WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING No.144

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF INTERNATIONAL WEIGHTLIFTING FEDERATION

PHOTO: JÓZSEF SZAKA

BEST OF 2017 Lidia VALENTIN, Spain Lasha TALAKHADZE, Georgia

2017 LIFTER OF THE YEAR AWARD GALA

ROAD TO BUENOS AIRES

COMMONWEALTH GAMES

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

IN TBILISI

CONTINENTAL QUALIFICATION TO YOG

GOLD COAST

BUCHAREST

Published by International Weightlifting Federation DR. TAMÁS AJÁN IWF President IOC Honorary Member MOHAMMED JALOOD IWF General Secretary

CONTENTS No.144 02-03 | FOREWORD BY THE PRESIDENT 04-09 | MADLOBA SAKARTVELO! – TBILISI AWARD GALA

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.

10-19 |

2018 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS - BUCHAREST

20-27 |

GOLD COAST 2018 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

29-35 | ROAD TO BUENOS AIRES YOG – CONTINENTAL QUALIFICATION

CHAMPIONSHIPS – AFRICA – ASIA – PAN AMERICA

36-37 |

WOMEN’S PAGE

38-41 | 2018 PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 43 | WHAT’S NEWS ON THE ANTI-DOPING FRONT? 44-47 | DESTINATION TOKYO 2020 – OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION SYSTEM 48 | TECHNICAL CORNER

ISSN 0230-3035

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 1

› FOREWORD

FOREWORD

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Dear Readers, Dear Friends,

et me begin with a flashback. The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee held its meeting on 9th June 2017 where an evaluation of the reanalysis of samples stored from the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympic Games was on the agenda. As it is known, the repeated analysis was carried out with the help of a brand new methodology, whereby positive results were discovered in 22 different sports.

The athletes concerned had been checked in Beijing and London as well. Two sports produced the most AAFs: one of them being weightlifting with its 49 cases found in the new procedure.

In the fight for clean sport, the IOC Executive Board issued a strong warning to the IWF and applied restrictive measures on weightlifting. Our Olympic quota was reduced from 260 to 196 and Tokyo 2020 can stage only 7+7 categories (from 8+7 earlier). At the same time, the IOC made it clear that unless the IWF tightens its anti-doping controls the presence of weightlifting in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games is in serious danger.

As far as I am concerned: as someone who has been committed to the fight on doping all my life since 1975, I had to acknowledge this as a very strong warning. Conclusion: either we comply with the IOC’s expectations or we shall not see weightlifting any more as an Olympic sport. My reaction was to establish two special commissions: the Clean Sport Commission and the Sports Programme Commission. The former received the task to elaborate recommendations for a new, stricter and complex control system; the latter one was commissioned to work on the Olympic comThe IWF Executive Board is unanimously committed to th petition program, the qualification system, including new bodyweight categories. Speaking of our anti-doping program, I am sure no other Olympic sport is able to display statistics reaching as far back into the past as us. We have exact and detailed data for our anti-doping controls since 1976; with precise statistics of the number of tests annually, number of positives and a breakdown by countries. I have to point out that the IWF already did have a strict and comprehensive, as well as well organised anti-doping program, yet it must also be admitted that the shocking outcome of the Olympic reanalyses obviously obligated the IOC to issue that austere warning.

Both special Commissions have thus been set up and my leading principle was to assure objectivity and neutrality by selecting members from outside the sport of weightlifting. To lead the Clean Sport Commission I asked Richard Young, a renowned American lawyer, who had elaborated the first WADA Code and WADA’s whole legal environment. In order to coordinate the Sports Programme Commission, I appointed Attila Ádámfi, IWF Director General, who had been fully immersed in the processes and possessed a full knowledge of the situation.

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he Clean Sport Commission had the chief mission to make a full and thorough review of the IWF’s Anti-Doping Program and make proposals to further tighten anti-doping controls, assure their transparency, reliability and efficiency. The main duties that awaited the Sports Programme Commission were to suggest the Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualification system and the weightlifting programme of the Games, but the SPC went much further by suggesting the introduction of a set of new bodyweight categories. As intended, the members to both Commissions were appointed only in minority from the weightlifting family; most of them were invited from the global sports and professional communities. All members, however, enjoy worldwide reputation and are experts in their respective field of knowledge.

The first set of recommendations was submitted by the Clean Sport Commission to the IWF Executive Board at its meeting last December in Anaheim. Discussed and approved by the EB, the Report was submitted to the IOC that, in turn, ordered us to implement the recommendations proposed and listed a few points to focus on. Thus a second Report is now on the IOC’s table waiting for a decision at the mid-July Executive Board meeting. I have to tell that not only did the IWF implement the recommendations but we went even further in complexity and with innovations in our anti-doping activities. Once our job is acknowledged and deemed correct, we shall be able to see weightlifting secured on the programme of the 2024 Olympic Games.

I must point out that this goal has mobilized and united all available forces in our sport. My feeling is that the document we submitted to the IOC represents the optimum antidoping concept and practice there is today. It is a kind of feedback for us that senior global leaders in sport, including IOC President Thomas Bach himself, have voiced their recommendation: the IWF is now leading the way; its steps should be followed by the other sports.

It is also known worldwide that IWF sanctioned with a one-year suspension the nine Member Federations claiming the bulk of positives in the reanalysis, but at the same time offering them full assistance to re-establish their own anti-doping system and clean their weightlifting sport. The involvement of these nine countries is now being closely and permanently checked by an Independent Monitoring Group. This particular he cause of clean weightlifting Group is also composed of experts from Australia through the USA to Canada who are the top professionals in the anti-doping field, have no direct alliance to weightlifting and are devoted to work for clean sport – all of them.

Now, towards the end of June, I am confident that the IOC has the best possible document package from us for deliberation, one that reflects our full commitment to clean weightlifting and its Olympic existence.

I trust our experts, our member countries, and if not for another reason than because several Member Federations have changed their leadership and now have people at the helm who are committed to the cause of the fight against doping.

I sincerely hope that the IOC will come to the same evaluation conclusion and that we can keep our coveted Olympic status.

DR. TAMÁS AJÁN IWF PRESIDENT

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 3

› LIFTER OF THE YEAR AWARD GALA IN TBILISI TEXT: KORNÉL JANCSÓ PHOTO: JÓZSEF SZAKA

MADLOBA SAKARTVELO!

LIFTER OF THE YEAR AWARD GALA IN TBILISI

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eorgia has proven, more than once, that it does not only boast extraordinary weightlifters but several outstanding people as well who are experts in staging various events at the highest level. Not mentioning the traditional Georgian hospitality always warmly embracing those visiting this Caucasian country on the East coast of the Black Sea. When, early May, Tbilisi hosted the latest edition of the Lifter of the Year Award Gala, i.e. the ceremony within which the International Federation and our magazine WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING honoured the two weightlifters voted online as the best female and male competitors for the year before, it was another splendid event staged in the Georgian capital . Winners for 2017 of the “Jenő Boskovics Lifter of The Year 2017” trophies were Spanish Lidia VALENTIN and Georgian Lasha TALAKHADZE.

Spectacular entry of stars Hollywood style

Traditional Georgian dance warmed up the atmosphere

4 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

› LIFTER OF THE YEAR AWARD GALA IN TBILISI

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he “trimmings” of the Gala on 7th May already suggested that our Georgian friends were ready to be on their mettle once again; if not for anything else than because one of the lifters to be decorated was their own superheavy superstar, Talakhadze. As Olympic, world and European Champion, Talakhadze is celebrated as the Nation’s Hero in Georgia. He enjoys nearly the same esteem as triple Olympic champion, currently President of the Georgian Weightlifting Federation and “Master of Ceremonies”, Kakhi KAKHIASHVILI. Merit and praise should go first of all to Kakhi, who never lost his grip on the preparatory activities and – with the aid of a handful of his outstanding colleagues – conjured an unforgettable event at the Rustaveli National Theatre. It should be noted that Georgian Television Channel 1 captured the whole ceremony in a 70-minute live broadcast. The Award Gala easily qualified as the “Oscar Gala” of weightlifting. Both the location with its stylish elegance of the theatre outside and inside alike; the top-notch guest list; the glittering stage setting and the exquisite dinner; the tasteful cultural program accompanying the awarding procedure; and on the whole the heart-warming atmosphere of the evening can only be applauded and highly acclaimed.

The entry of the award winning stars was already “Hollywood style”: Lidia and Lasha walked in, side by side, all the way to the stage on the red carpet lined with the local and international press and cameras. They were hailed in speeches laced with terrific Georgian folk dance, classical and local music in alternating sequence. The leading representatives of Georgian political and sporting life shared their thoughts with the prominent audience, among them the Minister of Sport, the President of the National Olympic Committee, the Mayor of Tbilisi and, last but not least, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi KVIRIKASHVILI. The Prime Minister pointed out that his country was extremely proud of its Olympic champions; at the same time expressing gratitude to the IWF, in particular to Dr. Tamás AJÁN, President, for letting Tbilisi organise this prestigious gala in 2018.

