Break Two World Records at the 2025 SEA Games, Rizki Juniansyah Aims for the 2028 Olympics

Indonesian weightlifter, Rizki Juniansyah, in the 2025 Thailand SEA Games (doc. NOC Indonesia/Tetuko Mediantoro).

JAKARTA - Indonesia's mainstay weightlifter, Rizki Juniansyah, managed to break two world records at the same time when he won a gold medal in the 2025 SEA Games which took place in Thailand.

Rizki was the best in the 79 kilogram men's class with a total of 365 kilograms (snatch 160 kilograms and clean & jerk 205 kilograms) at the Chonburi Sports School, Chonburi, Thailand, on Monday, December 15, 2025.

The athlete who won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics admitted that he was very touched by this achievement. He said that now the next target is to prepare for the Los Angeles Olympics, United States, in 2028.

English:

"My goal is there (2028 Olympics). This SEA Games is a leap for the future championship so that I can be better," said Rizki after the match as quoted in a statement in Jakarta.

In addition to successfully presenting medals in the biennial multi-branch sports festival, Rizki also broke the world record, each in the total power and clean & jerk in his own name.

The total 365 kilogram lift broke the previous world record of 363 kilograms and the clean & jerk lift surpassed his own record obtained at the 2025 World Championships in October. At that time, Rizki made a clean & jerk lift weighing 204 kilograms.

Rizki said that this record-breaking was a strategy implemented with the coach. He had wanted to break the world record in the snatch, but the coach advised him to focus on the clean & jerk.

"However, it is not allowed for the coach to fill in the power clean & jerk. So, I'm just landing in the snatch 160 kilograms, so in the clean & jerk force it's a bit relaxed," said Rizki.

Meanwhile, the silver medal from the 79 kilogram class was won by Muhammad Erry Hidayat (Malaysia) who recorded a total of 336 kilograms (snatch 149 kilograms and clean & jerk 187 kilograms).

Next, the bronze medal belongs to Natthawut Suepsuan. The host Thailand's weightlifter recorded a total of 335 kilograms (snatch 155 kilograms and clean & jerk 180 kilograms).

The latest gold in Thailand made Rizki continue his positive results in the Southeast Asian arena. He previously also won a gold medal from the 73 kilogram event at the 2023 SEA Games which took place in Cambodia.

Currently, Indonesia is still firmly in second place in the provisional standings for the 2025 SEA Games with 53 gold, 63 silver, and 59 bronze. Meanwhile, the host Thailand is unshakable in first place with 138 gold, 82 silver, 54 bronze.

English: