Rizki Juniansyah of Indonesia delivered a dominant performance in the men's 73kg weightlifting event at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, securing the gold medal with a total lift of 354kg. The 21-year-old athlete capitalized on the mistakes of his competitors, winning the event by a margin of 8kg over silver medallist Weeraphon Wichuma of Thailand, who posted a total of 346kg.

Juniansyah, visibly emotional, expressed his joy and gratitude following the victory. "I am happy, proud, and very emotional winning this, my first gold medal and creating history,” he said. “Thank you to all the Indonesians for their support, to those who are watching at home. There are no words that can describe how I am feeling. You saw me crying because it's been such an emotional and beautiful experience, and I am already looking towards the future."

The competition began with Juniansyah lifting 155kg in the snatch portion, placing him 10kg behind Shi Zhiyong of the People's Republic of China and 1kg behind Julio Mayora Pernia of Venezuela after the first phase. However, the event took a dramatic turn when both Shi and Mayora Pernia failed to register a valid lift in the clean-and-jerk portion, eliminating them from medal contention.

With his major rivals out of the competition, Juniansyah needed only one successful lift to secure the gold. He confidently completed his first attempt at 191kg and watched as other competitors tried, but failed, to surpass his total.

Juniansyah's victory marks a significant achievement in Indonesian sports history, adding a new chapter to the nation's Olympic legacy. As he looks ahead, the young weightlifter remains focused on future competitions, aiming to build on his Paris 2024 success.