Dr. Aján with Kakhi Kakhiashvili: from 3-times Olympic champion into President of GEOWF and “Spirit” of Georgian weightlifting

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 5

› INTERVIEW

LIDIA VALENTIN: 2017 LIFTER OF THE YEAR WW: You were here in Tbilisi for a very short period of time, arrived early in the morning and leaving late night. How do you feel about this short visit, was it worth to come?

L.V.: Really it was a short time, but is the second time I’m here. The first time I was in Georgia I became a European Champion, so I have very positive feelings towards this country. And this night gave me the best experience I ever had in life! The Lifter of the Year Prize is very important to me; the honour will stay with me for the rest of my life. Tbilisi became a very special place to me.

“THIS IS A GREAT HONOUR FOR ME, AND IT WOULD BE ANOTHER DREAM COMING TRUE.” WW: You won the poll by more than two-third of the votes. How did you feel when you found out? Were you surprised or did you expect it?

L.V.: I was very surprised. When I saw the results, I could feel the love of the people. This is like a dream for me. It is very important to me that I feel the love of people and it is appreciated what I am doing.

WW: Many think you are an ambassador for weightlifting, a female role model. Do you like to step into these roles?

L.V.: I very much like to step in to these roles. This is a great honour for me, and it would be another dream coming true.

WW: First you won an Olympic Bronze and later on you were awarded with silver and a gold medal. Do you have any favourite, or the most you are proud of?

L.V.: All of them are different, I am proud of them all.

But I’m a little bit disappointed I did not receive two of my medals right at the Games. That’s why I would like to become an ambassador for weightlifting, and show a good example, so that such things should never happen again.

WW: What do you expect from Tokyo? We heard you’re training to be there.

L.V.: I’m preparing to go on winning medals; I will fight for this goal in Tokyo.

WW: We know very little about your personal life.

Would you share any detail with us?

L.V.: At the end of the day, why people respect me is my sporting career and not my personal life.

WW: Mr Iglesias, as the President of the Spanish Weightlifting Federation, how do you feel about Lidia and her career?

C. I.: In Spain, she’s a role model for women. She changed the schemes. There were only men competing in this sport. Now we have many talented ladies achieving great results. We are grateful to her, because she showed us women are capable to do anything a man does. She has taught gender equality to Spain.

WW: What does this prize mean for the Spanish Federation?

C. I.: Like she has said, it is a dream come true and we want to go on dreaming. She was voted by the whole world. This is very important for our Federation.

Lidia put the icing on her all-year success at World Championships Lidia Valentin flanked by Dr. Hasan Akkus, EWF General Secretary (leftI and Constantino Iglesias, President FEH 6 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

› INTERVIEW

LASHA TALAKHADZE: I WANT TO WIN FURTHER TROPHIES

H

ardly 24 years of age and he has already won everything an athlete could dream of: World and European Championship gold medals, plus the Olympic Champion title. For 2016 he had been voted second at the Lifter of the Year election; for last year in our voting held in January, he took the pole position by a large margin and became the best in the world in 2017. Lasha Talakhadze thus conquered another peak – and the best part of his career is still ahead…

the

At the Award Gala in Tbilisi, Lasha appeared as a newly wed with his young wife and his parents on his side, and he looked truly handsome and imposing. Looking great on stage with nearly 200cm tall and weighing 166kg – no fat – the Georgian giant was not only elegant but also well-mannered starting his speech like this: “First, thank you all for sharing this special moment with me. I want to congratulate Ms. Lidia and wish her many great victories. I want to thank Dr. Tamás Aján, President, and his team for allowing us to host this event and honouring us with their presence.”

Of course, he did not fail praising his country and family: “I want to thank my Federation, the team of coaches – they all have immensely contributed to the success that Georgia is celebrating today.

I would not be standing here without them. I will do my very best to bring many happy moments to you, to my country.”

Looking at Lasha’s scorecard it strikes the eye that – apart from the 2011 World Championships in Paris where he made his debut at 18 and finished in 20th place – almost exclusively the number ‘1’ is listed against his name in all events. Namely, ever after he proved invincible wherever he would appear at a world class competition. The gold medal of +105kg was accorded to him at the European Championships in 2016 Forde, 2017 Split and 2018 Bucharest. Same in a World Championship context: he won the last two in 2015 Houston and 2017 Anaheim; in between both he captured the Olympic Champion title at the 2016 Rio Games. Where does he take the power from, where does his excellent technique come from; and what keeps him going once he can already call all the major titles his own?

“The fact that I am Olympic, world and European Champion does not make me think I should retire… About the power: I have inherited it from my father who was a very strong man himself, and an outstanding weightlifter, who collected many medals and titles. He helped me a lot and has much to do with the success I have achieved in my career.”

Talakhadze did not remain ungenerous in terms of world records, either. In the heaviest men’s category, first he snatched 215kg at the 2016 Olympic Games, then jumped to 217kg at last year’s European Championships, only to bring this record up to 220kg at the Anaheim worlds.

In total, he improved the world record in Rio to 473kg and at last year’s World Championships he was able to push this incredible mark even higher to 477kg. The only “best” that has evaded him is the record in clean and jerk, but what has is delayed may come later. And what happens if eventually somebody else pops up and takes away his record?

“I always try to train and be ready so that I can be and remain the best. If somebody can improve my record, no problem, I’m just looking at it as another challenge to face and take it back from him.”

His love and devotion to weightlifting radiates clearly from his words. The sport fills his life, leaving no time for anything else. Workout sessions one after the other: that’s the life for the champion. As his next big goal is the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, this routine is not likely to change in the future. In whatever free time he has, Lasha likes to read: “Wherever I go when I have to travel, competition, training camp alike, I always pack a few books in my bag. And when there is no weightlifting, I like to be with my family, I love them so much! Just recently before In Anaheim, he amazed the world with further records this Gala we had our wedding and the couple of days honeymoon with my wife seemed like being in Heaven!”

Asked by the journalist how he feels about smoking and drinking, he answered indignantly, like true sportsman: “Never! And I will never smoke, nor drink in my life!

Of course, when we celebrate something, I have a glass of good Georgian wine or two, but that’s it, nothing more.”

That Lasha Talakhadze was born to be a weightlifter was proven in his early age as he Lasha is grateful to all who helped him to this won youth, then junior Eurosuccess pean Championships, later junior World Championships, still later the U23 European Championships. Given that he will only turn 25 this October, he has every chance to become a King of the superheavyweight category that has already celebrated some double but never a triple Olympic champion. He might be the first of this kind – naturally, supposing he wins in Tokyo 2020 and in Paris 2024.

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 7

› LIFTER OF THE YEAR AWARD GALA IN TBILISI

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hen the moment came to present the beautiful crystal trophies to their respective winners, Dr. Aján as well as myself as Editor in Chief of WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING were invited to the stage. The 2017 Lifter of The Year trophies were then presented to their respective recipents.

In his words, the IWF President said: “This is a very special occasion for more than one reason. On the one hand, this is the first time a Georgian weightlifter has been awarded since the IWF started the Lifter of the Year awards in 1982. The second reason is that Lidia Valentin is the first Spanish athlete to receive this honour since the female poll was launched in 1991.”

As far as the voting itself of WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING was concerned: both Lidia and Lasha won by a large and convincing margin. Lidia’s advantage was overwhelming, while Lasha, finishing in the runner-up position in the 2016 ballot, scored a significant victory despite having a range of contenders made up only of world champions. True, however, that 2017 was un-

doubtedly the year of these two stars. Lidia Valentin, by now the owner of three different Olympic medals from three Olympic Games (2008, 2012, 2016) – a gold, a silver and a bronze – and three European champion titles, never sold it cheaper at the 2017 Anaheim World Championships than for a first place in the 75kg category. She thus became the most successful Spanish weightlifter in history.

Georgia can boast 4 weightlifting Olympic champions

IWF President and WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING Editor-in-Chief presenting the Jenő Boskovics 2017 Lifter of the Year award to Lidia Valentin 8 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

› LIFTER OF THE YEAR AWARD GALA IN TBILISI

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The presenters and the awardees with Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili

espite his tender age of not yet 25 years, Lasha Talakhadze can already boast all the important titles in the sport: he was crowned Olympic champion of the +105kg category at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, besides he is two-times world and three-times European champion. That means he still has a lot of time and chance to further enrich his mantelpiece collection. And let us not forget: he holds the snatch and total world records in the +105kg category!

In one of the highlights of the Tbilisi Award Gala, Talakhadze and Kakhiashvili were joined on stage by Georgia’s further two weightlifting Olympic champions: with his 90 years of age the doyen Rafael CHIMISKIAN and Georgi ASANIDZE, who is currently the chief coach of the Georgian team.

Among the prominent guests of the gala were Zhanat TUSSUPBEKOV, IWF Vice President, and Dr, Hasan AKKUS, General Secretary of the European Weightlifting Federation, as well as Constantino IGLESIAS, President of the Spanish Federation. The latter said that the ceremony had impressed and moved him deeply. He was IWF ladies with the 2017 Woman Lifter of the Year

very happy also because – obviously as a result of Lidia’s success – interest in weightlifting in Spain had grown significantly, especially among the girls.

