Olivia Reeves won her first world weightlifting title, four months after becoming the first American to take Olympic gold in the sport since 2000.
Reeves, 21, won the 71kg division at worlds in Manama, Bahrain, on Wednesday. She totaled 267 kilograms (588 pounds) between the snatch and the clean and jerk.
“You can’t top the Olympics, so this one is going in at number two on my all-time list of favorite competitions,” Reeves said, according to the International Weightlifting Federation, which reported that she also graduated from Tennessee-Chattanooga with a sociology degree this week.
She was joined in the medals by Jong Chun-Hui of North Korea (262 kilograms) and Yang Qiuxia of China (261).
Reeves became the first American lifter to win Olympic and world titles since Ike Berger completed his double in 1958.
She’s also the first American to win a world weightlifting title since Meredith Alwine in 2021, also at 71kg. Reeves was the world bronze medalist in 2023 after converting from CrossFit while in middle school.
Wednesday’s field did not include 2023 World gold and silver medalists Liao Guifang of China and Angie Palacios of Ecuador.
Through 11 events at worlds, North Korea has won eight golds with China, Thailand and the U.S. all earning one.
The International Weightlifting Federation announced last week that it’s changing its body weight divisions starting next June. The nearest weights to Reeves’ current 71kg division will be 69kg and 77kg.
