Lightweight (≤70 kilograms), Men

There was no clear favorite in this class. The defending champion Israel Militosyan was back but had not featured internationally since 1992. The 1995 World Champion was China’s Zhan Xugang, but earlier in 1996 he had been defeated at the Asian Games by North Korean Kim Myong-Nam, who set world records in both lifts and the total. Militosyan would not be a factor, placing sixth, and Zhan put the contest away with world records in both the snatch and clean & jerk, for a total world record of 357.5 kg. Kim won the silver medal, while the bronze went to Hungarian Attila Feri. Zhan would move up in weight and win a second Olympic gold medal as a middleweight in 2000.