Chen Lijun of China breaks two weightlifting world records

HOUSTON - China's Chen Lijun broke two world records on Sunday to win the 62kg weightlifting world title, beating defending champion Kim Un-Guk of DPR Korea.

Chen Lijun, from China, lifts during the men's 62kg group of the International Weightlifting Federation World Championships at George R. Brown Convention Center.[Photo/Agencies]

Chen secured the title with a lift to spare when Kim failed to make 179kg in the clean and jerk.

Kim, the 2012 Olympic and 2014 world champion, finished 4kg short of his world record with a total of 328kg.

The 22-year-old Chen, who also beat Kim in the 2013 world championships, went for a final attempt at 183kg. He made it to set a new world record for clean and jerk and for a total lift of 333kg.

"I gave him my special congratulations," the 27-year-old Kim said, while Chen was already looking ahead to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Azerbaijan's Valentin Hristov, who finished third in the snatch, clean and jerk and total, will be likely a strong rival for Kim and Chen in Rio.

In the women's 53kg, China's Chen Xiaoting led by 5kg after the snatch but got in trouble after failing her first two attempts at 120kg in the clean and jerk. She was eventually beaten by world record holder Hsu Shu-ching of Chinese Taipei.