WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING No.143

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF INTERNATIONAL WEIGHTLIFTING FEDERATION

Lasha TALAKHADZE, Georgia

PHOTO: JÓZSEF SZAKA

2017 World Champion with epic world records Lifter of the Year 2017

2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ANAHEIM SPECIAL

Published by International Weightlifting Federation DR. TAMÁS AJÁN IWF President IOC Honorary Member MOHAMMED JALOOD IWF General Secretary Editor-in-Chief KORNÉL JANCSÓ Senior Editor ANIKÓ NÉMETH-MÓRA Communication Director LILLA ROZGONYI Photos JÓZSEF SZAKA Art Editor Crazy Panda Studio Graphic Design Marcell Studio (www.marcelltamas.hu) Spanish & Russian Editions DAVID COLON ARROYO MARINA SHAFIT ÁGNES LUKÁCSFALVI

Printed by TypoNova (www.typonova.hu) All communications: world.weightlifting@iwfnet.net www.iwf.net facebook.com/iwfnet twitter.com/iwfnet instagram.com/iwfnet youtube.com/iwfmedia Any articles, results or photos published in WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING may be reproduced without the written consent of the IWF, however, reference should be made to this publication.

CONTENTS No.143 02-03 | FOREWORD BY THE PRESIDENT 04-05 | WEIGHTLIFTING AT ITS BEST – 2017 IWF WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM, USA - INTRODUCTION

06-24 |

2017 IWF WWC - MEN

26-46 |

2017 IWF WWC - WOMEN

48 |

ANAHEIM MOMENTS

ISSN 0230-3035

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 1

› FOREWORD

FOREWORD

T

Dear Friends, Dear Readers,

his issue of WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING looks back and reports on the 2017 highlight that took place in December, the IWF World Championships in Anaheim, California, USA. The Championships were unique from many different points of view: it reflected the IWF Executive Board’s bold decision to suspend the nine countries most affected in the reanalysis of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games’ long-term stored samples. The entailed absence of some of the world’s formerly most prominent weightlifters had peculiar impact on the Championships. If you think it resulted in a depressed performance standard and mediocre lifting, you are wrong. No, in most categories lifters were fighting in a level field and the triumph was a product of excellence often just by a narrow margin over the next best. And we even witnessed world records – a scarce occurrence nowadays in the tightly controlled system. In any case, Anaheim opened the door to new nations, new champions and, above all, it was a celebration of clean sport – thus proving our measures and pioneer antidoping policy right. The #iLIFTCLEAN campaign was also very well received. Besides, thanks to the outstanding promotional activity and wide social media response obtained with the help of our host, the USA Weightlifting Federation, and our TV and marketing partner Lagardère Sports, the impact of Anaheim 2017 has been overall successful.

In the year of 2018, our International Federation shall keep on focusing on the task assigned to us by the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board decision last July. The fight on doping has always been high on the IWF’s agenda, but now – more than ever before - it enjoys absolute priority. Our primary mission is to safeguard the integrity of weightlifting by assuring that the athletes competing are clean – the world over. In this context, we have also concrete projects ahead: the Olympic Qualification System for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, as per the parameters specified by the IOC and at the same time ensuring transparency and a water-tight anti-doping shield to protect both the clean athletes and the sport’s Olympic prestige. The other one – also to be looked at in complexity – is the currently ongoing complete review of the bodyweight categories.

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A number of IOC Members were our guests at Anaheim 2017, among them USOC President Mr. Larry Probst who met with IWF Executive Board members and staff

I

t is well known that we have set up two special commissions: the Clean Sport Commission and the Sport Programme Commission – both including renowned experts from outside the weightlifting society and both very closely cooperating with the IWF Secretariat.

At the same time, we continue the dialogue and consultations with the relevant Departments and Directors of the International Olympic Committee, as well as with the ASOIF. The IWF General Secretary, Mr. Mohammed Jalood and Director General, Mr. Attila Ádámfi have recently concluded fruitful meetings with the IOC. Parallel, the two Commissions’ activity is now being continued as it has proved immensely useful and gratifying. The recommendations and the anti-doping project submitted by the IWF Executive Board to the IOC last December have been accepted and now remain to be implemented – a process that has already started.

In the coming weeks there will be several important gatherings at top level in the IWF. First, we shall have a coordination meeting between the Continental Federations’ Presidents and General Secretaries, and the IWF leaders in Astana, Kazakhstan. At the end of March we go to Colorado Springs for an Executive Board meeting enjoying the hospitality of the USA Olympic Committee and the USA Weightlifting Federation.

However, the fate of weightlifting is not (only) decided around the meeting tables: the IWF calendar is full and athletes all over the world regularly mount the competition platform to face a wide range of challenges in 2018. We must give special highlight to the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in October and the Continental Qualification Events to decide about the former’s participating fields. The climax for the seniors is the IWF World Championships to be held in November and reallocated from Peru to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. The Juniors will meet in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and the University World Championships are going to be hosted by Poland in September.

In addition to these IWF events, 2018 is a year of “Games” all of which keep weightlifting on their programme. To give you a non-exhaustive list: the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia; the South-American Games in Cochabamba, Bolivia; the Mediterranean Games in Tarragona, Spain; or the Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.

All the way, however, we shall not lose focus on our chief target: to pursue our ambitious anti-doping program satisfying the IOC with its pertinence and effectivity, while answering the challenge of elaborating and implementing new bodyweight categories – two times 10, as already decided – and select those 2x7 that will be contested at Tokyo2020.

The IWF President opening the 2017 Anaheim World Championships

Our Agenda for 2018 is complete: please help us with your support to be able to report in next January that we have managed to safeguard the integrity of weightlifting and protect those lifting clean.

DR. TAMÁS AJÁN IWF PRESIDENT

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 3

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM TEXT: KORNÉL JANCSÓ, ANIKÓ NÉMETH-MÓRA, TÍMEA HORVÁTH PHOTOS: JÓZSEF SZAKA

WEIGHTLIFTING AT ITS BEST SURPRISES AND WORLD RECORDS DESPITE ABSENTEES

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he 2017 edition of the IWF World Championships brought many surprising turns, unpredicted results, “justified and unjustified” absences and, at the same time, world records (4 for seniors and 1 for juniors). Nine countries - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine – banned due to their Olympic reanalysis doping cases as well as DPR Korea opting for non-participation were absent in this challenge being the seventh of its kind held on American soil, yet the first one to be carried out in Anaheim, California, a city near Los Angeles. The venue was the huge Anaheim Convention Center adjacent to the world famous Disneyland Park. The Championships were studded with novel features in both the competition program and the allocation of medals. This was the first world championships for women in 8 bodyweight categories, namely in the 90kg and +90kg replacing the former +75kg class. The 1,800th world championships medal could be presented for women, while in the men the 4,000th medal found its worthy owner!

All in all 63 countries were represented with 315 competitors; 176 men and 139 women. Despite those absent the field was of top quality including no less than six of Rio’s Olympic champions. Three for men: Lasha TALAKHADZE of Georgia (+105kg), Sohrab MORADI (94kg) and Kianoush

ROSTAMI (85kg) of Iran; and three representing the women Olympic champions: Sopita TANASAN (48kg) and Sukanya SRISURAT (58kg) of Thailand, as well as HSU Shu-Ching (53kg) from Chinese Taipei. From the latter group TANASAN, having moved up by a category, duelled with HSU in the 53kg; whereas in the 58kg SRISURAT tried to challenge KUO Hsing-Chun (TPE), Rio Olympic bronze medallist and prior to the WWC clean and jerk world record-maker.

Two of the defending champions tested their luck again in Anaheim: TALAKHADZE among the men, and HSU among the women. Beside these two, the lifter who attracted the greatest attention was undoubtedly Iran’s Behdad SALIMIKORDASIABI, 2012 Olympic champion, reported before the event to be able to challenge, or even corner, his successor on the superheavyweight throne, Georgia’s giant Lasha. Among the ladies the highest excitement preceded the show by 75kg Spanish superstar Lidia VALENTIN, winner of three Olympic medals – each of different colour, but never before world champion. Until now…

Looking at the history of medal-winning countries we can state that the 2017 World Championships granted the first men’s medals to Chile (3 gold), Ecuador (1 bronze) and Mexico (1 silver, 1 bronze) and Turkmenistan could celebrate their first World Championships silver medals.

Best Lifter of the 2017 World Championships: Lasha Talakhadze.

