Kate Nye won a silver medal for the best U.S. weightlifting result since Tara Nott-Cunningham won gold in 2000, and Sarah Robles became the first U.S. woman to win two weightlifting medals in her career at the Tokyo Olympics.
Olympic records fell in many classes, and world records fell in two of them. China's Zhi Zhiyong set an overall record of 364kg in the 73kg class.
The scene-stealer was Georgia's Lasha Talakhadze in the +109kg weight class. In the snatch, he lifted 223kg. In the clean and jerk, it was 265kg. Those two lifts were world records, as was the total of 488kg.
SEE MORE: Lasha Talakhadze sets new weightlifting world records
U.S. history
Nye set American records in the 76kg class in the snatch (111kg), clean and jerk (138kg) and overall (249kg). Robles tied the American record for the snatch (128kg) in the +87kg class. Wes Kitts lifted 177kg in the snatch, a U.S. record in the 109kg class.
No U.S. men have won a medal since 1984. Harrison Maurus came close, finishing fourth.
SEE MORE: Podcast: How did gymnast Kate Nye become weightlifter Kate Nye?
A first for the Philippines
The Philippines had never had a gold medalist. Hidalyn Diaz changed that, winning the women's 55kg class.
Diaz had to do it on her last lift. She was tied for second after the snatch, missing her last attempt at 99kg. The leader after the snatch, Uzbekistan's Muattar Nabieva, faltered at 117kg in the clean and jerk while three athletes cleared 123kg and above.
China's Liao Qiuyun lifted 126kg to take the lead. Diaz had wrapped up silver but had one attempt left. She asked for 127kg. And she did it.
SEE MORE: Reimagined: Diaz wins Philippines' first Olympic gold medal
Medalists
China showed its strength in this sport as usual, winning eight medals, seven of them gold. Indonesia and Italy each took three.
Women’s 49kg RESULTS
Gold: Hou Zhihui (CHN)
Silver: Mirabai Chanu Saikhom (IND)
Bronze: Aisah Windy Cantika (INA)
Women’s 55kg RESULTS
Gold - Hidilyn Diaz (PHI)
Silver - Liao Qiuyun (CHN)
Bronze - Zulfiya Chinshanlo (KAZ)
Women's 59kg RESULTS
Gold - Kuo Hsing-Chun (TPE)
Silver - Polina Guryeva (TKM)
Bronze - Ando Mikiko (JPN)
Women's 64kg RESULTS
Gold - Maude Charron (CAN)
Silver - Giorgia Bordignon (ITA)
Bronze - Chen Wen-Huei (TPE)
Women's 76kg RESULTS
Gold - Neisi Dajomes (ECU)
Silver - Kate Nye (USA)
Bronze - Aremi Fuentes (MEX)
Women’s 87kg RESULTS
Gold - Wang Zhouyu (CHN)
Silver - Tamara Salazar (ECU)
Bronze - Crismery Santana (DOM)
Women’s +87kg RESULTS
Gold - Li Wenwen (CHN)
Silver - Emily Jade Campbell (GBR)
Bronze - Sarah Robles (USA)
Men’s 61kg RESULTS
Gold - Li Fabin (CHN)
Silver - Irawan Eko Yuli (INA)
Bronze - Son Igor (KAZ)
Men’s 67kg RESULTS
Gold - Chen Lijun (CHN)
Silver - Luis Javier Mosquera (COL)
Bronze: Mirko Zanni (ITA)
Men’s 73kg RESULTS
Gold - Shi Zhiyong (CHN)
Silver - Julio Ruben Mayora (VEN)
Bronze - Rahmat Abdullah (INA)
Men's 81kg RESULTS
Gold - Lyu Xiaojun (CHN)
Silver - Zacarias Bonnat (DOM)
Bronze - Antonino Pizzolato (ITA)
Men’s 96kg RESULTS
Gold - Fares Ibrahim Elbakh (QAT)
Silver - Keydomar Vallenilla (VEN)
Bronze - Anton Plyesnoy (GEO)
Men's 109kg RESULTS
Gold - Akbar Djuraev (UZB)
Silver - Simon Martirosyan (ARM)
Bronze - Arturs Plesnieks (LAT)
Men's +109kg RESULTS
Gold - Lasha Talakhadze (GEO)
Silver - Ali Davoudi (IRI)
Bronze - Man Asaad (SYR)
SEE MORE: Sarah Robles repeats as weightlifting bronze medalist