TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwanese weightlifter Chen Po-jen (陳柏任) topped Group B in the men’s 102kg category at the World Weightlifting Championships on Friday, with his final ranking to be determined by Group A results.

Chen lifted 176 kg in the snatch and 202 kg in the clean and jerk. He secured second place in both lifts for a total of 378 kg, per CNA.

Chen currently holds national records for both the 96kg and 102kg categories. He ranked fifth in the men's 96kg category at the Tokyo Olympics.

This year's championships are being held in Manama, Bahrain, from Dec. 6-16. Lifters compete across 20 categories, according to Olympics.

Chen's path to the Paris Olympics hit a setback in April when he failed to qualify at the Weightlifting World Cup in Thailand after missing all snatch attempts. In August, he had a hamstring tear during training but competed in Bahrain despite being only 80% recovered.

Missing the Paris Olympic qualification affected his mood, leading to a period of low spirits, Chen shared. He regained focus and hoped this competition would restore his confidence.

He has met his pre-competition goals, Chen believes. Looking ahead, Chen’s main priority is to fully recover from the injury.

Chen aims for a podium finish at the 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships. Additionally, he is targeting a new national record by lifting more than 395kg.

As of now, Taiwan has earned one silver and three bronze medals at the championships. Lin Cheng-jing (林呈璟) took bronze in the women’s 49kg category and Chen Guan-ling (陳冠伶) won one silver and two bronze in the women’s 55kg category.