TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwanese weightlifter Fang Wan-ling (方莞靈) secured sixth place in the women's 49kg category at the Paris Olympics, setting national records for snatch and total lifts.

Fang, deemed Taiwan's “fairy weightlifter,” lifted 86 kg in her third snatch attempt, breaking the national record of 84 kg. In the clean and jerk, Fang lifted 107 kg in her third attempt, bringing her total to 193 kg and surpassing her previous national record of 192 kg, per CNA.

Fang, a member of Taiwan's Indigenous Tsou tribe, was raised by a single mother and faced financial hardship. The mutual support between Fang and her mother developed into a strong sense of determination and resilience, per CNA.

Initially a track and field athlete, Fang transitioned to weightlifting in middle school. Her talent quickly emerged, culminating in three gold medals at the 2015 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships, per Sports Vision. 

The wins ignited Fang's passion for the sport. She aimed to use her winnings to support her family.

Fang suffered a knee injury two months before the Asian Games in 2018. Despite the injury, Fang competed and finished sixth in the women's 48kg category.

Fang, 21, made her Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, placing fourth in the women's 49kg category with a total lift of 181 kg. Facing setbacks from her previous injury and limited resources after the Olympics, she considered retirement.

Fang returned to training with the encouragement of her coach, Lin Yueh-jeng (林玥礽). In 2024, Fang achieved a personal best of 192 kg at the IWF World Cup in Thailand, securing her spot at the Paris Olympics, per Paris 2024.