4 / WORLD TrophyWEIGHTLIFTING awarded by Dr. Aján and Kornél Jancsó, Editor in Chief

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

I

n the women, first ever world championship medals were won by Chile (1 gold, 1 silver), Georgia (2 gold, 1 silver), Latvia (2 bronze), Mongolia (1 bronze), New Zealand (2 silver),Turkmenistan (1 silver 2 bronze), Philippines (1 silver, 1 bronze) and the first gold medals, three each, by Romania and Spain. The medal distribution showed an extraordinary variety: 23 nations shared the men’s and 22 the women’s medals, winning a minimum of one each.

Prior to the opening of the Championships Anaheim was the site of epic decisions by the IWF among others about the submission to the IOC, the IWF Anti-Doping Policy, the 2020 Olympic Qualification and a position to review the bodyweight categories. The successful Houston 2015 World Championships had set a benchmark in

organisation we thought would be difficult to surpass.

It must, however, be noted that the USA Weightlifting Federation, under the baton of President Ursula GARZA PAPANDREA and CEO Phil ANDREWS were able to set the bar even higher with 2017 Anaheim. Especially with regard to the venue and the technical setup that again contained some 21st Century innovations. The media coverage and the social media presence were soaring and surely enhancing the sport’s appeal in key regions of the world.

In any case, the USA has undoubtedly regained its due position in the Weightlifting Society of the world and the Federation’s efforts have already been rewarded by success not only around but also on the platform. Thank you and congratulations, USA Weightlifting and Anaheim!

IWF appreciation to USA Weightlifting: presented by Dr. Tamás Aján, President and Mohammed Jalood, General Secretary to USAW President Ursula Garza Papandrea

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 5

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

56KG – SIX MEDALS FOR VIETNAM

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urprises were hinted at in the introduction: well, the first one came right at the first competition of the opening day. Who thought prior to the start of the 56kg that Italy’s double European champion, SCARANTINO Mirco would almost immediately be forced to leave the stage?

The 22-year old Italian missed each of his three attempts at 114kg making zero in snatch. In contrast, however, TCHACH Kim Tuan did not surprise anyone by collecting all the three gold medals: the snatch’s easily, the clean and jerk’s with a bit more effort, finally outscoring the runner-up by nine kilos in total. This runner-up was another Vietnamese: Rio Olympic fifth TRAN Quoc Toan. Born in 1994, Youth Olympic champion in 2010,

BRACHI GARCIA Josue, ESP

THACH Kim Tuan, VIE

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1 THACH KIM TUAN

15.01.1994

VIE

55.88 126 153 279

2 TRAN LE QUOC TOAN

05.04.1989

VIE

55.68 119 151 270

3 MINGMOON WITOON

10.02.1996

THA 55.82 115 152 267

4 BERNA GONZALEZ CARLOS ANDRES 21.01.1990

COL 55.92 117 149 266

5 BRACHI GARCIA JOSUE

08.09.1992

ESP 55.84 118 140 258

6 ALSALEEM SERAJ ABDULRAHIM M

10.02.1996

KSA 55.93 112 138 250

7 ROJAS CONCHA MARCOS ANTONIO

02.06.1995

PER 55.66 103 137 240

8 TULO MANUELI

25.03.1990

FIJ

9 REISENAUER BRIAN JAMES

25.10.1988

USA 55.95 105 127 232

55.77 103 135 238

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

MEN TRAN Le Quoc Toan, VIE

MONGMOON Witoon, THA

junior world champion in 2014 and silver medallist in 2014 and bronze medallist in 2015 at the World Championships, TCHACH looked to have “fully grown” to supremacy in Anaheim. As early as with an opening 123kg snatch he was the winner; and the next 126kg gave him a comfortable advantage (though missing 129kg). TCHACH won the clean and jerk with 153kg having only MINGMOON Witoon (THA) as his closest match. The Thai finished fifth in snatch but advanced to silver in C&J and bronze in total. Still, his total lagged that of TRAN, so Vietnam could celebrate double winners.

One bronze in snatch went to Spanish BRACHI GARCIA Josue.

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 7

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

62KG – WORLD RECORD: EIGHT PEOPLE ON THE DAIS!

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f we mentioned surprise in the 56kg, the 62kg was sheer sensation; if not for the excellence of the results but rather thanks to the volatility of the competition. This chequered race not free from misses culminated in a very special denouement.

A curio in the history of the sport: the nine available medals were awarded to eight different athletes! In the snatch it all looked “normal”: Vietnam’s TRINH Van Vinh won with 136kg, just one kilogram ahead of HAN Myeongmok (KOR) and ERGASHEV Adkhamjon (UZB), but it was a close finish because even fifth-placed Japanese ITOKAZU Yoichi had as much as 134kg. The overall winner-to- be, MOSQUERA VALENCIA Francisco Antonio was placed merely seventh in snatch with his 130kg – a handicap proving easy for him to work off. The Colombian, silver medallist in 2015, won the clean and jerk with 170kg adding it up to a 300kg winning total. He was, however, going to be the only one collecting more than one medal. TRINH bombed, HAN finished in 10th , ERGASHEV in 8th place. At the same time, two Mexicans came up to trail MOSQUERA: MONTES GONGORA Jose

MOSQUERA VALENCIA Francisco Antonio, COL

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Lino became second with 167kg, VAZQUEZ MENDEZ Antonio landed in third place with his 165kg. The mix-up culminated in the total podium: the Colombian winner was finally flanked by ITOKAZU Yoichi (JPN) in silver medallist with 299kg and MISHVELIDZE Shota (GEO) in bronze medallist position with 298kg.

1

MOSQUERA VALENCIA F. ANTONIO 01.04.1992

COL 61.85 130 170 300

2

ITOKAZU YOICHI

24.05.1991

JPN 62.00 134 165 299

3

MISHVELIDZE SHOTA

18.10.1994

GEO 62.00 135 163 298

4

ERGASHEV ADKHAMJON

12.03.1999

UZB 61.85 135 157 292

5

VAZQUEZ MENDEZ ANTONIO

12.08.1993

MEX 61.97 126 165 291

6

MONTES GONGORA JOSE LINO

18.04.1989

MEX 61.99 122 167 289

7

HAN MYEONGMOK

01.02.1991

KOR 61.90 135 153 288

8

TAKAO HIROAKI

02.01.1992

JPN 61.54 126 160 286

9

KAO CHAN-HUNG

03.10.1993

TPE 61.85 130 155 285

10* MINASIDIS DIMITRIS

29.04.1989

CYP 61.96 131 153 284

TRINH VAN VINH

17.12.1995

VIE

61.85 136 --- ---

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

MISHVELIDZE Shota, GEO

ITOKAZU Yoichi, JPN

A record eight medal winners on the podium!

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 9

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

69KG – WON WON

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he main favourite of the 69kg was undoubtedly Africa’s star, BEN HNIA Karem. The Tunisian, however – maybe under the burden of great expectations – was incapable of excellence: missing all snatches he got eliminated from the race. He lost 145kg twice and a third, desperate attempt at 146kg also escaped him. Exactly the same must have been the situation with the home favourite, the American prodigy, 2016 and 2017 junior and youth world champion, CUMINGS JR Clarence.

The 17- year old failed to shine as of the beginning, but in the first part struggled to 141kg in three good snatch lifts. The clean and jerk then proved that he was not ready to carry the big weight of responsibility: the home turf and the over-excitement of the local crowd were too much and he finished with zero… In contrast, Korean WON grabbed his chance taking the snatch gold with 148kg ahead of BUNSUK Tairat (THA) 147kg, and ZANNI Mirko (ITA) 144kg. Though on the clean and jerk podium WON was preceded by Uzbekistan’s YOQUBOV Doston 179kg/326kg, the Korean was happy to win the gold medal overall. In second place we found Thailand’s BUNSUK and a assiduous protagonist in the world scene, French KINGUE MATAM Bernardin Ledoux picked up the bronze medal in total.

1

WON JEONGSIK

09.12.1990

KOR 68.85 148 178 326

2

BUNSUK TAIRAT

11.01.1993

THA 68.73 147 174 321

3

KINGUE MATAM B. LEDOUX

20.05.1990

FRA 69.00 141 177 318

4

CALJA BRIKEN

19.02.1990

ALB 68.91 142 175 317

5

KONNAI MITSUNORI

14.03.1996

JPN 68.90 141 176 317

6

YOQUBOV DOSTON

05.04.1995

UZB 68.92 135 179 314

7

JOACHIM ROBERT FRIEDRICH 13.01.1987

GER 68.89 141 170 311

8

ZANNI MIRKO

16.10.1997

ITA

9

ALHUMAYD MAHMOUD M. S

05.09.1993

KSA 69.00 138 170 308

10

SANCHEZ LOPEZ DAVID

20.07.1994

ESP 68.76 140 165 305

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68.85 144 165 309

WON Jeongsik, KOR

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

KINGUE MATAM Bernardin Ledoux, FRA

BUNSUK Tairat, THA

A podium of five shared the medals

YOQUBOV Doston, UZB

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 11

› INTERVIEW

FRANCISCO MOSQUERA VALENCIA WW: What did the Anaheim World Championships mean for you? What did you expect from yourself in terms of placing or kilograms, and are you satisfied?