As far as the popularity of the Year’s Lifters went it was tangible in Tbilisi. When leaving the Rustaveli Theatre, both stars were cheered loudly by young fans flocking the street. Lasha Talakhadze, with his freshly married lovely wife on his side, was proud and happy to stop for a selfie with anyone wishing to be in one photo with the world’s strongest man.

Later, Lidia said that the Tbilisi Gala had been an exhilarating experience for her surpassing all her previous expectations and imagination. We might say it has surpassed ours too; however, there was no surprise about it since we got what we had been sure our Georgian friends would be capable of delivering. No doubt the benchmark is now set very high to hosts of future awarding galas. Thanks to Kakhi Kakhiashvili and his countrymen and colleagues, the Best of 2017 were venerated in a thoroughly worthy fashion.

Finally, as we opened our report: Madlova Sakartvelo! – that is: Thank you, Georgia!

› EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, BUCHAREST, ROU TEXT: KORNÉL JANCSÓ PHOTO: ROMANIAN WF, AGERPRES, ISAAC JULIÁN MORILLAS SÁNCHEZ

LIFTERS OF THE YEAR BRILLIANT AT EUROPEAN CONTINENTAL MEET

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he first challenge of the continent was held back in 1896 in Rotterdam, and this spring the best of European weightlifting met for the 97th time to fight for the available medals and titles. After Turkey, subsequently the replacement host Albania both had to resign from hosting the 2018 “Euro weight challenge” due to the doping sanctions, Romania undertook to carry out the Championships in its capital, Bucharest. The Federation had not more than six weeks to get ready to welcome the countries of Europe.

Romania Saved the Europeans’

Experienced organisers as they were, under the leadership of the President of the Romanian Weightlifting Federation and IWF Vice President Nicu Vlad, the hosts successfully carried out this task. On the one hand, they saved the EWF and the 2018 Championships, on the other hand, they had their fair share of joy thanks to success on the platform. It was not the first time that Romania hosted the EC: in 1972 Constanta and in 2009 Bucharest had welcomed the continental meet. In 2018 again, the Romanian team excelled in Bucharest, more precisely in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Center of Izvorani.

Their women took the first place in the team ranking, their men obtained the runner-up position behind winning Georgia. In terms of medals collected, the Championships on home ground also remains memorable for the hosts: they amassed 15 medals for women (six gold, four silver and five bronze); and 11 for the men (3, 4, 4).

In the medal table, this collection was worth the first place in women and second place in men.

More statistics: representatives of 32 countries took part in the 2018 EC, altogether 208 competitors (of which 100 women). Bucharest was obviously not going to break any participation records given the fact that seven of the major European countries were spending their one-year suspension. This absence of the formerly dominant teams, among those Russia, Turkey or Ukraine, was splendidly exploited by several nations. Altogether 11 countries hit gold and 15 countries won some kind of medal. Although the non-participation of favourites did further medal chances for others, in many categories success was by no means undeserved or a matter of sheer luck. In the men’s field Georgia did best, having won seven gold, three silver medals and one bronze; Romania came next and Albania finished in third place with three European titles.

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The Best

Certain competitors had to significantly contribute to the total crop of 15 medals (10, 3, 2) by Georgia. First of all, both of its world champions from Anaheim. Needless to name here, but Lasha Talakhadze was victorious again with the greatest of ease among the heaviest men. Similarly, the recent world champion of the women’s 90kg, Anastasiia Hotfrid also captured all honours in her category, including snatch, clean and jerk and total. Hotfrid finished 30kg ahead of the second-ranked athlete, while Talakhadze, male winner of WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING’s Lifter of the Year voting for 2017, beat the next best by 40 kilograms. In the process, Talakhadze made a – this time unsuccessful – world record attempt at 221kg, and managed to win his third continental title in succession.

Our female Lifter of the Year, Spanish Lidia Valentin was also dominant in the 75kg category where she took her fourth set of European champion titles after 2014, 2015 and 2017. The other competitors followed her at a distance of 16kg.

EWF General Secretary Dr. Hasan Akkus and RWF General Secretary Alexander Padure at the Opening Ceremony

› EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, BUCHAREST, ROU - WOMEN

48KG

CATEGORY HIGHLIGHTS - WOMEN

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hey were undoubtedly the superstars of the European Championships but Bucharest 2018 was not all about these two lifters.

Let us just start with the ladies and their first category, the 48kg. Placed sixth last year at the WWC, Romanian Elena Ramona Andries opened by retaining all the three gold

medals on home soil. She was immensely celebrated by the crowd.

48 KG 1 ANDRIES ELENA RAMONA

20.09.1994 ROU 47.86

79 100 179

2 MICHEL ANAIS

12.01.1988 FRA 47.98

78

96 174

3 PANDOVA DANIELA IVANOVA

16.09.1994 BUL 48.00

71

94 165

Romania celebrated the first champion in 48kg

53KG

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oving one category further, the 53kg: all three available titles were captured by the same lifter, Poland’s Joanna Lochowka, 5th in Anaheim. Her lead on the second best was – like Andries’s – five kilos.

53 KG 1 LOCHOWSKA JOANNA

17.11.1988 POL 52.80

88 108 196

2 LOMBARDO JENNIFER

24.06.1991

ITA 52.68

84 107 191

3 RUSSO GIORGIA

28.04.1993

ITA 52.60

80 106 186

LOCHOWSKA Joanna, POL

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 11

› EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, BUCHAREST, ROU - WOMEN

58KG

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dds were high also in the 58kg in 58 KG favour of Rebeka Koha from Latvia and 1 KOHA REBEKA although just turning 20 years old, she 2 ROOS ANNA ANGELICA U. swept the field. Taking her first senior title, Koha outlifted the other two medal 3 PENCIU ANDREEA winners by 29 and 30 kilos, only 2 kilograms under her Anaheim result.

KOHA Rebeka, LAT

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ROOS Anna, SWE

19.05.1998 LAT 57.78 100 120 220 15.04.1989 SWE 57.68

85 106 191

07.09.2000 ROU 57.16

88 102 190

› EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, BUCHAREST, ROU - WOMEN

63KG

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he next category, 63kg again brought an overwhelming victory by Romanian Loredana Toma, world champion in Anaheim. She lifted 19kg more than her immediate follower and compatriot Irina Lepsa.

Medals in 63kg

63 KG 1 TOMA LORENADE-ELENA

10.05.1995 ROU 62.90 105 131 236

2 LEPSA IRINA-LACRAMIOARA

06.06.1992 ROU 62.90

3 VUOHIJOKI ANNI TEIJA ORVOKKI 24.05.1988

FIN 63.00

97 122 219 91 112 203

69KG

STRENIUS Patricia, SWE

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uch more narrow was the difference in the 69kg between the 7th and 8th placed lifters of the 2017 WWC. First, the former, Italian Giorgia Bordignon took a better start winning the snatch; the latter, Patricia Strenius from Sweden, however, excelled in clean and jerk and lifted six kilos more overall, having 230kg for a total gold medal. At last year’s highlight in the USA she jerked 127kg, now 131kg and this improvement gave her two EC gold medals. Otherwise a crossfit competitor, Strenius won the first women’s European title for Sweden

69 KG 1 STRENIUS PATRICIA CAROLINE

23.11.1989 SWE 68.65

2 BORDIGNON GIORGIA

24.05.1987

3 PIECHOWIAK PATRYCJA

01.09.1992 POL 69.00

99 131 230

ITA 65.15 102 122 224 98 117 215

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 13

› EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, BUCHAREST, ROU - WOMEN

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e have already mentioned 75kg winner Lidia Valentin, so let us just point out here that following her world-championship-winning 258kg she totalled 250kg in Bucharest; meaning that she did not give it cheap even in a weaker competition. Third in Anaheim (237kg), this time French Gaelle Nayo Ketchanke won the silver medal with her 234kg.

75KG 75 KG

1 VALENTIN PEREZ LIDIA

10.02.1985 ESP 74.40 115 135 250

2 NAYO KETCHANKE GAELLA V.

20.04.1988 FRA 74.90 103 131 234

3 ILMARINEN MERI TUULI L.

04.06.1991

VALENTIN Lidia, ESP

FIN 74.95 100 123 223

75kg podium

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o add something to Hotfrid’s easy EC win in 90kg: she had taken last year’s world champion title with an output nine kilos over her Bucharest score (265kg to 256kg) but in the USA she had been forced by her rivals to make a bigger effort.

