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Yeison Lopez won praise from the highest level of Colombian sport after setting three world records on his way to victory at the Pan American Championships in Panama City, Panama.

“Let’s stand up and give a round of applause, or better yet three, for our triple world record in weightlifting,” said a Colombian sports ministry statement.

Yeison, who was voted Colombia’s sportsperson of the year in 2025 after winning the 89kg world title, made five good lifts at 88kg and declined the last one. He made a career high 181-216-397 and finished 48kg ahead of the American silver medallist Hutton Boles. 

Yeison Lopez (COL)

“I am grateful mainly to God, for allowing me to live this wonderful experience,” said Yeison, whose “big dream” is to win Olympic gold in Los Angeles. He was second to Karlos Nasar in Paris, where he totalled 390kg at 89kg.

Caden Cahoy from the United States and Matheus Pessanha from Brazil were other outstanding performers in the men’s events, winning with career-high totals. Cahoy, 22, missed three attempts but set a continental clean and jerk record in making 150-204-354 at 79kg for his first senior victory.

Pessanha, fully recovered from a knee injury and benefiting from a training camp funded by his national Olympic Committee, went past 400kg for the first time. He did it in style at 110kg with Pan American records in clean and jerk and total. Pessanha, who will be 21 in August, made 180-228-408 to finish 11kg clear of Kolbi Ferguson from the United States, whose 224kg clean and jerk was a continental record for a couple of minutes.

Two Colombian winners set Pan American records on total, Francisco Mosquera on 320kg at 65kg and Rafael Cerro on 419kg in the super-heavyweights.

Matheus Pessanha (BRA)

Keydomar Vallenilla from Venezuela had a continental snatch record in making 177-212-389 to win at 94kg – which was 3kg more than Karlos Nasar’s winning total at the recent European Championships. Juan Guadamud from Ecuador was second on 385kg, a personal best by 25kg.

The other men’s winners were Gabe Chhum (USA) on 281kg at 60kg and Luis Javier Mosquera on 315kg at 71kg.

After setting all three 77kg world records last November at the World Championships in Norway, Olivia Reeves dropped down in Panama to try and take the 69kg records, also set in Norway by Song Kuk-hyang (PRK). It didn’t work out when the American Olympic champion failed three times, including record attempts in snatch at 121kg and clean and jerk at 151kg.

Reeves made 115-147-262 to finish 15kg clear of Julieth Rodriguez from Colombia, and still posted the best individual points score. Her team-mate Miranda Ulrey was next best.

Olivia Reeves (USA)

Ulrey missed her first two snatches but recovered to claim a sweep of continental records on 96-120-216 at 53kg. She was a junior world champion and continental senior winner at 59kg but this drop in weight could lead to even more success.

Her team-mate Sophia Shaft – aged 21 and a fifth-place finisher at the World Championships, just like Ulrey – had her first big win when she took the 63kg title on 107-130-237.

Lisseth Ayovi (ECU)

Lisseth Ayovi from Ecuador set a Pan American super-heavyweight record with a total of 281kg, finishing 1kg ahead of Marifelix Sarria from Cuba.  

Other winners were Patricia Mercado from Venezuela at 48kg (185kg), Maria Luz Casedevall from Argentina at 58kg (214kg), Mattie Rogers from USA at 77kg (249kg), and Kelin Jimenez from Venezuela at 86kg (246kg).

Colombia topped the men’s and combined medals tables, while United States had the top women’s team. 

By Brian Oliver