Who Made the Most Progress at the Junior World Weightlifting Championships?

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Emma Poghosyan (ARM) and Yash Khandagale (IND) are the most improved Junior weightlifters in the world this year. In Ismailia, we watched the next generation of weightlifting talent stake their claims to the podium.

Beyond giving us a peek at the sport’s up-and-comers, Youth and Junior competitions are also fun to follow because the athletes fluctuate so much year-over-year. 

Top 3 Most Improved | Women

Emma Poghosyan (86, ARM) | +17.7% 

Joseline Gonzalez (58, MEX) | +11.5%

Angeline Colonia (48, PHI) | +10.6%

Top 3 Most Improved | Men

Yash Khandagale (71, IND) | +13.2%

Alikhan Askerbay (88, KAZ) | +12.3%

Hussein Hamouda (79, EGY) | +11.4%

Below are the medalists from the 2026 Junior World Weightlifting Championships, plus:

Their 2026 Jr. Worlds Total

vs. 2025 Jr. Worlds Total

(or best intl. total from 2025 if they didn't attend Jr. Worlds last year)

And the % change between them. Athletes marked with non-applicable (na) did not compete internationally last year.

Also: Several of these athletes competed at the European Weightlifting Championships just a week prior. Some performed better in Batumi than Ismailia. Check our results page for a complete picture.

Category

Name (Country) 2026 Jr. Worlds / 2025 Best | %

48KG

🥇 Zeng Zailian (CHN) 189 / na

🥈 Angeline Colonia (PHI) 177 / 160 | +10.6%

🥉Rebeka Groulx (CAN) 174 / 175 | -.6%

53KG

🥇 Peng Tianfeng (CHN) 203 / na

🥈 Natcha Kaewnoi (THA) 195 / 190 | +2.6%

🥉 Maria Stratoudaki (GRE) 188 / 183 | +1.6%

58KG

🥇 Ye Xinye (CHN) 220 / na

🥈 Joseline Gonzalez (MEX) 213 / 191 | +11.5%

🥉 Maria Paz Casadevall (ARG) 206 / 204 | +.9%

63KG

🥇 Saetia Thanaporn (THA) 225 / 211 | +6.6%

🥈 Jiang Yanfang (CHN) 219 / 231 | -5.2%

🥉 Diana Bellorin (VEN) 207 / na

69KG

🥇 Lin Jingwei (CHN) 245 / 231 | +6.1%

🥈 Claudia Rengifo (VEN) 239 / 229 | +4.4%

🥉 Enkileda Carja (ALB) 229 / 213 | +7.5%

77KG

🥇 Anna Amroyan (ARM) 240 / 231 | +3.9%

🥈 Janette Ylisoini (FIN) 239 / 229 | +4.4%

🥉 Varvara Kuzminova (RUS) 237 / 235 | +.9%

86KG

🥇 Anamjan Rustamova (TKM) 257 / 249 | +3.2%

🥈 Xu Linyue (CHN) 256 / na

🥉 Emma Poghosyan (ARM) 253 / 215 | +17.7%

+86KG

🥇 Zhang Yuxin (CHN) 290 / na

🥈 Hu Wenxun (CHN) 288 / 267 | +7.9%

🥉 Tuana Suren (TUR) 247 / 234 | +5.5%