North Korea has never staged a notable international championship event, but the country took a first step last year by hosting the Asian Interclubs Cup. The event was watched by the nation’s leader, Kim Jong-un, who has reportedly warmed to the sport, especially as his country has become a global contender in it.

In 2012, North Korea surprised many observers by winning three gold medals in weight lifting at the London Olympics.

The first was won by Om Yun-chol, a lightweight with short arms and immense strength. His victory was notable because he did it in unprecedented fashion: He competed in the B group, the tier of athletes considered not good enough to contend for a medal.

Om lifted so much weight over the course of his six lifts in the morning that nobody in the A group later that day could catch him. He had to be called back from the athletes’ village to attend the medal ceremony and the news conference that followed it.

Om also became only the fifth lifter ever to raise more than three times his own body weight above his head legally, a record 168 kilograms (about 370 pounds). Om humbly credited his victory to his country’s leadership, saying in reference to Kim and his father, North Korea’s previous leader: “The reason that I’m able to get the gold medal at these Olympics is due to the warm love and consideration of General Kim Jong-il and Comrade Kim Jong-un. Because of them, I was able to get great strength today.”