Qatar Wins Three Gold Medals on Final Day of FISU World University Weightlifting Championship

Qatar secured three gold medals on the final day of the 10th FISU World University Weightlifting Championship – Doha 2026, hosted by Qatar Foundation.

The five-day championship brought together around 116 male and female athletes from 21 countries, highlighting Qatar’s growing role as a host for major international sporting events.

Four Weight Classes Featured on Final Day

The final day at the Education City Student Center featured competitions in four weight classes:

Women’s 86kg
Women’s over 86kg
Men’s 110kg
Men’s over 110kg

Wissal Yakhlef Sweeps Three Gold Medals for Qatar

Qatar’s Wissal Yakhlef delivered a standout performance in the women’s over-86kg category, sweeping all three gold medals.

She lifted:

125kg in the snatch
155kg in the clean and jerk
280kg in the overall competition

South Korea’s Yoo Hyo-bin won all three silver medals with a combined total of 248kg, while Slovakia’s Lenka Zembova secured three bronze medals with an overall total of 229kg.

Yakhlef described the achievement as an important milestone in her career, crediting extensive preparation, concentration and sustained effort for her success.

Yakhlef Prepares for Asian Games

Yakhlef said the competition was challenging due to the presence of several highly skilled lifters. She added that winning gold across all three events would motivate her to continue preparing for future competitions.

The championship also marked the final stage of her training programme before joining Qatar’s national team delegation for the weightlifting competition at the 20th Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya 2026, which begin next week in Japan.

Chinese Taipei’s Yu-Lin Peng Wins Women’s 86kg Gold

In the women’s 86kg category, Chinese Taipei’s Yu-Lin Peng also swept all three gold medals.

Peng recorded:

107kg in the snatch
125kg in the clean and jerk
232kg overall
South Korea’s Yubin Hong won the three silver medals with a total of 224kg, while Moldova’s Anastasia Balici secured the bronze medals with an overall total of 209kg.

Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Naimi, President of the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation and Chairman of the Championship Organizing Committee, presented the medals to the top three finishers in the women’s categories.

George Upmeyer Dominates Men’s 110kg Category

American lifter George Upmeyer swept the gold medals in the men’s 110kg category.

He lifted 168kg in the snatch and 201kg in the clean and jerk, finishing with an overall total of 369kg.

Romania’s Paul Ionita won silver in the clean and jerk and overall competition, while American Caleb Wicklund took silver in the snatch and bronze in the other two events.

Iraq’s Mustafa Jabbar Wins Men’s Over-110kg Category

In the men’s over-110kg category, Iraq’s Mustafa Jabbar claimed all three gold medals.

Jabbar recorded:

170kg in the snatch
212kg in the clean and jerk
382kg overall

South Korea’s Park Jin-ho won silver in the clean and jerk and overall competition, while Moldova’s Stanislav Oja took silver in the snatch and bronze overall.

Finland’s Hannu Kiskitalo won bronze in the snatch, while South Korea’s Kim Dong-hyun secured bronze in the clean and jerk.

Championship Highlights University Sport Excellence

The final day showcased the high technical standard of university weightlifting, with athletes producing strong performances in an atmosphere defined by strength, discipline, determination and competitive spirit.

The championship also provided university athletes from different countries with an opportunity to compete, exchange cultures and build international friendships.

Doha Hosts Closing Ceremony

A closing ceremony followed the final competitions, featuring a parade of flags from participating countries alongside elements of Qatari culture.

The ceremony also included a video highlighting the five days of competition. It was attended by QCSF Secretary-General Rashid Saeed Adiba, FISU Technical Committee Chair Dr. Milan Mihajlovic, FISU International Supervisory Committee member Sarita Morales Brenes, along with sports and academic officials.

FISU Flag Handed Over to Albania

At the ceremony, Rashid Saeed Adiba thanked the participating delegations, athletes, officials, volunteers, coaches, technical teams and media for contributing to the championship’s success.

Sarita Morales Brenes also expressed appreciation to the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation and everyone involved in organising the event.

The FISU flag was handed over to Morales Brenes, marking the official conclusion of the championship. Albania will host the 11th edition in 2028.

The event concluded after five days of competition involving approximately 116 athletes from 21 countries, with strong performances across the various weight classes.