FM: Although my own and my coach’s expectations cost me a lot of nerves, I trained and prepared a lot for the World Championships. In the end, I could be very calm concentrating at what I wanted and will do. But I’m willing to learn from every moment, for instance I now know how to give my best even if expectations are high. As Professor Oswaldo Pinilla taught me: you must go step by step to reach your goal. Regarding the result made in the competition, personally I wanted to do a little more. But yes, I am satisfied because I am recovering from a very tough injury which cost me Rio 2016. And winning the World Championships is some solace for the non-participation and for the whole work of 16 months.

“BEING WORLD CHAMPION IS SOME SOLACE FOR MISSING RIO” WW: Did you miss the rivals from the countries not attending? Or would it have been better if all the strong rivals had been there?

FM: Yes, of course the countries were missed who were not present. However, the World Championships in Anaheim was still great despite the fact that they were not there. It’s because it was very clean where the real human work was seen. Now, the countries which had been ousted by others not lifting clean finally had their reward for the work and for their fair play.

WW: What happened after the World Championships? Did you get a celebration? Did you rest, or have fun?

FM: I was euphoric and very emotional to be World Champion. I thank God for this and I thank to all the people who were with me.

Firstly I celebrated it with God, after with Professor Pinilla who is a visionary and a tireless person who is always ready with good advice also for life. The Professor is the best of the best for me. I also celebrated with my mother, wife and son and with all the Columbians who supported me. I live well, fighting for my dreams day by day. Outside the gym I dedicate my life to my family and sometimes I allow myself to relax playing Play Station4.

12 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

WW: Did you receive any award or recognition for your success from your Government?

FM: Yes, I received some prize money from the National “Coldeporte” and from the Bolivar Government.

WW: What are your expectations from 2018 as a weightlifter and as a private person? What would make you most happy?

FM: In this year of 2018 I hope to continue to be blessed by God allowing me to train well in good health and with the same good people. I also hope I can continue my university studies and spend time with my family.

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 13

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

77KG – RIO BRONZE CHANGED FOR GOLD IN ANAHEIM

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ack in 2016, with his bronze medal on the Rio de Janeiro podium MAHMOUD Mohamed Ihab Youssef Ahmed wrote history: since 1948 he was the first Egyptian weightlifter to win an Olympic medal. Well, in Anaheim he marched even further and stepped on the top of the World Championships podium, having confidently swept in all the gold medals in the 77kg category. At the same time he can boast being the first African world champion weightlifter since 1984. In total MAHMOUD finished in the top position with 361kg, lifting nine kilos more than Turkmen REJEPOV Rejepbay and 13kg on USA’s MAURUS Harrison James.

REJEPOV Rejepbay, TKM with the 4,000th medal

14 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

MAHMOUD Mohamed Ihab Youssef Ahmed, EGY

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

A

t the same time, 17-year old youth world champion MAURUS also made an entry in the US Album of Fame: since 1997, that is after two decades of draught, he is the first US male lifter to score a world championship medal. Besides, MAURUS set a new youth world record in clean and jerk with 193kg. MAHMOUD (28) snatched 165kg, a considerable lead on silver medallist REJEPOV’s 158kg. In third place (before stepping down due to injury in the jerk), Romanian CAPTARI Dumitru landed with 156kg, however, he returned a positive doping test so the originally fourth Albanian QERIMAJ Erkand will move up to bronze medal position (155kg).

The medal ceremony included an interesting mark in weightlifting history: the silver medal in snatch was the 4,000th world championships medal in history and it went to Turkmenistan’s REJEPOV! QERIMAJ Erkand, ALB

1

MAHMOUD M. IHAB Y. AHMED 21.11.1989

EGY 76.56 165 196 361

2

REJEPOV REJEPBAY

23.02.1992

TKM 76.99 158 194 352

3

MAURUS HARRISON JAMES

26.02.2000

USA 76.42 155 193 348

4

KIM WOO JAE

26.09.1991

KOR 76.85 154 192 346

5

MATA PEREZ A. EDUARDO

11.11.1992

ESP 76.86 154 190 344

6

QERIMAJ ERKAND

10.08.1988

ALB 76.72 155 187 342

7

KIM KWANGHOON

31.01.1982

KOR 76.94 150 192 342

8

CAICEDO PIEDRAHITA A. M.

15.08.1997

COL 76.25 148 192 340

9

LOBSI PORNCHAI

16.07.1990

THA 76.81 151 188 339

10

RODALLEGAS C.BRAYAN S.

15.11.1997

COL 76.92 150 187 337

MAURUS Harrison James, USA

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 15

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

85KG - CHILE SCORES FIRST WWC MEDALS

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ne might wonder what would have happened if Iran’s superstar, world record holder (220kg in C&J, 396kg in Total) ROSTAMI Kianoush had not had an injured knee gravely hampering his performance. Even so, struggling, he managed to clinch a silver in snatch. In clean and jerk, however, he was overwhelmed by the weight and by the bad knee… and the double world and Rio’s Olympic champion had to leave the stage after three failed attempts. He thus paved the way for MENDEZ PEREZ Arley of Chile who shone in 85kg.

MENDEZ had been a Cuban lifter and made this comeback after a break of four years under Chile’s flag. In snatch he defeated ROSTAMI by 1kg (175kg) and the bronze medal was awarded to last year’ European champion PIZZOLATO Antonio from Italy (162kg). The clean and jerk only saw MENDEZ become even stronger and more confident. 23 years of age, former Pan- American junior champion for Cuba (2013) and junior world championships bronze medallist, MENDEZ did not stop before finishing with 203kg and a total of 378kg. Before Anaheim, Chile had never won any senior medals in world championships; now the SouthAmerican country could boast three at once, all in gold, thanks to this outstanding lifter who had acquired Chilean citizenship last year. In second place for both clean and jerk and total we saw Poland’s ZWARYCZ Krzysztof Maciej, whereby Frenchman IMADOUCEINE Romain Jordan S. captured a surprise bronze in clean and jerk. In the colourful setup of the medal allocations PIZZOLATO Antonio was happy to be given the bronze in total for his 358kg output.

1

MENDEZ PEREZ ARLEY

31.12.1993

CHI 84.99 175 203 378

2

ZWARYCZ KRZYSZTOF MACIEJ

13.12.1990

POL 84.76 162 197 359

3

PIZZOLATO ANTONINO

20.08.1996

ITA

84.95 162 196 358

4

YU DONGJU

19.08.1993

KOR 84.77 158 194 352

5

DAVITADZE REVAZ

16.10.1998

GEO 84.50 160 191 351

6

IMADOUCEINE R. J. SEBASTIAN 05.09.1995

FRA 84.90 153 196 349

7

MIRI ALI

IRI

01.08.1995

84.92 155 193 348

8

SCHWARZBACH TOM

23.07.1986

GER 84.74 151 190 341

9

RAGALA VENKAT RAHUL

16.03.1997

IND 84.93 150 191 341

10

YAMAMOTO TOSHIKI

08.09.1991

JPN 84.94 148 193 341

ROSTAMI KIANOUSH

23.07.1991

IRI

16 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

84.34 174 --

--

MENDEZ PEREZ Arley, CHI

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

Happy podium in 85kg

ARLEY MENDEZ WW: What did the Anaheim World Championships mean for you? What did you expect from yourself in terms of placing or kilograms, and are you satisfied?

AM: It was like a dream coming true; I have been working for years for this chance and now I achieved everything planned. I am even satisfied with my snatch result but not so much with the clean and jerk where I wanted to break a record. However, all in all, it’s great.

WW: Did you miss the rivals from the countries not attending?

Or would it have been better if all the strong rivals had been there?

AM: I understand that the missing countries could not participate as they were sanctioned: that I find perfectly correct. Maybe, if the competition had been stronger with them there, I would have had to give even more to win but on the other hand we should not overlook the doping control factor.

WW: What happened after the World Championships? Did you get a celebration? Did you rest, or have fun?

AM: After the Championships I got one month holiday which I enjoyed tremendously but now I’m already back to training.

We have new goals set with my coach and I’m working hard to achieve them.

