By Julian Linden
OCA Media
Nagoya, Japan, September 29, 2026: Ali Davoudi of the Islamic Republic of Iran staked his claim to being the strongest man in Asia after pulling off a dramatic victory in the men’s super heavyweight weightlifting class at the Asian Games on Tuesday.
Davoudi was awarded the gold in the +110 kilogram division after a controversial finish to the seven-day weightlifting competition at the Nagoya City Trade and Industry Center.
Iraq’s Ali Ammar had looked set to take the spoils after he broke the world record in the snatch with a massive heave of 219kg which he celebrated by dropping to his knees and kissing the weight plates.
But a communications mix up during the clean and jerk saw Ammar fail to get to the platform in time for his third and final attempt at 252kg in the clean and jerk, effectively costing him gold.
Believing Davoudi was on the clock, Ammar only realised at the last moment that it was his turn to lift. He ran from backstage to the platform while trying to buckle up his weight belt and, although he got to the barbell with seconds to spare, he was too rushed so dropped it.
“I attempted to change the weight and the lift should have gone to the Iranian, but the Iranian had also raised his weight, so the lift went back to me. But the counting clock did not go back to me, it showed the Iranian flag,” Ammar said.
“I didn’t have the time to rest or pull up my belt. I thought I had two minutes to rest but then I ran out. If I had 10 more seconds that would have been great. I was not able to attempt it. Yes, I was disappointed but I am sure this is a learning experience. I made a mistake and that’s why I failed.”
That opened the door for Davoudi to win the gold - but he needed to lift 260kg with one of his two remaining attempts. He succeeded at his first try but only after he won an appeal against the jury’s initial finding that the lift was not good.
After reviewing the footage, the jury changed its mind, giving Davoudi the gold with a total of 466kg, 1kg more than Ammar. The bronze medal went to Bahrain’s Gor Minasan with 440kg.
“I am happy about this gold medal. I trained many months for this medal,” Davoudi said.
“Ali Ammar surprised us in the snatch but we knew in the clean with jerk with 260/261kg I could take the gold medal. I was very happy with this decision. If I needed to lift again, I could have done it.”
*Earlier, Akbar Djuraev gave Uzbekistan just its second gold medal in weightlifting at the Asian Games when he won the men’s heavyweight - 110kg division.
The gold medallist at the Tokyo Olympics, Djuraev broke the world record in the snatch with a mighty lift of 197kg.
He used only one attempt at clean and jerk at 226kg to build an unbeatable total of 423kg, saving his energy for the upcoming world championships and a shot at the other two world records on offer.
“This year we had planned just two competitions, Asian Games and world championships. Here I could make a world record, thank God. I am planning to also make a world record at the world championships,” Dujarev said.
“Breaking records gives me such a unique and pleasant feeling, not fear. That’s why it is comfortable for me to break the world record. I love Japan, it’s like a lucky place for me.”
Shahzadbek Matyakubov of Turkmenistan won the silver while the bronze went to China’s Liu Huanhua.
*DPR Korea finished the weightlifting competition as the leading country with seven gold, two silver and one bronze medal from 16 events, eight each for men and women.
China was the next best with five gold, two silver and three bronze medals.
Iran won two golds while Uzbekistan and Indonesia both captured one gold each. Twelve other National Olympic Committees won at least a silver or bronze.
