TEHRAN - Ali Davoudi won the men’s +110kg weightlifting gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya as his total lift of 466kg set a new Asian and Asian Games record in the category.
Davoudi finished with a total of 466 kilograms at the Nagoya City Trade and Industry Center. He lifted 206kg in the snatch and 260kg in the clean and jerk to take the title by a single kilogram.
The Iranian began the snatch with 197kg before successfully lifting 202kg on his second attempt. He then returned to the platform for 206kg and completed the lift, moving ahead of Bahrain’s Gor Minasyan in the snatch standings.
Davoudi carried that momentum into the clean and jerk.
He successfully lifted 242kg on his opening attempt before making 260kg on his second. He attempted 261kg with his final lift but could not complete it.
His 260kg clean and jerk gave him a winning total of 466kg.
Iraqi Ali Ammar Rubaiawi finished second with 465kg, while Minasyan took bronze with 440kg.
The competition was held on the final day of weightlifting at the Asian Games. The sport featured 150 athletes from 31 National Olympic Committees and ran from Sept. 23-29 at the Nagoya City Trade and Industry Center.
For Davoudi, the gold marked an improvement on the silver medal he won at the previous Asian Games.
“God’s grace was with me. In the previous edition, I managed to win a silver medal, but this time I was able to win gold. It is truly something to be thankful for,” Davoudi said after the competition.
He also referred to a judging decision during his performance.
Davoudi said the victory carried added significance after he had considered ending his career several months earlier.
“A few months ago, I was thinking about retiring from weightlifting because my circumstances had become difficult. However, I continued, and thank God I was able to win the gold medal at these competitions,” he said.
The 27-year-old said he now hopes to carry the result into the next Olympic cycle.
“Winning a gold medal was very important for the Iranian delegation. I will try to repeat this medal at the Los Angeles Olympics,” Davoudi said.
Iran’s weightlifting team collected two gold and two bronze medals in this edition of the competition.