“2018: DEFEND THE TITLE AND BREAK THE RECORD”

WW: Did you receive any award or recognition for your success?

AM: It must be said that it was not my success alone. Like the medals by Maria Fernanda, mine are also the result of systematic long-term preparation fully supported by the Chilean Weightlifting Federation which has an ambitious development program for us to benefit from. In addition to the appreciation of the Federation, the journalists in Chile voted me Athlete of the Year 2017.

WW: What are your expectations from 2018?

AM: My expectations for 2018 need a lot of work to do as many events are ahead and this is the first full year I can compete for Chile. I want to defend the world champion title and break the world record this time.

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 17

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

94KG – MORADI: HAT TRICK AND

WORLD RECORDS

World Record 233kg by MORADI Sohrab, IRI

18 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

H

e arrived in Anaheim as the unquestioned favourite in 94kg – and duly left with a full collection of gold medals, plus world records. King of the 94kg, 29-year old MORADI Sohrab of Iran reconfirmed his supremacy and defended his throne. No surprises in this category on the Anaheim stage…. if not in the aftermath when it came to light that Lithuanian DIDZBALIS Aurimas failed at the doping control and most probably (the process still ongoing) he will have to say goodbye to the medals he won in the 2017 WWC, i.e. bronze in snatch and silver in total.

The first one is to be “inherited” by ABDALLA Ragab Abdelhay Saad (EGY) and the latter by MOUSAVIJARAHI Seyedayoob (IRI). Qatar’s ELBAKH Fares Ibrahim might be promoted to bronze medallist position in total. In snatch, junior world champion Uzbek SOBIROV Farkhodbek (183kg), who got injured and eliminated in clean and jerk became runner-up to MORADI who lifted the necessary 184kg to win. In the second act the Iranian switched into fifth gear and secured the victory with 220kg, only to jump to 233kg in the second attempt. That being successful, MORADI registered a new world record obliterating an “oldie” by Polish KOLECKI Szymon dated 29 April 2000. At one blow he set another world record: 417kg in total making it really unnecessary for him to reappear to take a third lift.

1

MORADI SOHRAB

22.09.1988

IRI

2*

DIDZBALIS AURIMAS

13.06.1991

LTU 93.56 176 212 388

94.00 184 233 417

3

MOUSAVIJARAHI SEYEDAYOOB 21.04.1995

IRI

4

ELBAKH FARES IBRAHIM E. H.

QAT 92.77 163 220 383

04.06.1998

93.79 171 214 385

5

ABDALLA RAGAB A. SAAD A.

04.03.1991

EGY 93.91 172 206 378

6

SANTAVY BOADY ROBERT

22.05.1997

CAN 92.04 165 201 366

7

GREGORIO M. MARCO TULIO

03.11.1991

BRA 93.56 165 195 360

8

DAMRON NATHAN CHARLES

06.05.1996

USA 93.14 157 201 358

9

SHIKOV GEORGI STOILOV

21.05.1993

BUL 94.00 164 191 355

10

MUGURDUMOV ARTUR

06.06.1988

ISR

11

SERNA M. ANDRES FELIPE

15.11.1997

COL 90.01 160 192 352

93.54 158 195 353

SOBIROV FARKHODBEK

10.09.1997

UZB 92.89 183 --

--

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

MOUSAVIJARAHI Seyedayoob, IRI

SOBIROV Farkhodbek, UZB

ELBAKH Fares Ibrahim E.H., QAT

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 19

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

105KG – FIRST IRANIAN TO WIN

I

THIS CATEGORY

ran could go on celebrating as after the 94kg they managed to win the 105kg as well. True though that HASHEMI Ali’s victory was born in a far more difficult race than MORADI’s in the previous class.

The narrow span of merely five kilograms between the total results of the medal winners palpably reveals how close the fight was. Ultimately, HASHEMI won with 404kg, silver medallist PLESNIEKS Arturs, Latvian 2016 European Champion scored 402kg and the bronze medal winning EFREMOV Ivan (UZB) had 399kg overall. The snatch was dominated by the Iranian (183kg) with the Uzbek producing 182kg for a second place. The bronze went to Ecuador’s ARROYO VALDEZ Jorge David (181kg) who, on his turn, finished only 20th (!) in clean and jerk.

A reverse path was covered by Korean SEO Huiyeop, who was weak in snatch (172kg, 14th place) but catapulted to the world champion position in clean and jerk

EFREMOV Ivan, UZB

20 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

for a 222kg output. Overall he became 4th. PLESNIEKS exposed a more balanced performance: 180kg and 4th position in snatch, followed by 222kg (same as SEO’s) in clean and jerk and silver medallist; altogether 402kg and another silver medal in total. Although HASHEMI missed one attempt on 221kg he managed to lift it in a correction and took the bronze in jerk. However, most importantly, his was the overall victory giving Iran its first world champion in the 105kg and its second in a row.

HASHEMI Ali, IRI

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

SEO Huiyeop, KOR 1

HASHEMI ALI

01.11.1991

IRI

2

PLESNIEKS ARTURS

21.01.1992

LAT 104.78 180 222 402

104.55 183 221 404

3

EFREMOV IVAN

09.03.1986

UZB 103.77 182 217 399

4

SEO HUIYEOP

29.02.1992

KOR 104.78 172 222 394

5

MICHALSKI ARKADIUSZ

07.01.1990

POL 104.96 173 220 393

6

GOSPODINOV VASIL GEORGIEV 05.11.1993

BUL 104.05 178 214 392

7

SOLEYMANI ALIREZA

IRI

17.02.1996

104.65 177 215 392

8

RUIZ I VELASCO MARCOS

13.10.1996

ESP 104.60 180 211 391

9

JIN YUNSEONG

11.10.1995

KOR 101.41 180 207 387

10

KITTS WESLEY BRIAN

22.05.1990

USA 104.49 176 210 386

PLESNIEKS Arturs, LAT

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 21

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

+105KG – TALAKHADZE ROSE TO – AND

ABOVE – THE OCCASION

T

he expected close duel in the Battle of Giants though failed to materialize; the final competition in Anaheim was not without excitement this time either. Georgian Olympic, world and European champion TALAKHADZE Lasha defended his title with a splendid performance including six on six attempts and two new world records – in snatch and total. The Georgian superheavy superman put on a one-man show already in the snatch. After 210 and 215kg asking for 220kg – and in what was an example for super strength and super technique lifted the biggest weight ever snatched. In fact, he added 3 kilos to his own previous world record. Neither one of both Iranians, heralded as his fiercest rivals, were able to even come close to this performance: SALIMIKORDASIABI Behdad finished the snatch with 211kg, and ALIHOSSEINI Saeid, former junior world champion, had to be content with 203kg.

In clean and jerk, TALAKHADZE did not push for the record, after 243 and 250 finished with an – otherwise highly respectable – 257kg. Nevertheless, his total had already soared into historic heights: 477kg, an amazing new world record. He thus improved his own record of 473kg dating 26 August 2016, i.e. the Olympic Games in Rio. Similarly to the situation at the Games, the Georgian once again displayed extraordinary focus and great sportsmanship when putting on the epic

1

TALAKHADZE LASHA

02.10.1993

GEO 166.00 220 257 477

2

ALIHOSSEINI SAEID

02.02.1988

IRI

169.31 203 251 454 173.68 211 242 453

3

SALIMIKORDASIABI BEHDAD

08.12.1989

IRI

4

DJANGABAEV RUSTAM

25.08.1993

UZB 150.34 200 247 447

5

SEIM MART

24.10.1990

EST 158.36 191 253 444

6

SARAIVA REIS FERNANDO

10.03.1990

BRA 152.33 200 240 440

7

ORSAG JIRI

05.01.1989

CZE 131.37 185 237 422

8

BIDANI WALID

11.06.1994

ALG 137.67 195 225 420

9

TOYCHYYEV HOJAMUHAMMET 16.01.1992

TKM 143.97 184 231 415

10

NAGY PETER

HUN 156.60 188 226 414

16.01.1986

22 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

lifting amidst, and undisturbed by, the unsportsmanlike behaviour of Iranian fans. His triumphant march was eyed from a distance by the rest of the field. For instance, SEIM Mart from Estonia who must also be commended for his 253kg worth a silver medal in jerk. TALAKHADZE overwhelmed in total with 23kg on ALIHOSSEINI and 24kg on SALIMIKORDASIABI, the superstar of the not-too- distant past.

Snatch world record 220kg: TALAKHADZE Lasha, GEO

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

ALIHOSSEINI Saeid, IRI

SEIM Mart, EST

The +105kg medal winners with the presenters: Kakhi Kakhiashvili, 3-times Olympic Champion, the IWF President and Pedro Meloni, Competition Director

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 23

› INTERVIEW

LASHA TALAKHADZE WW: What happened after the World Championships?

