North Korea's Kim Un-Guk thanked his supreme leader Kim Jong-Un as he broke three world records on his way to gold in the 62kg class weightlifting at the Asian Games Sunday. Kim shattered a 12-year-old record by lifting 154kg in the snatch, and followed it with a clean and jerk of 174kg to set a new combined record of 328kg.
Then with his final attempt he successfully lifted 178kg to raise the combined mark to 332kg, 5kg above the record he set in winning Olympic gold in 2012.
The flamboyant pocket-rocket, who stands just 1.59m (5ft 3 1/2in) tall, gave a double fist-pump salute and broke into a huge smile after his final lift, leaping around the stage in ebullient fashion to a huge ovation from the mainly South Korean crowd.
He draped himself in a North Korean flag for the victory ceremony, saluting the North Korea delegation and singing the anthem of the communist country, choking back tears as he did.
"Everybody aspires to a world record," Kim told AFP with his new gold medal gleaming around his neck. "But it is all thanks to love and care by General Kim Jong-Un (North Korea's leader). Only athletes like me can bear the national flag in their bosom."