Who is Hou Zhihui? All you need to know about the Chinese weightlifter who bettered her own Olympic record to win gold at Paris Olympics 2024
Chinese weightlifter Hou Zhihui hogged the spotlight after securing her second consecutive gold medal in the women's 49 kg weightlifting event in the Summer Games. Her first gold medal at the Games came in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She defended her title with another gold at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Wednesday, August 8.
At 18, Hou was part of the Junior World Championships, securing a silver medal in the 48 kg weight category event. At the age of 20, Hou Zhihui took part in the National Games of China in the 48 kg weight category event, bagging a gold medal in the competition.
She continued her good form in the senior division, competing at the World Weightlifting Championships in the 49 kg weight division, winning gold medals in all lifts, and setting the then World Record of 208 kg total lift.
Subsequently, she competed at the IWF World Cup in 2019 in China, sweeping gold medals in all lifts and setting new world records in snatch (94 kg) and total (210 kg). In 2019, she went on to secure a silver medal at the World Championships in Pattaya and bagged a gold medal at the Asian Championships in Ningbo.
At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Hou Zhihui created new Olympic Records in snatch, clean & jerk, and total. She lifted 94 kg weight in snatch and managed to lift 116 kg in clean and jerk to make a total lift of 210 kg. She secured the gold medal for her brilliant efforts. India's Saikhom Mirabai Chanu settled for a silver medal with a total lift of 202 kg.
At the World Championships in 2022 in Bogota, she settled for a bronze medal while at the Asian Championships in 2023 in Jinju, she secured a silver medal.
Hou Zhihui was part of the Indian media's doping allegations
After the conclusion of the Tokyo Olympics, the Indian news agency ANI wrongly reported that Hou would be tested by the International Testing Agency (ITA) for doping. The agency also went on to add that if Hou tests positive, Mirabai Chanu’s silver would be upgraded to gold.
However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and ITA quashed the reports, stating that they were not aware of any such tests being carried out on Hou.
Hou Zhihui’s medals
Paris Olympics 2024: Gold Medal
Tokyo Olympics in 2021: Gold Medal
World Championships 2023: Silver Medal
World Championships 2022: Bronze Medal
World Championships 2019: Silver Medal
World Championships 2018: Gold Medal
Asian Championships 2019: Gold Medal
Asian Championships 2020: Gold Medal
Asian Championships 2023: Silver Medal
National Games of China 2017: Gold Medal
National Games of China 2021: Gold Medal
Junior World Championships 2015: Silver Medal
IWF World Cup 2019: Gold Medal
IWF World Cup 2024: Silver Medal