Did you get a celebration? Did you rest, or have fun?

LT: Oh, I had a nice three weeks of relaxing with family and friends. You know – the “Georgian way”…

WW: Did you receive any award or recognition for your success from your Government?

LT: I received some cash, the “Best Athlete of 2017” title and priceless appreciation and love from the people of Georgia.

WW: What are your expectations from 2018 as a weightlifter and as a private person? What would make you most happy?

LT: I am planning to defend my title first as European, then as World Champion. Besides, I want to add a few kilos to my best results – something that always makes me and my family proud and happy.

“IN 2018 I WANT TO DEFEND MY TITLES AND ADD A FEW KILOS MORE TO MY BEST”

WW: What did the Anaheim World Championships mean for you? What did you expect from yourself in terms of placing or kilograms, and are you satisfied?

LT: I had to defend my title: it was one of the most important milestones in my entire career. Actually, I did expect to win the gold medal, because I was really ready. 220kg in snatch was fine but I wanted to go for 265kg in the clean and jerk as well.

However, I did what I did and I am quite happy with the result.

WW: Did you miss the rivals from the countries not attending? Or would it have been better if all the strong rivals had been there?

LT: Actually, this question in my category is not too relevant because I did have my main challengers around who are extremely competent athletes. But in general – yes, I always prefer to have a decent fight; that inspires me. Nevertheless, luckily I can manage – like this time – to concentrate on the task, to do my best and then only the weights on the bar become my rivals.

24 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

› INTERVIEW

CHANU SAIKHOM MIRABAI WW: What did the Anaheim World Championships mean for you? What did you expect from yourself in terms of placing or kilograms, and are you satisfied?

CM: To become world champion is the ultimate dream for any weightlifter and I am lucky enough to get this after the failure in Rio Olympic 2016. (She made zero in clean and jerk – the Editor.) With the guidance of my coach Mr. Vijay Sharma I have selected a long-term target and this world championship gold medal is a part of that target, so I hope I’ll have it achieved very soon.

WW: Did you miss the rivals from the countries not attending? Or would it have been better if all the strong rivals had been there?

CM: It is quite difficult to say whether the opponent who doesn’t attend the competition would have been better compared to those who are there. But yes, some of my rivals who were now absent had clearly been dominant in the game so I would have been happiest to become world champion in their presence.

WW: What happened after the World Championships? Did you get a celebration? Did you rest, or have fun?

CM: After the World Championships I received a warm welcome by our Government and the Indian Weightlifting fraternity.

But as I told you this is only a station on the road to my ultimate target so there’s no time to rest. Practically next day I started training with my coach.

WW: Did you receive any award or recognition for your success from your Government?

CM: Yes, I got cash reward from the Indian Government, my employer, the Indian Railways, my State and I was also honoured to receive one of the most precious Indian awards, i.e. Padam Shree.

WW: What are your expectations from 2018 as a weightlifter and as a private person? What would make you most happy?

CM: As a weightlifter I look forward to the next compe-

tition and my next goal is to compete alongside those rivals who were not there this time, and still reconfirm my champion status. That would make me really proud of myself. Besides lifting, I have another project: I am supporting amateur athletes of my country as a mediator and help them fulfil their dreams.

“I WANT TO RECONFIRM MY CHAMPION STATUS WITH ALL RIVALS PRESENT”

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 25

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

WOMEN 48KG – MIRABAI BRAVURA: INDIA

MEDALS AGAIN AFTER 22 YEARS

I

f we mentioned surprises by the men, the ladies of Anaheim surprised us on no less occasions, like, for instance, immediately in the first ca-tegory. Odds in 48kg pointed indisputably at the success of the Thai contender, even so that the Olympic champion of the category, Sopita Tanasan had left the 48kg for the sake of the next class. Her “substitute” from Thailand, SUKCHAROEN Thunya (20) counted at least as much as a top favourite as her more famous compatriot and she duly proved the estimations right in the snatch. Junior world champion equally in 2016 and 2017, SUKCHAROEN took the gold with 86kg – true that it was just one kilo better than 23year old Indian MIRABAI Chanu Saikhom’s result.

Apart from having won the 2017 Commonwealth Championships, the Indian had not registered any particularly outstanding results before coming to Anaheim. In clean and jerk came the surprise: SUKCHAROEN lifted 105 and 107kg but failed at 109kg, whereas MIRABAI progressed successfully with 103, 107 and even 109kg – that one giving her not only the clean and jerk gold but the one in total as well. 194kg is a personal best for the Indian and 1kg more than the Thai’s. With MIRABAI India celebrated its first world champion since 1995.

The bronze medal went to SEGURA SEGURA Ana Iris from Colombia.

1

MIRABAI CHANU SAIKHOM

08.08.1994

IND 47.98

85

109 194

2

SUKCHAROEN THUNYA

21.04.1997

THA 47.58

86

107 193

3

SEGURA SEGURA ANA IRIS

26.07.1991

COL 47.95

81

101 182

4

VUONG THI HUYEN

22.06.1992

VIE

80

100 180

47.93

5

NANTHAWONG CHIRAPHAN 17.08.1999

THA 47.76

77

102 179

6

ANDRIES ELENA RAMONA

ROU 47.66

79

98

21.09.1994

177

7

RITCHEY ALYSSA LYNN

14.04.1989

USA 47.97

78

99

177

8

MICHEL ANAIS

12.01.1988

FRA 47.73

78

97

175

9

VALENCIA H. CAROLINA

08.02.1985

MEX 47.90

75

95

170

10

YANAGIDA MIZUKI

05.09.1992

JPN 47.83

74

95

169

26 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

MIRABAI Chanu Saikhom, IND

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

SUKCHAROEN Thunya, THA

NANTHAWONG Chiraphan, THA

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 27

SEGURA SEGURA Ana Iris, COL

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

53KG – OLYMPIC CHAMPION DEFEATS OLYMPIC CHAMPION

T

ANASAN Sopita does not have to regret having moved up into the next category. Following her gold medal won at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in 48kg, she proved to be unbeatable in Anaheim in the 53kg as well. To be triumphant again she needed to defeat another Olympic champion, and a very prominent one at that. HSU Shu-Ching from Taiwan, gold medal winner in both 2012 London and 2016 Rio, plus junior and senior world champion, etc. must also have been determined to retain supremacy over the 53kg. TANASAN, however, was not intimidated: in snatch she gained a 3kg advantage on HSU who struggled but completed her two opening lifts before getting injured on her third snatch and having to abandon the stage for good.

HSU Shu-Ching was to be the only woman attempting to defend her title but she was unsuccessful. She left Thailand’s Olympic champion with two other rivals whom she very quickly eliminated from the race for the total gold by a first clean and jerk of 114kg. It should be noted that in this second part DIAZ Hidilyn of the Philippines preceded SHERMETOVA Kristina (TKM) with 113kg to both, but on the overall the Turkmen competitor secured a convincing runnerup position with 204kg. Nevertheless, the Philippines were overjoyed with their total bronze medal. Unfortunately, this category also has an aftermath: KAEWKHONG Supattra of Thailand, originally fifth in snatch, fourth in clean and jerk and total, had a positive doping test and proceedings against her are now ongoing.

28 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

TANASAN Sopita, THA

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

1

TANASAN SOPITA

23.12.1994

THA 52.70

96

114 210

2

SHERMETOVA KRISTINA

25.05.1993

TKM 52.95

91

113 204

3

DIAZ HIDILYN

20.02.1991

PHI 52.94

86

113 199

4*

KAEWKHONG SUPATTRA

11.03.1996

THA 52.56

87

111 198

5

LOCHOWSKA JOANNA

17.11.1988

POL 52.81

87

111 198

6

YAGI KANAE

16.07.1992

JPN 52.66

85

110 195

7

HOGAN CAITLIN LEIGH

22.05.1988

USA 52.58

83

111 194

8

LOPEZ FERRER ANA GABRIELA

22.09.1994

MEX 52.94

83

101 184

9

LAURINDO MORAES L. CRISTINA

20.11.1995

BRA 52.94

80

103 183

10

HERNANDEZ MARTIN ATENERY

10.12.1994

ESP 52.59

80

103 183

LOCHOWSKA Joanna, POL

SHERMETOVA Kristina, TKM

DIAZ Hidilyn, PHI

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 29

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

58KG – TAIWAN 1 – 1 THAILAND

T

he Taiwan vs. Thailand match went on in the 58kg, but finished with a reverse result. Here, the overall gold medal was finally awarded to former (2013) world champion, 2015 world, 2016 Olympic bronze medal winner and Universiade champion KUO Hsing-Chun whose output was 15kg over the Olympic champion SRISURAT Sukanya’s. At the outset their duel failed to forecast joy for KUO; SRISURAT was namely triumphant in the snatch with 105kg ahead of the Chinese Taipei lifter whose result was the same. The latter, however, is known to be a specialist in clean and jerk (having fixed the world record in August at 142kg) and she was shining accordingly in the second half. After a safety of 126kg she became the champion with the second lift on 131kg, yet she wanted to round off her act with a nice 135kg only to reconfirm the two gold medals won.