90KG 90 KG

1 HOTFRID ANASTASIIA

25.04.1996 GEO 89.65 124 132 256

2 FISCHER SARAH

09.11.2000 AUT 86.15 101 125 226

3 KACZMARCZYK KINGA

10.07.1997 POL 85.10

96 129 225

HOTFRID Anastasiia, GEO

14 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

MAGÁT Krisztina, HUN

+90KG

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urprise in the ladies’ highest category, the +90kg: top favourite Romanian Andreea Aanei had to settle for third place. The snatch was won by Krisztina Magát, rewarding Hungary with a EC gold medal after a break of 21 years. In clean and jerk and total, she was preceded by Polish Aleksandra Mierzejewska, who won with the total of 237kg, one kilo more than Hungarian Magát. +90 KG 1 MIERZEJEWSKA ALEKSANDRA E

05.03.1992

POL 142.45 103 134

237

2 MAGAT KRISZTINA

02.03.1989

HUN 110.45 104 132

236

3 AANEI ANDREEA

18.11.1993

ROU 113.25 102 120

222

MIERZEJEWSKA Aleksandra, POL

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 15

› EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, BUCHAREST, ROU - MEN

56 KG

CATEGORY HIGHLIGHTS - MEN

A

mong the men, the European Championships opened with Spain winning.

Josue Brachi nettled 56kg defending champion Italian Mirco Scarantino.

Brachi gained a 1-kg advantage in snatch and in clean and jerk equalled the reining European champion’s result, so there was a change of ranks in Bucharest in the 56kg.

56 KG 1 BRACHI GARCIA JOSUE

08.09.1992 ESP 55.98 116 138 254

2 SCARANTINO MIRCO

16.01.1995

3 CIOTOIU ILIE-CONSTANTIN

11.07.1995 ROU 55.94 110 137 247

ITA 56.00 115 138 253

Medals in 56kg

I

n 62kg, last year’s WWC bronze medallist Georgian Shota Mishvelidze “generously” ceded the gold medal of the snatch to Bulgarian Stilyan Grozdev, but he was not worried trusting his potential in clean and jerk. Rightly so, as in the second part of the contest Mishvelidze lifted seven kilos more than the Bulgarian and with 299kg scored double victory.

16 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

62KG 62 KG 1 MISHVELIDZE SHOTA

18.10.1994 GEO 62.00 134 165 299

2 GROZDEV STILYAN ROSENOV

27.07.1999 BUL 61.75 135 158 293

3 ILIE IONUT

02.01.1993 ROU 61.90 129 154 283

69KG CALJA Briken, ROU

I

69 KG n 69kg, one winner received all the three gold medals: Briken Calja from Albania. Fourth in Ana1 CALJA BRIKEN heim with 317kg, Calja improved his performance 2 JOACHIM ROBERT FRIEDRICH to 321kg in Bucharest and it meant a 10-kg lead on 3 SANCHEZ LOPEZ DAVID silver medallist German Robert Joachim.

19.02.1990 ALB 68.95 146 175 321 13.01.1987 GER 68.95 138 173 311 20.07.1994 ESP 68.90 141 168 309

77 KG

MÜLLER Nico, GER

T

he most exciting battle of the European Cham- 77 KG pionships was certainly in the 77kg. There were 1 MUELLER NICO three contenders in the game but at first it 2 MARTIN RAZVAN CONSTANTIN looked that the home favourite, Razvan Martin, 3 MATA PEREZ ANDRES E. having taken the snatch gold, would win. In clean and jerk, however, Germany’s Nico Müller, only fourth in the snatch, got wings and pulled off with 191kg, while both Martin and Spanish Andres Mata got no further than 185kg. Since last year’s World Championships, Müller increased his total by 13 kilograms.

02.11.1993 GER 76.80 155 191 346 22.12.1991 ROU 76.90 158 185 343 11.11.1992 ESP 76.85 157 185 342

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 17

› EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, BUCHAREST, ROU - MEN

85KG

I

n the 85kg Georgian Revaz Davitadze shocked the field in snatch jumping ahead by as many as ten kilos. In the second act he took it less seriously letting French Brandon Vautard (only 10th in snatch!) win by a kilo, but it did not really affect his overall victory by 11kg on Kacper Klos (POL), who pocketed 2 silver medals and a bronze medal.

DAVITADZE Revaz, GEO

85 KG 1 DAVIDTADZE REVAZ

16.10.1998 GEO 84.80 163 190 353

2 KLOS KACPER

16.02.1998 POL 84.65 153 189 342

3 VAUTARD BRANDON ROBERT J.

09.09.1996 FRA 84.80 144 191 335

Podium in snatch, 94kg

94KG

T

he next class, 95kg, gave much joy and pride to the host country. Just 13th at the 2017 World Championships with 360kg, Nicolae Onica must have undergone a miraculous evolution, because he performed 381kg overall – mainly due to his 210kg in clean and jerk – and added two gold medals to the snatch silver.

94 KG 1 ONICA NICOLAE

24.06.1993 ROU 93.75 171 210 381

2 STANULIS ZYGIMANTAS

11.01.1993 LTU 93.90 172 202 374

3 GRELA LUKASZ ROMAN

25.11.1986 POL 94.00 169 188 357

18 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

NAGY

› EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, BUCHAREST, ROU - MEN

105KG

P

oland earned gold in the 105kg with Arkadiusz Michalski who scored a convincing victory despite only being third in snatch. Here again, the fate of the final victory was decided in the second part of the competition where the Polish athlete pulled off with 221kg to make a winning 396kg total.

Austria was happy to celebrate its EC gold medal in snatch with Sargis Martirosian and his bronze in total.

MICHALSKI Arkadiusz, POL

105 KG 1 MICHALSKI ARKADIUSZ

07.01.1990

POL 104.95 175 221

396

2 SHIKOV GEORGI STOILOV

21.05.1993

BUL 103.50 176 212

388

3 MARTIROSJAN SARGIS

14.09.1986

AUT 104.70 182 202

384

TALAKHADZE Lasha, GEO

+105KG

Y Péter, HUN

W

e have already referred to the superstar of the +105kg but it was not mentioned that behind the triple gold winner Lasha Talakhadze the rest of the field was fiercely fighting for the other available medals. The three sets of medallists showed a varied picture. In snatch, Talakhadze won with 210kg and as second best his countryman Irakli Turmanidze lifted 192kg.

The bronze medal was taken with 191kg by the category’s weathered and permanent character, at 32 years still a member of the elite, Péter Nagy from Hungary. In clean and jerk Talakhadze assured the golds with 247kg (457kg in total) but Turmanidze felt unwell and fell back, hardly making 223kg and missing out on further medals. In total, Jiri Orsag from Czech Republic came up into silver medallist position (417kg) and Hungary’s Péter Nagy won another bronze (416kg). +105 KG 1 TALAKHADZE LASHA

02.10.1993

GEO 165.56 210 247

457

2 ORSAG JIRI

05.01.1989

CZE 131.44 181 236

417

3 NAGY PETER

16.01.1986

HUN 157.43 191 225

416

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 19

› COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2018 TEXT: ATTILA ÁDÁMFI, KORNÉL JANCSÓ PHOTO: MARTIN FIELD, BOWEN STUART

COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2018

FIVE INDIAN GOLDS AT GOLD COAST

F

irst organised in 1930, this year’s edition of the Commonwealth Games, the quadrennial parade of the nations and territories of the (British) Commonwealth, was held in Australia, at Gold Coast, which is in the South-East corner of the state of Queensland. The city, with its good half-a-million inhabitants counting as the 6th largest in Australia, was virtually overswarmed by athletes and their entourage, that is team and family members, officials and of course fans. Throughout a fortnight in April, over 6,600 competitors were vying for glory in a number of sports, most of which Olympic. Weightlifting has traditionally been part of the Commonwealth Games and in the 2018 event it produced some outstanding results and rarities. The competitions were held in the Carrara Sport and Leisure Centre.

New Individual Qualification System The fact that in weightlifting a new, individual qualification system was applied was chiefly to be thanked to Matthew Curtain. As Sports Director of the Commonwealth Games Federation, he introduced the new qualification method elaborated jointly with the IWF as first among the sports on the Commonwealth Games program – quasi a precursor of the Olympic Qualification System for Tokyo 2020. Gold Coast 2018, therefore, served well as a test for the Olympic qualification process. For instance, by providing a calculatable competition format, it enabled a rational planning of the competitions and saved significant cost to the host by shorter competition days. While earlier the number of participants had been practically unlimited, now, thanks to the new system allowing only one competitor per category per country enhanced the medal chances for far more nations. Many of these duly took this chance – more about that later.

Another acknowledgement we have to make here should go for his outstanding contribution to Ian Moir. Weightlifting Competition Director of Gold Coast 2018, Ian was the guarantee for a top standard event, as he had already acted in that capacity to general satisfaction in 2001 at the (last) Goodwill Games.

43 Countries Won Games Medals – 17 in Weightlifting At what was the 31st Commonwealth Games in which the four home nations of the United Kingdom – England,

20 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – had the possibility of entering separate teams, it happened for the first time in history that the same number of medals were distributed for men and women. In this gender-equal setup altogether 43 countries won medals. Gender parity appeared in weightlifting as well: the full range of the IWF bodyweight categories, i.e. 8 each, featured on the program.

In the medal table the top position was occupied by Australia – hosting the Games for the fifth time – with 198 medals of which 80 in gold, 59-59 in silver and bronze.

