run through Nov 8 at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center and serve as the first qualifying event for weightlifting at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.