With her victory KUO Hsing-Chun entered the weightlifting annals with a notable statistical fact: her total gold was the 1,800th medal for women at world championships. SRISURAT fell back considerably in clean and jerk finishing sixth with 120kg, yet her 225kg total was enough to keep the silver medal. The bronze was captured by

1

KUO HSING-CHUN

26.11.1993

TPE 57.60

105 135 240

2

SRISURAT SUKANYA

03.05.1995

THA 56.42

105 120 225

3

KOHA REBEKA

19.05.1998

LAT 57.55

101 121 222

4

ANDOH MIKIKO

30.09.1992

JPN 57.87

93

126 219

5

ESCOBAR G. MARIA ALEXANDRA

17.07.1980

ECU 57.64

96

122 218

6

GUICHO RECIO QUISIA YANELI

12.09.1987

MEX 57.81

91

121 212

7

LOBON VIAFARA MARIA CAMILA

30.09.1995

COL 57.90

95

112 207

8

VELI EVAGJELIA

16.07.1991

ALB 56.90

90

113 203

9

DARSIGNY TALI

08.03.1998

CAN 57.76

87

109 196

10

HELGADOTTIR THURIDUR ERLA

30.07.1991

ISL

86

108 194

30 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

57.65

still just 19 years old KOHA Rebeka of Latvia. Japanese ANDOH Mikiko was glad to score silver in clean and jerk, while Ecuador’s ESCOBAR GUERRERO Maria Alexandra clinched a bronze with 22kg in jerk – highly notable for this woman at 37 years of age and thus one of the seniors in the female field.

KUO Hsing-Chun, TPE

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

Medal podium in 58kg – KUO won 1,800th women’s medal

ESCOBAR GUERRERO Maria Alexandra, ECU

SRISURAT Sukanya, THA

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 31

› INTERVIEW

KUO HSING-CHUN WW: What did the Anaheim World Championships mean for you?

WW: Did you

What did you expect from yourself in terms of placing or kilograms,

receive any award

and are you satisfied?

or recognition for

KHC: Following the 2017 Summer Universiade in my home country,

your success from your

I was invited to attend many events. Then I had another big com-

Government?

petition, the Taiwan National Games in October. That was followed

KHC: I received so many con-

by the pre-game training in Los Angeles for a month before I finally

gratulations and a lot of encouraging messages

arrived in Anaheim to the 2017 World Championships. So, I felt kind

from the people who keep supporting me (Kuo

of a fatigue both physically and mentally. But I still had a strong mind

Fan Club) and coming with me around the world

to win the gold medal in Anaheim as I wanted to prove that I’ve fully

wherever I go. I also got the “Guo Guang Athletic

recovered from the serious injury in 2014. My goal was to snatch 103-

Medals and Scholarships” from the Chinese

105kg, clean and jerk 133-135kg. The only problem was that my knee

Taipei Government. To top it all off, I became the

didn’t feel good before the competition and I was afraid not to be able

Best Female Athlete of the Year. That was

to make that performance and fulfil my own expectations. Finally, I

indeed very rewarding for my efforts.

did the 105 and 135kg, 240kg in total – that’s not too bad.

WW: What are your expectations

WW: Did you miss the rivals from the countries not attending? Or

from 2018 as a weightlifter and as

would it have been better if all the strong rivals had been there?

a private person? What would make

KHC: I can only say that I felt sorry for those lifters who couldn’t

you most happy?

compete at the 2017 Anaheim World Championships.

KHC: I wish my family, fans, everyone

WW: What happened after the World Championships? Did you get a

and myself a peaceful, joyful, healthy year! Of

celebration? Did you rest, or have fun?

course, the target is first to recover, then get

KHC: After the event I was again invited to participate in a lot of differ-

ready to train for the next events. I hope

ent activities. By the end of the year I was really tired. I even became

everything will work out well.

ill, so I had to take a break and now I’m having a rest.

LEIDY YESSENIA SOLIS ARBOLEDA WW: What did the Anaheim World Championships mean for you? What did you expect from yourself in terms of placing or kilograms, and are you satisfied?

LA: The World Championships in Anaheim represented a great challenge, an opportunity and also an illusion. In the end it ratified that all my efforts were worthwhile. I am happy and satisfied with the title obtained, but of course in the future I want to give even more.

WW: Did you miss the rivals from the countries not attending?

Or would it have been better if all the strong rivals had been there?

LA: It’s not a question of missing or not, but it’s important to promote “Fair Play”, athletes who respect the rules and use their talent and effort to achieve their goals. My commitment was to have success and I fulfilled that goal with the world title.

WW: What happened after the World Championships? Did you get a celebration?

Did you rest, or have fun?

32 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

LA: In the last month of the year I had to take part in a number of events in Colombia.Outside the gym I dedicate myself to consolidating my personal projects that include social work with less favoured children of the city where I live, Tuluá. When I take breaks I share time and celebrate with family, especially with my son – that’s my best motivation for 2018.

WW: Did you receive any award or recognition for your success from your Government?

LA: Yes, we received incentives, among them from the IDRE of Bogotá and Coldeportes Nacional. I am grateful for the recognition and I consider it a valuable contribution for athletes to pursue their life projects.

WW: What are your expectations from 2018 as a weightlifter and as a private person? What would make you most happy?

LA: Getting better and getting further, striving to defend the world title. I wish to contribute to the welfare of my country both through sporting triumphs and social activities.

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 33

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

63KG – EPIC GOLDS FOR ROMANIA

I

n the context of the World Championships European medals were rather scarce, but among the few won those to be thanked to Romanian TOMA Loredana-Elena in the 63kg were undoubtedly the most significant so far. This 22-year old lifter seized the occasion arising from the absence of the big shots and achieved a personal best by pocketing all the three available gold medals. Before Anaheim, Romania did not have any women’s medals; now they have three at once.

Last year’s European champion TOMA set the solid foundations of her ultimate victory as early as in the snatch.

A podium of five shared the medals in 63kg

34 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

After 103 and 106kg she went for 109kg and lifted it, giving her 7 kilograms of lead on Canadian CHARRON Maude, and 8kg on one of the Colombians, RIVA ORDONEZ Lina Marcela. The Romanian did not have a mercy on them in clean and jerk either: she reached 128kg, with the next best WAMALUN Rattanawan (THA) making 127kg and bronze medallist RIVAS lifting 124kg. The aggregate of those excellent results put TOMA in an even more dominant position: 237kg against the next best 225kg totals achieved equally by RIVAS, PEREZ and WAMALUN.

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

PEREZ TIGRERO Mercedes Isabel, COL 1

TOMA LOREDANA-ELENA

10.05.1995

ROU 62.87

109 128 237

2

RIVAS ORDONEZ LINA MARCELA 24.04.1990

COL 62.51

101 124 225

3

PEREZ TIGRERO M. ISABEL

07.08.1987

COL 62.69

101 124 225

4

WAMALUN RATTANAWAN

15.07.1995

THA 62.63

98

127 225

5

CHARRON MAUDE G

28.04.1993

CAN 62.72

102 122 224

6

DAVIES SARAH

19.08.1992

GBR 62.84

88

121 209

7

ALEMANNO MARIA GRAZIA

02.09.1990

ITA

62.13

95

113 208

8

CHIANG NIEN-HSIN

29.04.1997

TPE 60.80

90

118 208

9

YOSHIDA AKANE

31.05.1994

JPN 61.86

92

115 207

10

FATTOUH MAHASSEN HALA

27.08.1989

LBN 62.80

91

113 204

TOMA Loredana-Elena, ROU

RIVAS ORDONEZ Lina Marcela, COL

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 35

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

69KG – ALBANIA IN JOY – THEN IN DESPAIR

T

here is no exaggeration in stating that one of the most dramatic episodes of the 2017 Anaheim World Championships was written in the women’s 69kg where the role of the negative heroine was played by Albanian BEGAJ Romela. Having served a doping suspension for an ADRV in 2014, she made a smashing comeback to the top ranks of the world in Anaheim: with 107kg she won the snatch and despite finishing only 5th in clean and jerk with 128kg, it was sufficient for her to secure the silver medal in total. Better to say she could not secure that for long: once again in Anaheim she returned an adverse analytical finding and is now facing disqualification and a sanction. Meanwhile, the overall world champion title in the category was earned with 239kg by Colombian SOLIS MENDOZA CARABALI Miyareth, COL

36 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

ARBOLEDA Leidy Yessenia, Rio’s fourth. 104kg in snatch and 135kg in clean and jerk added up to a result that was the best in the category. Egypt’s favourite AHMED Sara Samir Elsayed Mohamed made a surprising zero in the snatch but consoled herself with a gold medal in clean and jerk for her 136kg. Much to the joy of the hosts, the three bronze medals were picked up by US lifter ROGERS Martha Ann for her balanced performance.

