Metro Manila, Philippines – A new junior division world record has been set by three-time world champion Filipino weightlifter Albert Ian Delos Santos.
The 19-year-old athlete lifted 187 kg in the clean and jerk event in the 71kg category at the 2026 IWF World Junior Championships in Ismailia, Egypt, on Monday, May 4.
He also recorded a snatch of 139 kg, bringing his total to 326 kg and securing the gold medal in the category.
In an interview with the IWF, Delos Santos said he dedicated his win to his late father, who died of liver cancer two months ago.
“I did it for him! I did it for him!” he said.
He also shared that he had been suffering from a back injury two weeks prior to the competition.
“I deviated from my coach’s percentages in training and wanted to do every lift for my dad. It was my way of trying to get over the pain,” he added.
“I couldn’t even walk for a couple of days. I felt so bad, I was in a deep void. I had only a week to train for this and I was trembling out there, but my dad was with me all the way. This was for him.”
He was followed by India’s Yash Vinod Khandagale, who took silver with a total of 309 kg, with lifts of 140 kg in the snatch and 169 kg in the clean and jerk.
Ecuador’s Jimmy Lopez placed third with a total of 301kg — 134kg in the snatch and 167kg in the clean and jerk.
The 19-year-old athlete’s previous record was 185kg in the same event, achieved during the 2025 IWF World Championships.
Delos Santos is eyeing major wins in the upcoming Asian Games and the senior World Championships in Japan and China.