Three of those were obtained in weightlifting where – like in the Olympic Games – medals were allocated only in total. The hosts, with their gold, silver and bronze medals (one each), deserved a seventh position in weightlifting. India, Samoa, Malaysia, England, Canada and Papua New Guinea were best, in this very ranking.

Since altogether seventeen teams managed to grab medals we can say the meal reach has grown significantly, to an unprecedented scale in these last Games.

India kept its tradition by athletes dominant in both fields. In men IND won six medals (2-2-2), in women three (3-0-0). Their total of nine medals including five golds placed the most populous member country in pole position. A curiosity at the Games, Samoa was runnerup with it four medals (2-2-0) and Malaysia came next with two gold medals ad one bronze. Fourth best ranked was England (1-3-2), fifth Canada (1-3-1), but even Papua New Guinea hit gold plus two silver medals. In the women, fourteen countries shared the medals with 6 winning gold; for the men the statistics show 17 and 10, respectively.

We have checked the actual share of weightlifting within the total medals won by the individual countries. Well, among the nations most successful at the Games overall, England became second best having collected 136 meals. From this huge amount the share of 6 weightlifting medals looks modest, just like in the case of Canada (5 of 82), New Zealand (1 of 46) or Wales (2 in 36). All the more significant is the participation of weightlifting in India’s medal collection: 9 out of its 66 medals. Even more spectacular is weightlifting’s contribution to the success of smaller nations: of Samoa’s five medals four may be credited to weightlifters; half of Fiji’s four medals were awarded to its lifters. In the case of four countries it may clearly be stated that their weightlifting warriors alone put them on the Commonwealth Games medal tally: Papua New Guinea (1-2-0), Mauritius (0-1-0), Nauru (0-1-0) and Solomon Islands (0-0-1).

MIRA

Meda

KHUM

Indian World Champion Mirabai Sets Tune for Women

2

8 countries sent 94 women to the Games to try their luck in weightlifting. Indian Chanu Saikhom Mirabai did not, however, need to rely on Fortuna’s favours when taking the first titles in 48kg amidst a shower of records. She could build on her own strength and technique. 23-year old Mirabai, world champion in Anaheim 2017 with 194kg, was again up to the mark at Gold Coast 2018. She started with 80, 84, 86kg in snatch, continued with 103, 107, 110kg in clean and jerk, each of these new CG records, plus the three total records entailed: 189kg, 193, finally 196kg – altogether nine new records! She changed her previous, Glasgow 2014, silver medal for gold at the Gold Coast.

The following category, 53kg, was also dominated by India thanks to Sanjita Chanu Khumukcham who snatched a new CG record of 84kg. Adding 108kg in jerk, she won with a total of 192kg and earned, in addition to the medals, the mascot of Gold Coast 2018, Borobi. Ten kilos behind and ten years older, Papua New Guinea’s Loa Dika Toua took silver and 181kg in total gave the bronze to Canadian Rachel Leblanc-Bazinet.

ABAI Chanu Saikhom, IND

Australia Celebrates Champion

T

he 58kg finally brought happiness to the hosts.

Australia took the gold with Tia-Clair Toomey and her 201kg. It all boiled down to the very last clean and jerk attempt, Toomey duelling with Canadian Tali Darsigny. In snatch Toomey completed three nice lifts arriving at 87kg, Darsigny had more, 88kg. Chances turned in the second act, when the Canadian finished with 112kg, the Australian – with further three successful lifts – completed 114kg in a dramatic finish and won the total. “That means more than just a gold medal to me.

My family, my team, my husband – they all had their part in my getting it. I had to train very hard for making this dream come true,” – said the favourite of the local crowd.

Another woman became a hero that day: Jenly Wini of the Solomon Islands (bronze), who obtained the first ever medal for her country in any sport in the Commonwealth Games. “I wrote history today, this is a fantastic thing for my country” – 35-year old Wini declared.

al winners in 48kg

MUKCHAM Sanjita Chanu, IND

53 KG

48 KG 1 MIRABAI CHANU SAIKHOM

08.08.1994 IND 47.91

86 110 196

2 RANAIVOSOA MARIE H. R.

14.11.1990 MRI 47.85

76

3

BOMIRIYAGE GOMAS DINUSHA H.

30.12.1992

SRI 47.94

70

1 KHUMUKCHAM SANJITA C.

02.01.1994 IND 52.65

84 108 192

2 TOUA LOA DIKA

23.06.1984 PNG 52.93

80 102 182

3 LEBLANC-BAZINET RACHEL

10.10.1988 CAN 52.95

81 100 181

58 KG

94 170

1 TOOMEY TIA-CLAIR

22.07.1993 AUS 57.70

87 114 201

85 155

2 DARSIGNY TALI

08.03.1998 CAN 57.93

88 112 200

3 WINI JENLY TEGU

09.06.1983 SOL 57.55

84 105 189

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 21

Podium of 53kg

TOUA Loa Dika, PNG

Charron Stands Out with Excellent Result

T

he 63kg resulted in Canada’s first – and only – gold medal in weightlifting. Maude Charron gave it all and fought hard to capture the final victory. Although silver medallist Zoe Smith from England progressed in six good lifts until 207kg, Charron made sure in the snatch to have a good, six-kilo lead for the second part of the contest. Eventually, she added even more to that advantage in the clean and jerk, so – setting a CG record with 122kg – she rounded up the match with 220kg. This overall score by the Canadian woman would have put her into silver medal position in the next higher category, and into bronze medal place two classes higher.

The Indian team rejoiced over their third gold medal in the 69kg thanks to the favourite Punam Yadav. The 22-year old Indian managed to shrug off strong challengers like English Sarah Davies and Apolonia Vaivai of Fiji. In snatch, Vaivai was keeping up with Yadav, both stopping at 100kg, and Davies getting 95kg. In clean and jerk, it was the English woman who stood fast with 122kg, the same as Yadav, while Vaivai’s best was only 116kg. In overall, the Indian completed 222kg, winning the gold, outlifting her competitors by 5kg and 6kg, respectively.

des, 3-times Commonwealth Games participant and 2014 Glasgow gold medallist, i.e. the defending champion. In snatch Godley lifted one kilo more, 96kg on the Canadian’s 95kg, so all she had to do in clean and jerk was to keep pace with Beauchemin-Nadeau. When the latter closed the competition with 126kg, Godley asked for the same weight, lifted it, and captured the Commonwealth Games champion title.

English Newcomer Godley Defeats Decorated Champion

I

69 KG

63 KG

75 KG

n 75kg England became victorious having finally won gold including the shiniest one. Emily Godley, a Commonwealth Games (and in fact, international) debutante, had no lesser rival to defeat than Canadian Marie-Even Beauchemin-Nadeau, former World University champion, multiple medal winner in Universia-

TOOMEY Tia-Clair, AUS

1 YADAV PUNAM

09.07.1995 IND 68.97 100 122 222

2 DAVID SARAH

19.08.1992 ENG 68.43

3 VAIVAI APOLONIA

05.02.1991

95 122 217

FIJ 68.90 100 116 216

1 CHARRON MAUDE G

28.04.1993 CAN 62.24

98 122 220

1 GODLEY EMILY

22.10.1989 ENG 70.97

96 126 222

2 SMITH ZOE

26.04.1994 ENG 62.50

92 115 207

2

13.10.1988 CAN 74.84

95 126 221

3 PRETORIUS MONA

12.08.1988 RSA 62.77

91 115 206

3 HUGHES LAURA

24.03.1993 WAL 74.89

91 111 207

22 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

BEAUCHEMIN-NADEAU MARIE-EVE

CIKAMATANA Eileen, FIJ

Cikamatana, Fiji: No Room For Surprises

I

n 90kg Fiji superstar Eileen Cikamatana was expected to win, and she duly did so. Since the introduction of the 90kg category in 2017, Cikamatana had won the gold medal in every single tournament she entered (8), except the 2017 Junior World Championships where she took silver. True that in snatch she frightened her supporters by missing 107kg twice after the successful opener at 103kg and let her strongest rival, Australian Kaity Fassina come ahead with her 104kg. In clean and jerk, however, Fassina finished at 128kg, so Cikamatana’s first attempt, if successful, was worth gold. She did it, so she could even afford missing the next two lifts again, this time on 130kg. Fiji won with 233kg ahead of Australia, 232kg. Cikamatana thus became the first ever Fijian woman weightlifter to win in the Commonwealth Games since 2002.

Samoa’s Stowers Defeats Injured Hubbard

T

cussion and debate for a long time – and not only in the world of weightlifting. Namely, she is the first transgender athlete to participate in a World Championship, and now at the Games. Her injury and subsequent withdrawal opened up chances which Samoan Feagaiga Stowers could best exploit, winning the Gold Coast 2018 gold with 253kg in total. Charisma Amoe-Tarrant of Nauru took silver (243kg) and Emily Campbell of England won the bronze.