ROGERS marked history in the United States: since 2005 she is the first woman to capture World Championships medals. And these bronzes may even become silver medals once BEGAJ’s procedures are concluded. The same process might then turn the silver medal won in snatch by Colombian MENDOZA CARABALI Miyareth into gold and give her a bronze in total…

ROGERS Martha Ann, USA

SOL

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

LIS ARBOLEDA Leidy Yessenia, COL

1

SOLIS ARBOLEDA L. YESSENIA

17.02.1990

COL 68.89

104 135 239

2*

BEGAJ ROMELA

02.11.1986

ALB 68.96

107 128 235

3

ROGERS MARTHA ANN

23.08.1995

USA 68.28

104 131 235

4

MENDOZA CARABALI MIYARETH 06.04.1994

COL 68.39

106 127 233

5

TORRES WONG ANACARMEN

27.11.1995

MEX 68.85

99

6

HUNG WAN-TING

21.06.1990

TPE 68.79

100 125 225

64.43

128 227

7

BORDIGNON GIORGIA

24.05.1987

ITA

8

STRENIUS PATRICIA CAROLINE

23.11.1989

SWE 68.72

94

100 122 222 127 221

9

YADAV PUNAM

09.07.1995

IND 68.99

98

120 218

10

PALACIOS DAJOMES A. PAOLA

12.09.2000

ECU 25051 95

120 215

11

NGUYEN THI VAN

16.12.1998

VIE

68.90

93

120 213

AHMED SARA S. E. MOHAMED

01.01.1998

EGY 68.49

--

136

AHMED Sara Samir Elsayed Mohamed, EGY

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 37

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

75KG – LIDIA VALENTIN: THREE GOLD

MEDALS AT ONE BLOW!

L

ike two categories ago TOMA did for Romania, in the 75kg VALENTIN PEREZ Lidia gifted her country, Spain, with their first world championships gold medal – and did the hat trick as well.

All the time smiling after her attempts, Spain’s darling swept the competition in six on six good lifts.

First in snatch: 110 and 115kg followed by an equally strong 118kg; then in the clean and jerk she entertained the audience with 130, 135 and 140kg, each splendidly performed. Her supremacy was simply overpowering.

At 32, younger than ever, VALENTIN added the world championships gold medals hitherto missing from her colourful collection that includes 3 Olympic medals each of different colour and three European titles.

Trailing her, competition was close between several medal contenders.

DAJOMES BARRERA Neisi Patricia, ECU

VALENTIN PEREZ Lidia, ESP

A historic first 90kg Junior World Champion: PENG Lina, CHN

38 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

I

n this special “numismatic” contest 19-year old Ecuadorian DAJOMES BARRERA Neisi Patricia emerged most successful, capturing silver in snatch, a bronze in clean and jerk and again winning silver in total for her result 18kg apart from VALENTIN’s. The French could celebrate here again: NAYO KETCHANKE Gaelle Verlaine (29) won two medals: silver in clean and jerk and bronze overall.

Ephemeral was the joy of 20-year old Mongolian and Asian champion MUNKHJANTSAN Ankhtsetseg, who captured a snatch bronze but then had to abandon the stage due to an injury.

1

VALENTIN PEREZ LIDIA

10.02.1985

ESP 74.57

118 140 258

2

DAJOMES BARRERA N. PATRICIA 12.05.1998

ECU 74.84

108 132 240

3

NAYO KETCHANKE G. VERLAINE

FRA 74.66

103 134 237

20.04.1988

4

FUENTES ZAVALA AREMI

23.05.1993

MEX 74.77

105 131 236

5

ARTHUR JENNY LYVETTE

11.12.1993

USA 74.87

104 130 234

6

YAO CHI-LING

31.03.1993

TPE 74.35

100 128 228

7

BEAUCHEMIN-N. MARIE-EVE

13.10.1988

CAN 74.66

99

128 227

8

NGARLEM KRISTEL

20.07.1995

CAN 73.87

99

128 227

9

GARZA GARZA ALEJANDRA

01.08.1991

MEX 74.56

100 123 223

10

OTAKUZIYEVA OMADOY

04.04.1996

UZB 74.38

95

Medals in 75kg – with IWF President Dr. Tamás Aján and USAW CEO Phil Andrews

NAYO KETCHANKE Gaelle Verlaine, FRA

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 39

127 222

› INTERVIEW

LIDIA VALENTIN PEREZ WW: What did the Anaheim World Championships mean for you? What did you expect from yourself in terms of placing or kilograms, and are you satisfied?

LVP: The World Championships was one of the best times of my life. The preparation was very good since we came there after two weeks of training camp in Las Vegas, and this helped me a lot. I couldn’t wait to compete and I was acclimatized to the time difference. Actually, I did not have any specific expectations but I went to do what I always do, that is focus on the competition, concentrate maximally and give everything. I knew it was a great World Championships for me because I could win, but I did not think of winning the gold; instead, I just wanted to enjoy it and give 100%. Yes, of course, I am very satisfied with the result because I became World Champion for the first time and I had been competing for many years, and it was like getting my big dream come true.

WW: Did you miss the rivals from the countries not attending? Or would it have been better if all the strong rivals had been there?

LVP: I didn’t miss the countries not competing, since those countries have been sanctioned and for me they do not represent the values of sport because I consider that sport has to be clean, it cannot be done in a way that is not legal. I even think that instead of only one year they should be banned for life because, as I said, that is not sport. I did not miss them at all! And if they don’t come back, better.

“BEING WORLD CHAMPION GIVES ME MORE STRENGTH”

WW: What happened after the World Championships? Did you get a celebration? Did you rest, or have fun?

LVP: Immediately after my competition, still in Anaheim, I went out to finally eat some decent dinner - out of the diet I usually follow preparing for each championship. I was really longing to return to Spain when the World Championships were finished to celebrate with my family and my friends.

Right now I am living very well because finally I am World Champion, and it helps me, gives me more strength and energy to continue training in this Olympic Cycle until Tokyo 2020. Outside the gym, when I am facing any competition, I pay all my attention day to day to the correct routine of resting and living a healthy life, and I do not allow myself much

40 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

time for leisure. However, it is true when I finish the competitions I like spending time with my family, with my friends, disconnect and go to vacations and do different things.

WW: Did you receive any award or recognition for your success from your Government?

LVP: Yes, the truth is that I have received lots of recognition at national level and I am very happy about them. I have been granted awards and on 19th February I am about to get the National Sport Award “Queen Letizia” (the highest award for a Spanish athlete).

Furthermore I have also had tributes at local and provincial level (Camponaray in Castilla y León) and that makes my success at the World Championships even more valuable.

WW: What are your expectations from 2018 as a weightlifter and as a private person? What would make you most happy?

LVP: For this year 2018, my expectations are to continue enjoying, continue being motivated by what I am doing. The immediate first task ahead is to defend my position at the European later at the World Championships. I am working on as until now; alas, this is now the last phase in the cycle reaching until Tokyo 2020.

WW: Who did you vote for as Lifter of the Year 2017 - man and woman?

LVP: For me the best weightlifter of 2017 in the men could be any of those proposed, but perhaps the Georgian Lasha Talakhadze was the best, because he has broken three world records and was really terrific. As far as the women are concerned, I would stay by myself (laughs of complicity).

› INTERVIEW

SELEDINA NIEVE “THIS TRIUMPH IS NOT ONLY MINE”

WW: Did you receive any award or recognition for your success from your Government?

SN: Apart from the appreciation of the people, I didn’t receive any official remuneration.

WW: What are your expectations from 2018 as a weightlifter and as a private person? What would make you most happy?

SN: My goals are clear: I work very hard with the support of many people. I always think big and I’m convinced that I have a purpose in life.

