North Korean weightlifter Kim Un-ju set a world record en route to winning the gold medal in the women's 75-kilogram event at the Asian Games on Thursday.
 
   Kim lifted 128㎏ in the snatch and then hoisted a world record of 164㎏ in the clean and jerk for a total of 292㎏ which was a new Asian Games record.

   Kim beat by 1 kg the previous clean and jerk record owned by Nadezhda Yevstyukhina of Russia since 2011.

   "I am thankful for the warm support of those who cheered for me," Kim said during an interview after her record-breaking stunt.

   The 24-year-old, who succeeded in all her lifts during the competition, waved to the cheering audience and came out running to the center of the podium with her national flag wrapped around her back for the medal ceremony.

   The silver medal went to China's Kang Yue for her total score of 291㎏, while the bronze was handed to Rim Jong-sim, also from North Korea who lifted up 271㎏.

   For this Asiad, Rim had moved up a division from her original

69㎏, her area of expertise, thereby sidestepping her Chinese rival Xiang Yanmei while giving her compatriot Ryo Un-hui a chance. Xiang won the gold and Ryo got the silver on Wednesday in the 69㎏.

   Rim, however, was unable to do the same in her new weight class.

   With the latest medals, North Korea now has nine weightlifting medals as of Thursday. Only China, with 10 medals, has won more at the Moonlight Festival Garden Weightlifting Venue in the western port city.

   Earlier in the men's competition, North Korea's Kim Un-guk set world records in total and snatch, while compatriot Om Yun-chol broke a clean and jerk world mark. Eight new world records have come from weightlifting so far. (Yonhap)