Hampton Morris Breaks 39-Year Drought with Olympic Weightlifting Medal, Li Fabin Takes Gold

Team USA’s young weightlifter Hampton Morris is already eyeing the 2028 Olympics, but he needs to tackle another task first — getting his driver’s license.

PARIS, France — At just 20 years old, Hampton Morris has made a name for himself. Despite not yet having a driver’s license, he proudly sports an Olympic bronze medal.

Training out of his garage in Marietta, Georgia, Morris achieved a milestone that no U.S. men’s weightlifter had in four decades. He clinched an Olympic medal in the men’s 61-kilogram division, following the footsteps of Mario Martinez and Guy Carlton, who medaled in Los Angeles in 1984.

“It’s amazing that I’m able to leave that kind of mark in the sport,” Morris expressed, overwhelmed by his accomplishment. He finished third, narrowly missing a silver and a world record.

In the same event, China’s Li Fabin defended his Olympic title, dominating the competition. Li set a new Olympic snatch record by lifting 143 kilograms (315 pounds). With 167 kilograms (368 pounds) in the clean and jerk, he sealed the gold with a total score of 310.

Li’s victory makes him the first weightlifter to secure back-to-back Olympic titles since Turkey’s Naim Suleymanoglu, who won three straight from 1988 to 1996. “It was a smooth competition,” Li said via an interpreter. “I followed the instructions from my team, and I smoothly won the gold medal.”

Coached by his father, Tripp, Morris found himself emotional as he thanked his family. His mother and sister make significant sacrifices for his training, while his grandmother drives him weekly to physical therapy. “I don’t have anywhere else to go, so I never had any real need to get my driver’s license,” Morris shared. “I’m planning to get it very soon. I’ve pretty much learned how to drive. I just haven’t taken the test yet.”

Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, Morris hopes to perform even better, potentially in a higher weight class. His immediate goal of medaling in Paris was almost derailed when he slipped during his first clean and jerk attempt. Mike Gattone, USA Gymnastics senior director of sport performance, noted, “That’s the third guy I’ve seen slip on that platform.”

Adjusting his stance, Morris succeeded in lifting 172 kilograms (379 pounds) on his second attempt, securing his place on the podium with a total score of 298. He attempted a world record lift of 178 kilograms (392 pounds) but narrowly missed.

“I knew I had it in me,” Morris said. “Any other day, I would definitely have a shot at making it. Today I had a shot of making it.”

Veteran weightlifter Eko Yuli Irawan of Indonesia, competing in his fourth Olympics, injured himself during his final lift. Despite being the most decorated Olympian from his country, Irawan’s injury prevented him from further advancing in this competition.

The 61kg category is one of only five in this year’s Paris Games, reduced from seven in Tokyo after reclassification. Technical issues delayed the start by over 20 minutes due to malfunctioning time screens, according to an International Weightlifting Federation spokesperson.

American weightlifter Jourdan Delacruz is set to compete in the women’s 49-kilogram division, where China’s Hou Zhihui remains the favorite. China also looks strong with contenders in multiple categories, including Luo Shifang in women’s 59kg, Shi Zhiyong in men’s 73kg, and Li Wenwen in women’s +81kg, as weightlifting events continue through Sunday.