A set of Technical Officials

he heaviest category of women, the +90kg brought surprise and unexpected turns. New Zealand’s Laurel Hubbard was the absolute favourite. As first New Zealander to win a World Championships medal, last year in Anaheim Hubbard took silver and here she started at the highest weight, 120kg – good. She failed with the next weight o 127kg and also in her final attempt at a new CG record, 132kg. What was worse, during the lift she suffered a serious elbow injury that forced her to give up the rest of the competition. The presence of 40-year old Hubbard in the women’s field has been a subject of dis-

90 KG 1 CIKAMATANA EILEEN F. M.

18.09.1999

FIJ

83.46 103 130 233

2 FASSINA KAITLYN JADE J.

17.07.1990 AUS

89.48 104 128 232

3 MEUKEUGNI NOUMBISSI C.

01.10.1990 CMR

85.33 101 125 226

1 STOWERS FEAGAIGA

17.11.2000 SAM

114.39 113 140 253

2 AMOE-TARRANT CHARISMA

26.05.1999 NRU

128.83 101 142 243

3 CAMPBELL EMILY

06.05.1994 ENG

113.36 103 139 242

+90 KG

YADAV Punam, IND WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 23

› INTERVIEW TEXT: KORNÉL JANCSÓ

BIRENDRA PRASAD BAISHYA HOPES FOR INDIAN GOLD AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES WW: Indian weightlifters achieved the all-time best success at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia this April by collecting nine medals; winning in three women’s and two men’s categories and adding two silvers each and a bronze.

“Indeed, we have never been as productive at the Commonwealth Games as at Gold Coast 2018,” confirmed Birendra Prasad Baishya, President of the Indian Weightlifting Federation and IWF Executive Board Member, as well as former Minister and currently Member of the Parliament in New Delhi. When he undertook the President’s position in 2009, he set out with the intention to clean his sport which had been tarnished by all too positive cases in doping. Besides, of course, he also had the goal to make Indian weightlifting successful on the international stage.

“OUR GOAL CANNOT BE ANYTHING ELSE BUT TO WIN MEDAL IN TOKYO” WW: Looking at the immediate past: last year in Anaheim you celebrated a world champion. Recently, at Gold Coast nine of your competitors could medal of which five achieved first position… What is behind your success? What is the extent of support to your sport in India?

WW: How popular is weightlifting in India?

“It is practised by thousands, but of course popularity of a sport depends on success, so it is no wonder the interest in weightlifting surged mainly after last year’s World Championships and the recent Commonwealth Games. I would say if the interest and popularity continue to grow at this pace in a certain time weightlifting might match cricket which counts as a national sport in India.”

SIVALI

WW: Until now, India boasts one Olympic medal in weightlifting, a bronze from 2000 Sydney, when Karnam Malleswari won this medal in the women’s 69kg. In terms of Olympic medals, what do you, Mr. President, expect from the Tokyo 2020 Games?

“Our goal cannot be anything else but to win medal in Tokyo. As far as I am concerned, I expect the gold and I trust we shall have further medals as well.

Even before the Games on a shorter run, my immediate hopes include a good showing by our lifters at this year’s Asian Championships in August.” concluded the President who also carries high positions in the Asian and the Commonwealth Weightlifting Federations.

77kg podium

“We have a certain support system; part of the government support is for instance giving jobs to athletes in the army or police. When an athlete can reach a high result, there is a bonus and the provincial assistance is also substantial. As for government level the Indian Olympic Committee is in charge but most important is our system. We select the best from a talent pool at the domestic competitions and they are invited to the central training camp. Condition to enter the training centre is to undergo anti-doping control. Competitors spend 365 days in the training centre and when someone leaves, even for just 3 or 4 days, he or she is tested again upon return to keep the sport clean. We have excellent and qualified coaches and the training methods are effective. The central training camp is most of the times in Patiala, in Punjab State.”

Men’s 56k

24 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

INGAM Sathish Kumar, IND

Malaysia Opens Men’s Medal Bag

N

ow, it is time to call the protagonists by name!

On the opening day, the happiest among 111 male lifters from 30 countries must have been Muhammad Azroy Hazalwafie Izhar Ahmad. He opened the medal bag with Games records in snatch (117) and total (261kg) in the lightest category, the 56kg. After the last jerk he was running around in joy with the Malaysian flag in his hands.

Out of the total of 9 Commonwealth Games records achieved four were set in the 62kg category by a Malaysian and a Pakistani competitor. First, the category winner Muhamad Aznil Bin Bidin achieved 126kg in snatch, then bronze medal winner Talha Talib improved this mark further three times (127, 130, 132kg).

Wales, India Surging

S

urprise in 69kg: Gareth Evans from Wales was pushing forward and, alone in a field of 14, completed all three attempts successfully. He went on in the same style in clean and jerk and finally, registering 6 lifts straight, totalled 299kg winning ahead of Indika C. Isanayake Mudiyanselage of Sri Lanka (297kg) and third-placed, just 18 years old Indian Deepak Lather (295kg).

In 77kg, a total of 317kg brought victory for India’s Sathish Kumar Sivalingam, who was actually defending his title from four years ago. That was the first gold among men for India, whereby Sivalingam won with a comfortable 5-kg lead on Englishman Jack Oliver, and 12kg on Australian Francois Etoundi (born in Cameroon). Troubled by a biceps injury, the latter virtually fought to get the bronze medal.

The next category, 85kg, presented the next Indian gold medal thanks to Venkat Rahul Ragala, winning with 338kg, seven more than silver medallist Samoan Dan Opeloge (18).

56 KG 1 MUHAMMAD AZROY HAZALWAFIE

04.04.1994

MAS

55.88 117 144

261

2 GURURAJA.

15.08.1992

IND

55.94 111 138

249

3 JAYASOORIYA ARACHCHILAGE CHATHURANGA L

07.10.1988

SRI

55.97 114 134

248

1 MUHAMAD AZNIL BIN BIDIN

04.06.1994

MAS

61.71 126 162

288

2 BARU MOREA

15.04.1990

PNG

61.86 127 159

286

3 TALIB TALHA

03.10.1999

PAK

61.94 132 151

283

1 EVANS GARETH IRFON

18.04.1986

WAL

67.98 136 163

299

2 DISSANAYAKE MUDIYANSELAGE INDIKA C. D.

06.08.1989

SRI

68.94 137 160

297

3 DEEPAK LATHER

25.03.2000

IND

68.65 136 159

295

62 KG

69 KG

kg medallists

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 25

KARI Steven Kakuna, PNG

77 KG 1 SIVALINGAM SATHISH KUMAR

23.06.1992

IND

76.89 144 173

317

2 OLIVER JACK SIMON

04.01.1991

ENG

76.44 145 167

312

3 ETOUNDI FRANCOIS

06.10.1984

AUS

76.91 136 169

305

85 KG

94 KG

1 RAGALA VENKAT RAHUL

16.03.1997

IND

84.64 151 187

338

1 KARI STEVEN KAKUNA

13.05.1993

PNG

93.87 154 216

370

2 OPELOGE DON

13.05.1999

SAM

84.28 151 180

331

2 SANTAVY BOADY ROBERT

22.05.1997

CAN

92.30 168 201

369

3 MOHAMAD FAZRUL AZRIE B. M.

27.08.1995

MAS

83.61 145 183

328

3 THAKUR VIKAS

14.11.1993

IND

92.68 159 192

351

Papuan Kari Wins with Record 6kg Over the Mark

I

n 94kg we could witness some Commonwealth Games records again: eventually silver medallist, Canadian Boady Santavy set a snatch record with 168kg. Then in clean and jerk Papua New Guinea’ Steven Kari set a highly impressive record of 216kg. Actually, he needed this record, six kilos more than the previous mark, in order to overtake Santavy. No wonder, after the successful lift Kari became euphoric, pulling his coach onto the stage and later announcing “I didn’t come here for bronze but for gold!...” – All he needed to do was to outlift the previous record by six kilograms.

26 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

With 32-year old Sanele Mao the 105kg competition ended with Samoan victory.

Medals were being keenly fought for and Mao acquired a not-too-convincing 2-kg advantage in the snatch on three of his competitors. Although missing 211kg in clean and jerk, his final result of 206kg also proved to be enough to secure the victory overall, with a total of 360kg.

LITI David Andrew, NZL

+105KG winner LITI David Andrew, NZL helping his injured rival LUI Lauititi, SAM to the victory ceremony

Samoan Favourite Injured – Liti, NZL Takes Over and Gets Award

S

ome excitement was still left for the superheavyweight category. Though Lauititi Lui of Samoa, after 175kg good, missed 179kg twice, he remained in the lead. Next best, David Liti from New Zealand scored 174kg and Pakistan’s Muhammad Nooh Dastgir Butt had 173kg. In clean and jerk Butt stopped at 222kg, taking third position, while the Lui-Liti duel was won by the latter, having fixed 229kg overhead against the Samoan’s

225kg. Setting a CG record in total with 403kg, Liti took the last men’s champion title at the Gold Coast. Liti’s success was also made possible by Lui being injured jerking 228kg. However, Liti’s outstanding sportsmanship was proven when he himself pushed the wheelchair of his temporarily disabled challenger to the victory ceremony. His gesture was honoured by the organisers: Liti received the “Award for Outstanding Sporting Spirit at Gold Coast 2018” presented by Louise Martin, President of the Commonwealth Games Federation at the Closing Ceremony.

