China won three women’s gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and Chinese lifters lead the rankings in all five Paris 2024 weight categories for women.

But the four women’s events in Hangzhou so far have all been won by North Korea, whose champions have set six world records along the way.

Its latest winners were Kim Ilgyong at 59 kilograms and Rim Unsim at 64kg. China was second twice, through Luo Shifang and Pei Xinyi.

Kim, who won silver at the World Youth Championships as a 13-year-old in 2017, took the snatch world record from Olympic 59kg champion Kuo Hsing-chun, who finished third.

Another Olympic champion, Hidilyn Diaz from the Philippines, was fourth but having gone up in weight from 55kg she is happy with her progress.

"It's taken about two years to get back to where I am now," Diaz said after totalling 223kg. "I am now confident with my mental strength and this competition gives me confidence for Paris 2024."

The good news for Diaz, Kuo and China is that North Korea will not be in Paris. It missed too many qualifiers during its four-year absence from international weightlifting, which it has ended in style here in Hangzhou.

Rim said her team had "shed tears and a lot of sweat" during their absence.

She was disappointed after missing two attempts and had to settle for Asian Games records rather than world records in making 111-140-151, finishing well clear of Pei Xinyi on 104-130-234.

Elreen Ando from the Philippines was third, making a personal best clean and jerk in her 96-126-222.

"The DPRK team at the Asian Games has delivered wonderful results," said Wang. "Our sport is developing, this is a healthy trend and we welcome it.

"Now DPRK is ahead of us and we need to catch up. We need to make a lot of reflections about our training methods. We cannot remain in the comfort zone."

Asked about his close observation of PRK lifters during competition, Wang said: "Observing the opponent, understanding the opponent, going to study the opponent, knowing our opponent - all this means later we can improve.

"We do not just focus on ourselves, because I know how much our athletes can lift."

On hearing of Wang’s comments, North Korea’s team manager Songnam Jang said: "China’s athletes are phenomenal.

"In future competitions we will always put China as our target. I think we will motivate each other to make progress."

In the 59kg, 20-year-old Kim made all six lifts and finished 111-135-246, claiming all three junior world records as well as the senior snatch record.

Luo, who failed with a final attempt at 140kg, made 107-133-240 and Kuo made 101-126-237.

At 64kg Rim made 111-140-251, Pei 104-130-234 and Ando 96-126-222.

The two youngest competitors of these Games lifted in the morning, both in the same colours and in the same session.

Kazakhstan team-mates Darya Balabayuk and Altynay Tanibergenova, both 16, lifted in the 59kg B Group, where Balabayuk made the better total by 6kg on 179kg.

They both lifted at the World Youth Championships in March, both hope to go to Mexico in November for the World Juniors, and are good friends - when they are not competing against each other.

Balabayuk said the Asian Games experience was "like the Olympic Games, with a big hall and a big crowd."