WW: What did the Anaheim World Championships mean for you? What did you expect from yourself in terms of placing or kilograms, and are you satisfied?

SN: I still cannot get over my astonishment. This was very important in my career, something big that I didn’t expect. I have always been seeking a medal in World Championships and kept training for it but now it’s reality! Nevertheless, I don’t think it’s just mine, I feel it’s the triumph of my family, coaches, leaders – my country, Ecuador.

WW: Did you miss the rivals from the countries not attending?

Or would it have been better if all the strong rivals had been there?

SN: Of course it would have been good to compete with all of them, but everyone must respect the rules of Fair Play. It was however an opportunity to show that we still have a space on the world stage of weightlifting.

WW: What happened after the World Championships? Did you get a celebration? Did you rest, or have fun?

SN: After the competition I took some time to thank for everything that I received from God. I feel blessed for being able to medal in the World Championships a few days after my 40th birthday! Besides celebrating with my family, I have been devoting more time to my office work as a coordinator of Zona 1 of the Ministry of Sport. After the working hours I am hundred per cent for my family.

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 41

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

90KG – BRONZE AT 40 – GEORGIA SCORES FIRST MEDAL

T

he women’s 90kg was predestined to produce novelty, having been contested for the first time ever at senior world championships level. The debut was sheer success, whereby the epic first champion title went to 21-year old HOTFRID Anastasiia, at the same time the first Georgian woman in history to win a weightlifting medal.

HOTFRID, in fact, had not been unknown in the weightlifting events: she had collected three gold medals at the U23 2017 European Championships and, still earlier, she was 2016 junior European champion in the +75kg, as well as 12th at the Rio Olympic Games. In Anaheim she opened by taking the first title in snatch with 120kg – at 7 kilos on Dominican SANTANA PEGUERO Crismery Dominga, and 8 kilos on NIEVE Seledina from Ecuador. Just for reference, the latter lady celebrated her 40th birthday a few days prior to her competition on 25th November! What a beautiful birthday present, this bronze medal for her 112kg! Only fourth in the first part, VALDES PARIS Maria Fernanda from Chile got wings in the clean and jerk and flew up until the top of the podium with her 146kg, ahead of HOTFRID (145kg) and SANTANA (141kg). She could not, however, take the total gold from HOTFRID, who closed with 265kg, leaving VALDES in second, SANTANA in third positions.

HOTFRID Anastasiia, GEO

42 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

1

HOTFRID ANASTASIIA

25.04.1996

GEO 88.46

120 145 265

2

VALDES PARIS M. FERNANDA

17.03.1992

CHI 89.69

109 146 255

3

SANTANA PEGUERO C. DOMINGA

20.04.1995

DOM 85.88

113 141 254

4

NIEVE ARROYO OLIBA SELEDINA

25.11.1977

ECU 89.32

112 134 246 105 134 239

5

KLINGSEIS MARISSA EILEEN

07.06.1995

USA 89.44

6

SALAZAR ARCE T. YAJAIRA

09.08.1997

ECU 28734 101 133 234

7

LUDWIG A. ANNABELLA

22.05.1992

USA 89.20

103 128 231

8

LO YING-YUAN

07.05.1996

TPE 87.34

100 129 229

9

ILMARINEN MERI TUULI LINNEA

04.06.1991

FIN 77.14

102 124 226

10

VANBELLINGHEN ANNA MARIE-J A M 10.03.1994

BEL 84.30

101 121 222

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

VALDES PARIS Maria Fernanda, CHI

NIEVE Seledina, ECU – WWC medal at 40 years

The 90kg medal podium

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 43

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

+90KG – ROBLES ENGILDED THE WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR AMERICA

T

here is no denying that Anaheim had a shining golden finish – to the big happiness of the hosts. With ROBLES Sarah Elizabeth they celebrated a US winner in the other new category for women, the +90kg. In the contest of the heaviest and strongest the home favourite took it all. All the gold medals, we mean. She started by sweeping the snatch: 118kg presented no challenge,

ROBLES Sarah Elizabeth, USA

44 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

nor did the 122 or the 126kg. HUBBARD Laurel (39), New Zealand’s transgender athlete generating no little argument, who had previously competed as Gavin Hubbard and changed gender four years ago to lift among the women, became the runner up with 124kg and the bronze was taken by Mexican MASCORRO OSUNA Tania Guadalupe.

HUBBARD Laurel, NZL

› 2017 IWF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANAHEIM

T

o no little surprise, PULSABSAKUL Chitchanok, Thailand’s WC third favourite missed her three attempts and did not score. In turn, Rio Olympic third ROBLES proved to be unstoppable and pinned three good lifts more (150-154- 158) sweeping the field clean. In second place we find Egyptian HARIDY Shaimaa Ahmed Khalaf (153kg), followed by another Thai entry, CHAIDEE Duangaksorn (152kg).

HUBBARD was fourth here but together with her snatch result she took the total silver. HARIDY retained the bronze for Africa. ROBLES made an entry in the US weightlifting statistics by reaping gold for women again since 2005, while HUBBARD won New Zealand’s first ever world championships medals.

HARIDY Shaimaa Ahmed Khalaf, EGY

1

ROBLES SARAH ELIZABETH

01.08.1988

USA 145.69 126 158 284

2

HUBBARD LAUREL

09.02.1978

NZL 135.63 124 151 275

3

HARIDY SHAIMAA A. KHALAF

01.01.1991

EGY 124.67 115 153 268

4

CHAIDEE DUANGAKSORN

11.08.1997

THA 111.30 115 152 267

5

MASCORRO O. T. GUADALUPE 24.11.1988

MEX 107.24 119 142 261

6

AYOVI CABEZAS L. BETZAIDA

ECU 122.65 111 140 251

07.08.1998

7

MIERZEJEWSKA A. EMILIA

05.03.1992

POL 141.55 102 130 232

8

MAGAT KRISZTINA

02.03.1989

HUN 107.39 100 128 228

CHAIDEE Duangaksorn, THA

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 45

› INTERVIEW

SARAH ELIZABETH ROBLES WW: What did the Anaheim World Championships mean for you? What did you expect from yourself in terms of placing or kilograms, and are you satisfied?

SR: I viewed this World Championships as a great opportunity. If a great opportunity is put in front of me, I like to take it. I expected to put in at least a performance like I did at the Olympics. I knew a 280+ total would put me in medal contention. I came into the competition in good shape, health and spirits; I had no real reason to doubt my performance.

I would say that yes, I am satisfied with my performance. I successfully made my lifts and won the competition. Even if my lifts were higher, I’d have the same results, so I’m perfectly happy with the outcome.

WW: Did you miss the rivals from the countries not attending? Or would it have been better if all the strong rivals had been there?

SR: Whoever gets the privilege of competing at the World Championships is what you get. I appreciated all of my competitors that showed up and lifted their hardest. If more teams came, I would have lifted just as hard and had been thankful for my result but, that’s not the way things played out. I’m thankful for the involvement of the IWF and WADA with anti-doping and wish the best for my competitors to return in good shape for future competitions.

WW: What happened after the World Championships? Did you get a celebration? Did you rest, or have fun?

SR: Immediately after, my close friends and family went to celebrate by eating In-n- out burger then I returned to join the rest of the delegations at the closing ceremonies. For the rest of December, I trained lightly and enjoyed the winter holidays with my family.

WW: Did you receive any award or recognition for your success from your Government?

SR: I was awarded Athlete of the Month for December for Team USA and I received a certificate of recognition from the City of Friendswood, Texas, USA where I currently live. If it’s not rude to discuss money, I did receive a handsome bonus from my Federation which I’m very thankful for.

WW: What are your expectations from 2018 as a weightlifter and as a private person? What would make you most happy?

SR: My goal is to contribute well to Team USA, continue to improve on my total, and learn what I need to in order to prepare me for hopefully, my third Olympic Games in Tokyo.

WW: Who did you vote for as Lifter of the Year 2017 - man and woman?

SR: I’m usually never in contention for these types of awards and I was so excited to be nominated, I voted for myself. I can’t quite remember who was in contention for the men but, if Lasha was in the running, I definitely would have voted for him.

46 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

“COMPETING AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IS A PRIVILEGE”

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 47

› ANAHEIM MOMENTS PHOTO: JÓZSEF SZAKA

Technical Officials

ANAHEIM MOMENTS Mr. Disc Head

48 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

The IWF’s #iLiftClean campaign was a great success

Loader: Pyrros Dimas

WERK SAN Sport International

Weightlifting

The real power of athletes WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 49

RAISING THE BAR FOR 60 YEARS

50 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

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