105 KG 1 MAO SANELE

09.09.1985

SAM 103.71 154 206

360

2 PARDEEP SINGH

04.01.1995

IND 102.40 152 200

352

3 BOXALL OWEN GORDON E.

03.07.1990

ENG 104.84 152 199

351

+105 KG 1 LITI DAVID ANDREW

11.07.1996

NZL 165.15 174 229

403

2 LUI LAUITITI

04.12.1995

SAM 138.81 175 225

400

3 BUTT MUHAMMAD NOOH D.

03.02.1998

PAK 156.06 173 222

395

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 27

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ROAD TO

T

he winding Road to Buenos Aires, the YOG 2018, started last year with the IWF Youth World Championships in Bangkok, the world qualification event; and continues this year with the series of Continental Qualification Championships.

Until now, three of these meets crucial for young contenders wishing to participate in Argentina have been concluded. Our reports cover the African, Asian and Pan-American challenges.

The two remaining continents – Oceania and Europe – are yet to stage their Qualification Championships.

Competitions in Buenos Aires will be held in 6 categories for Men: 56kg, 62 kg, 69kg, 77kg, 85kg, +85kg and for Women also in 6 categories: 44kg, 48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, +63kg.

The Total number of weightlifters aged 14-17 is 110 with gender parity represented by a 55+55 proportion.

› ROAD TO BUENOS AIRES TEXT: TÍMEA HORVÁTH PHOTOS: NAYERA KHALIFA

2018 AFRICAN YOUTH AND JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS CAIRO, EGY

T

he first continental qualification event was held in Africa. The 2018 African Youth and Junior Championships were hosted by the capital of Egypt, Cairo.

The Indoor Hall at Cairo International Stadium.welcomed the competitions. Before the competition the Weightlifting Federation of Africa (WFA) held its Executive Board meeting and Congress. In accordance with the IWF policy and Olympic Qualification requirements, the WFA conducted Educational Seminars, including Anti-Doping and Sport Injuries Seminar.

ABDELGHANY Ahmed, EGY

30 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

NKUUTU Lawrence, UGA

A

s no country from Africa had a quota for Buenos Aires before the Championships, exciting competition days were expected since it was the last chance to earn the honour to send athletes to the Youth Olympic Games.

Eventually around 110 athletes from 14 African Member Federations competed for becoming African champions and placing their team in the top four. The North African countries, having the advantage of short distances, had nearly full teams. However, the smaller African nations were also represented. The local Egyptian team showed

SABRI Nour El Houda, ALG

its strength winning a medal in almost all categories except one by women and one by men.

At the end of the four days, Egypt, Algeria, Libya and South Africa secured on quota place each among men, while Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia and Ghana won the right to send a female athlete each to the YOG 2018.

It is interesting that in the Junior African Championships, held simultaneously, almost the same was the outcome of the team classification, with the only difference that both in the men and in the women the fourth place went to Cameroon.

IWF was represented by HORVĂ TH TĂ­mea

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 31

› ROAD TO BUENOS AIRES TEXT: LILLA ROZGONYI

2018 ASIAN YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS - URGENCH, UZB

Do Tu Tung, VIE

I

t should be admitted that the Urgench had not been too well known even in an Asian context prior to April. Having, however, successfully hosted the 2018 Asian Youth Championships, which was the second continental qualification event for the 2018 YOG, this town in Uzbekistan immediately claimed a spot on the weightlifting map.

All the more so as it was the birthplace of a new world record. The Championship was also a landmark event as this was the first time Iran delegated female athletes to compete.

AWF held its Executive Board Meeting and Congress before the competition started. On this occasion, Boossaba Yodbantoey, AWF General Secretary opened the meeting with a minute of silence in memory of Aleksandr Kurlovich, who passed away just a few days before.

Mohamed Jalood, IWF General Secretary delivered a speech to the Executive Board and drew the attention of the Member Federations on the importance of the fight against doping and use of the ADAMS. The AWF will open a new Coordination Centre in Bangkok, Thailand, where they will provide help to Asian countries regarding education under the leadership of the AWF General Secretary.

32 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

The first Irani woman to attend an Asian Championship

› ROAD TO BUENOS AIRES

R

epresenting the IWF, Lilla Rozgonyi, Communication and Marketing Director gave an inclusive report on the Tokyo 2020 Qualification system to prepare the participating countries for the upcoming changes.

At the helm of the Organising Committee stood Shakhrillo Makhmoudov, Vice President of UWF and IWF Executive Member. The competition’s best result was born right on Day One when Do Tu Tung (VIE) set a new youth world record in the Clean and Jerk with 128kg in the men’s 50kg bodyweight category. His performance was even more impressive because, born in 2004, he was the youngest in the field.

HSIEH Ya-Ling, TPE

He wasn’t the only one from the Vietnam team to deliver significant results. Vietnam ranked 2nd with 8 gold and one silver medals behind the host country, Uzbekistan, finishing with 8 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze medals. Third was Iran (4,3,5), followed by Turkmenistan (2,5,4) and Chinese Taipei (2,1,0).

In the youth women’s rankings, Uzbekistan took the lead again with 12 gold, 7 silver and 4 bronze medals.

Only North Korea could keep up with the Uzbek athletes (10,1,0). Vietnam also won 2 gold medals (2,4,2).

At the end of the Championships, Uzbekistan, India, Turkmenistan and Iran secured 1 quota place each among men while Uzbekistan, Taipei, India and Japan won the right to send a female athlete to the YOG in Buenos Aires.

PARK Subin, KOR

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 33

› ROAD TO BUENOS AIRES PHOTOS: ZOLTÁN VERES, USAW

2018 PANAMERICAN YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS - PALMIRA, COL

Landmark of Palmira-Valle del Cauca

T

he third continent to stage its Youth Championships all-decisive from Buenos Aires 2018’s point of view was Pan America. Athletes aged 14-17 gathered in the city of Palmira-Valle del Cauca of Colombia hoping to qualify for the Youth Olympic Games.

The venue, the Coliseo Blanco de la Unidad Deportiva offered the chance to lifters in eight women’s and eight men’s categories. Youth athletes came from 17 countries, in a breakdown of 63 competitors in each gender.

The young weightlifters performed well with only one of the 126 finishing with a zero in the competition.

In the boys’ field Mexico, Ecuador, Peru and Puerto Rico – top four of the team classification – obtained the quota of 1 athlete each to the YOG in Buenos Aires.

34 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

The trophies

One girl each from Peru, Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Puerto Rico can travel to Argentina in October.

The majority of girls and boys participating were born in 2001, i.e. the top of the youth age group, but three of the boys were born in 2004. Among those youngest the best performances were given by Maria Belen Pinoargote Quintero (ECU) (12.12.2003), as well as Morgan Dylan McCullough (USA) (12.08.2003) and Jose Manuel Poox Peralta (MEX) (17.3.2003). Quintero took a bronze medal in the 44kg and the latter two young men won their respective categories: 94kg and 50kg. In the male competition one of the 14-year old lifters, American Hampton Miller Morris (17.02.2004) became bronze medallist in the 50kg category.

ARTEAGA C

› ROAD TO BUENOS AIRES

T

he outstanding athlete of the whole Championships was 77kg winner Harrinson Camilo Hurtado Ospino (COL) – not only because he was the only one to defend his title but also because his 290kg total could have placed him second in the next higher class and gold medallist 2 categories further.

Only two athletes managed to achieve higher totals: 315kg by +94kg winner Carlos Emilio Escudero Najera (ECU) and 85kg Pan-American Youth cham-

CASTILLO Jhony, ECU

pion, also from Ecuador Neiser Javier Grefa Vargas (295kg).

In the girls’ categories Mexico was most prolific having collected 3 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals. Next in the medal tally is Colombia (1, 3, 2) and the third is USA (1, 1, 1). The medal table for men has Colombia as the best (3, 4, 0), followed by USA (2 0, 1) and Ecuador (2, 0, 0). Strangely enough, Mexico won altogether 6 medals but as it includes only 1 gold medal, plus 4 silvers and 1 bronze – it was relegated into fourth position.

Medal winners in 50kg

Podium in +75kg

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 35

› WOMEN’S PAGE TEXT AND PHOTOS: URSULA GARZA PAPANDREA

FAJR CUP 2018 PROMPTS MOMENTOUS STEPS TOWARDS WOMEN’S INCLUSION IN IRAN

I

WF Vice President, USA Weightlifting President and Chair of the IWF’s Women’s Commission, Ursula Garza Papandrea shares her experiences as Iran is taking the first steps towards the inclusion of women in the sport.

W

ith much curiosity and excitement, a 4 member delegation entered Ahvaz Iran on March 5, 2018 for the 3rd International Fajr Cup: team USA athlete Derrick Johnson, Cat. 2 IWF Technical Official Sally Vanderwater, an interpreter and I arrived late at night. We were met by a large delegation of members of the Iranian Weightlifting Federation including President Ali Moradi. I was there after a year of initial discussion began to lead a women’s only clinic for athletes and coaches in Iran. It was also planned that I would coach Derrick Johnson, for whom I am the personal coach. Derrick’s presence was a landmark in its own right as no American had competed in weightlifting in Iran in over 50 years. My presence there as a female coach was also significant as women had not been permitted to attend sports events including weightlifting, much less coach men. Sally was there to officiate, a meaningful demonstration of support for women as Technical Officials in Iran.

