Rory van Ulft became a social media star at a very young age, leaving hundreds of thousands of people impressed by mind-blowing feats of strength. As she grew older, Rory continued pursuing her passion in the sport of weightlifting and achieved some incredible results. She finally made her international debut at the 2026 IWF World Youth Championships on July 5th in Cali, Colombia. Rory immediately showcased her talent, managing to set new Clean & Jerk and Total U44KG IWF Youth World Records.
Rory van Ulft’s Performance Overview
Rory van Ulft weighed in at 43.60 kilograms (96.1 pounds) for the 2026 IWF World Youth Championships, which was just below the limit for the U44KG weight class. She ended up with four out of six successful lifts, missing one Snatch and one Clean & Jerk. Nonetheless, Rory secured a convincing win, totaling 19 kilograms (41.9 pounds) more than the silver medalist.
Snatch
The first lift that Rory van Ulft completed in Colombia was a 67-kilogram (147.7-pound) Snatch. It was a substantial opener, as seen by her following two attempts. For her second Snatch, Rory increased the weight to 69 kilograms (152.1 pounds) but was unable to complete it. She took a couple of minutes to recover and then went back out to try the same lift again. Rory was more successful this time, managing to get 69 kilograms (152.1 pounds) above her head and making a huge step toward the gold medal.
- 67 kilograms (147.7 pounds)
- Unsuccessful — 69 kilograms (152.1 pounds)
- 69 kilograms (152.1 pounds)
Clean & Jerk
Moving on to the Clean & Jerk, Rory van Ulft set a clear goal for herself. However, she first decided to get a score on the board, which is why she opened up with an 88-kilogram (194-pound) lift. The bar went up with ease, showing that it was a routine lift for her.
For her second attempt, Rory van Ulft decided to go for a 93-kilogram (205-pound) Clean & Jerk. This was exactly 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) heavier than the former Youth World Record, which served as an additional incentive for Rory. The Clean portion of the lift required a lot of effort from Rory, but she jerked the weight with ease. She also tried to lift 95 kilograms (209.4 pounds) on her third attempt but was unfortunately unsuccessful.
- 88 kilograms (194 pounds)
- 93 kilograms (205 pounds) — U44KG IWF Youth World Record
- Unsuccessful — 95 kilograms (209.4 pounds)
*Priteesmita Bhoi held the previous U44KG Clean & Jerk IWF Youth World Record of 92-kg (202.8-lb), which she set at the 2025 3rd Asian Youth Games.
Total — 162 kilograms (357.1 pounds) — U44KG IWF Youth World Record
*Rory van Ulft is the first athlete in her division to exceed the U44KG Total Youth World Standard of 161 kilograms (354.9 pounds).
Rory van Ulft clearly has huge ambitions for her future in weightlifting and is also backing it up with hard work, talent, and dedication. She has previously talked about wanting to compete at the Olympics, which does not seem like an unrealistic goal considering what she has achieved so far.
