Iranian weightlifter Kianoush Rostami broke his own world record to win the men's 85kg Olympic title ©Getty Images

Iranian weightlifter Kianoush Rostami broke the clean and jerk world record to win the men's 85 kilograms Olympic title and clinch his country's first medal of these Games at the Riocentro - Pavilion 2 venue in Rio de Janeiro.

The 25-year-old lifted 217kg with his last clean and jerk attempt for a total of 396kg, beating his own world record by one kilogram.  

China’s Tian Tao equalled Rostami’s clean and jerk lift, an Olympic record, but ultimately missed out on gold by a kilogram

"I wasn't thinking I was going to win," Rostami, the bronze medallist at London 2012, said.

"Sometimes the weights change and sometimes the bodies change.

"If I have more time in the future I will set more Olympic records and more world records."

Romania's Gabriel Sincraian took bronze after lifting 173kg in the snatch and 217kg in the clean and jerk for a combined 390kg.

"I really wanted to get a medal tonight; it didn't matter about the colour," he said.

"I was particularly pleased with my clean and jerk."

Jong Sim Rim claimed North Korea’s first gold medal of Rio 2016 by winning the women’s 75kg competition ©Getty Images
Jong Sim Rim claimed North Korea’s first gold medal of Rio 2016 by winning the women’s 75kg competition ©Getty Images

Earlier, Jong Sim Rim had claimed North Korea’s first gold medal of Rio 2016 by winning the women’s 75kg competition.

Rim, winner of the 69kg gold medal at London 2012, triumphed with a total of 274kg after posting 121kg in the snatch and 153kg in the clean and jerk.

"There was no stress," she said. 

"I just tried really hard. 

"I was really overwhelmed with happiness that I won this gold medal so I can send this honour to my leader [Kim Jong-un]."

Victory for Rim means she becomes only the second North Korean athlete, after freestyle wrestler Kim Il, to win two Olympic gold medals.

She has also become the first woman to win gold in the 69kg and 75kg events at the Olympics.

Darya Naumava of Belarus was a distant second with 258kg, followed by Spain’s Lidia Valentin Perez with 257kg.

Belarus were one of the countries to produce three or more anti-doping rule violations in the combined re-analysis of samples from 2008 and 2012 Olympics in Beijing and London respectively.

With the International Olympic Committee, however, not confirming the cases before the Games begun, they were free to compete.

"We tried not to think about it too much," said Naumava. 

"We just kept training and did the best we could."

Rio 2016 weightlifting action is due to continue tomorrow with the men's 94kg event.