'World records not enough': North Korea weightlifters target Olympic gold rush

NAGOYA: North Korea's weightlifters, who have not competed in the Olympics for 12 years, are returning to the 2028 Los Angeles Games with a focus on winning gold. The secretive nation has dominated global weightlifting since resuming competition following its Covid-related isolation. At the recent Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, North Korea won four gold medals and two silvers from six events, setting seven world records in the process.

Ri Song Gum, a 28-year-old strongwoman, has set her sights on the only title missing from her collection by aiming for the women's 53kg class at the 2028 Olympics. She expressed her determination to win gold in Los Angeles. Oh Kwang Ok also won the women's 57kg gold, setting three more world records in the process. The Olympic Games in 2028 is my target.

I will try my best to win gold in Los Angeles. The success of North Korean weightlifters post-Covid has raised questions about their activities during the border closures, but world doping authorities have recently resumed testing in the country. North Korea strategically allocates its limited resources to sports where it believes it has the best chance of success, particularly in lighter weight classes where they have consistently excelled.