The 17-year-old, who has previously won European bronze medals at both youth and junior level, won all three categories in the 55 kilograms division at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino.

He triumphed in the overall event with a total lift of 228kg, beating another 17-year-old, Uzbekistan's Ogabek Nafasov, by five kilograms. 

The 2018 Pan American youth champion, Mexico's Jose Manuel Poox Peralta, who is 16, came third after lifting 217kg.

The snatch contest was closer as Massidda won by just a kilogram, once again in front of Nafasov.

The Italian claimed victory with a lift of 103kg.

Claiming third place in the snatch was Azerbaijan's Omar Javadov, another 17-year-old, who lifted 96kg.

In the clean and jerk the Italian's triumph was in front of Peralta who took silver while Nafasov settled for bronze.

They lifted 125kg, 122kg and 121kg respectively.

In the second competition of the day in the men's 61kg, Kazakhstan's Sairamkez Akmolda took the overall title as the only athlete to manage six clean lifts.

He managed 257kg in front of Turkey's Yusuf Fehmi Genc and Vietnam's Dinh Sang Bui.

They lifted 254kg and 243kg respectively.

In that category the three golds were split evenly, as Genc won the clean and jerk with a lift of 146kg and Ding triumphed in the snatch with 113kg.

In the women's 40kg class only three athletes took part, meaning they were all guaranteed a medal so long as they completed their lifts.

In the end overall gold went to Turkey's Cansu Bektas with lifts totalling 120kg, beating Chinese Taipei's Zi Yu Hong by four kilograms.

Another Turk, Celiha Ulker, finished third, having lifted 107kg.

Vietnam's Thi Thu Trang Nguyen took overall gold in the women's 45kg class with lifts totalling 141kg.

Peru's Anali Paola Saldarriaga Yovera won silver with lifts of 130kg and Chinese Taipei’s Yi Fan Zeng came third with 128kg.

Action continues tomorrow.