The first day we were treated to sightseeing of several historical landmarks. Day two included a visit to watch and train alongside the men’s first national team. On March 8, I directed a 3 hour women’s only clinic. The women were The first ever women’s team of Iran to attend the Asian Youth Championships

36 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

very eager and inquisitive and the participants were warm and friendly. It was such a privilege to meet them and I was overwhelmed by their reception.

Ursula Garza Papandrea with US lifter Derrick Johnson

Wa

aiting outside to be allowed to watch men’s lifting: the author and Iranian coaches, officials

L

ater that afternoon, I coached Derrick who won the 62kg class. I was also asked to give a short speech at the Opening Ceremony. With the women of the clinic in the audience, I spoke directly about the promise they have as athletes. As IRWF is still in the very early stages of developing women weightlifters, having only started the process 7 months prior, I was honored to be trusted to give some direction and education for the women coaches and lifters.

On March 9, as I arrived to watch the lifting, four women, including Vice President Reyhaneh Tarighat, all of whom had participated in the clinic sat outside. I learned that although the Iranian Federation had hoped that women would be permitted to attend and watch the men compete, local officials were prohibiting their attendance. I decided that I would stay outdoors with them in a show of solidarity. These women had become my friends and their plight for progress was also mine.

Ursula Garza Papandrea teaching technique

We sat outside for about an hour before there was a decision to allow them to enter and watch the lifting.

This was the first time women had been permitted to watch men compete and was a momentous step, facilitated and supported by the IRWF. With no fanfare, the 4 women entered the competition and took their places, not just watching, but assisting with the competition. I am extraordinarily appreciative to have been there to witness and become a part of this stride forward for the women and men of Iranian weightlifting.

During the Closing Ceremonies, two of the female youth athletes did some exhibition lifts and were met with much approval and excitement. IRWF has since sent a youth team to the Asian Youth Championships. I am excited to see the team grow and develop. It was an extraordinary week that left an indelible mark and appreciation for the people of Iran. We are grateful to them for the gracious hospitality and we hope to return in 2019.

Lecturers and participants of the first clinic for women with IRIWF leaders

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 37

› PAN-AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS - 2018 SANTO DOMINGO - DOM TEXT: KORNÉL JANCSÓ PHOTO: ATTILA ÁDÁMFI, HUGO THEMEN, USAW, PAWF

COLOMBIA TOPS MEDAL TABLE

S

pring is the usual season for Continental Championships: following the Europeans in April, Pan-America was the second continent in line to stage its Championships in May. Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic offered to host the 27th edition of this large area’s major challenge. On the coast of the Caribbean Sea the barbell played the protagonist’s role 12-19 May – of course only in the hands of the strong men and strong women.

Records fell

T

hree competitors did not only win their respective categories but also set new Pan-American records. Crismery Santana deserves to be mentioned first – and not only out of curtesy towards the hosts. Santana, 23, lifting in women’s 90kg, made the host Dominicans especially proud of her outstanding performance. Having won the snatch with a new record of 116kg, she continued setting another top mark of 258kg in total. At the 2017 World Championships in Anaheim, Santana had taken the bronze with 254kg; she did better on home ground. Moreover, she thus managed to push back clean-and-jerk winning (143kg) Maria Valdes, CHI into second position.

The Pan-American Federation Congress was dedicated to the memory of Rafael Pacho, late PAWF General Secretary

Switching over to the men: two athletes gave new proof of their excellence. First, ex Cuban now Chilean Arley Mendez in the 85kg. He captured the snatch gold at ease (170kg) and went on with brilliant lifts in clean and jerk, stopping at 211kg – needless to say a new PanAmerican record. His 381kg total, too. It should be mentioned that the 25-year old talent from Chile became the Best Lifter of the Pan-American Championships and, for comparison, when he had taken the gold medal at the 2017 World Championships he did so with a total of 378kg. The 85kg category boasted another outstanding lifter – this time silver medallist behind Mendez: Brayan Rodallegas from Colombia. Having finished 10th in 77kg at Anaheim and scoring 337kg, at this meet Rodallegas (21) moved up into the next category and totalled 367kg – an entirely remarkable progress by the young Colombian.

Brazil’s giant and uncontested Pan-American champion of the +105kg, Fernando Saraiva Reis also managed to set a new continental record. In the last category he swept the competition with a 201kg snatch and with this record weight secured a 18kg lead on second-place winner Caine Morgan Wilkes (USA). The American lifted 183+219kg=402kg as opposed to Reis who continued to excel in clean and jerk and lifted 345kg for an impressive, 436kg total.

Arley Mendez, CHI

Luis Mejia Oviedo, President of the Dominican NOC and IOC Member spoke at the Opening Ceremony

Sarah Robles, USA

38 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

› PAN-AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS - 2018 SANTO DOMINGO - DOM - WOMEN Ladies showcase the strength of Pan-America Mexico could celebrate double honours in the lightest category of the women. The Mexican contenders, both in their early twenties, were unsuccessfully challenged by an even younger Cuban (19), Ludia Montero who eventually finished in bronze medal position. The final winner of the Mexican duel was Andrea De La Herran with her 177kg total.

Close fights continued in the 53kg where DOM, USA and Colombia were represented in the top three. Eventually, the home favourite, Beatriz Piron emerged victorius, founding her final score with a 90kg snatch result.

Rivalry did not slacken in the next class, the 58kg. In the end, the winner and the bronze medallist recorded a mere 2kg difference in their totals. Karool Blanco (COL) became the new champion, putting an end to the hegemony of Maria Escobar Guerrero from Ecuador – 15 years her senior -, the uncontested Pan-American continental champion since 2009.

Colombia continued to collect honours in the 63kg thanks to Nathalia Llamosa (21) who managed to out lift her more experienced compatriot Jackelina Heredia. Cuban Marina Rodriguez Mitjan managed to clinch two silvers and in total the bronze medal.

By the end of the 69kg victory ceremony, everybody in the hall must have learned the Colombian anthem. Mercedes Perez, having switched between the 63 and the 69kg over the years and collected a wide range of medals and titles in both, now, at 31 years of age, she finished with an overwhelming 234kg ahead of USA and – again – Cuba.

One of the best known names was listed on the start list of the 75kg. Last year’s WWC silver medallist and defending Pan-American champion from Ecuador, Neisi Dajomes made sure no-one should endanger her final success and swept in 3 gold medals. With a total 2kg under the Ecuadorian’s, Aremi Fuentes (MEX) finished in second, and Jenny Arthur (USA) in third positions.

We mentioned the success of Crismery Santana (DOM) in the introduction, but there is another protagonist who deserves special praise in the 90kg. Multiple Pan-American champion and on the international stage since 2002(!), at the age of 41 years Oliba Seledine Nieve Arroyo (ECU) finished in the respectable 4th positions in snatch-clean and jerk-total with 238kg. Congratulations!

The +90kg failed to present big surprises: as expected, Anaheim’s home world champion Sarah Robles overwhelmed with a 280kg total result. True that in snatch she “allowed” the local crowd to celebrate the gold medal

by Veronica Saladin Tolentino (124 on 123kg), but in the clean and jerk she swept the field with a strong 157kg performance.

Podium in 48kg

48 KG 1 DE LA HERRAN MARTINZEZ A.

2.09.1996

MEX

47.95

80

97

177

2 VILLA SOCORRO

17.07.1997

MEX

48.00

76

98

174

3 MONTERO RAMOS LUDIA M.

17.04.1999

CUB

47.83

78

94

172

1 PIRON CANDELARIO BEATRIZ E.

27.02.1995

DOM

51.64

90 106

196

2 HOGAN CAITLIN LEIGH

22.05.1988

USA

52.37

86 107

193

3 QUINONEZ MARTINEZ VANESSA

16.01.1993

COL

52.95

84 109

193

1 LLAMOSA MOSQUERA NATHALIA

14.06.1997

COL

61.94 101 124

225

2 HEREDIA CUESTA JACKELINA

31.12.1988

COL

62.97

98 126

224

3 RODRIGUEZ MITJAN MARINA D. L.

02.03.1995

CUB

62.80

98 125

223

53 KG

63 KG

69 KG 1 PEREZ TIGRERO MERCEDES I.

07.08.1987

COL

65.99 104 130

234

2 ROGERS MARTHA ANN

23.08.1995

USA

67.85

99 130

229

3 MERINO TORANZO YANEYSI

18.11.1997

CUB

68.89

96 120

216

75 KG 1 DAJOMES BARRERA NEISI P.

12.05.1998

ECU

74.69 111 137

248

2 FUENTES ZAVALA AREMI

23.05.1993

MEX

74.68 110 136

246

3 ARTHUR JENNY LYVETTE

11.12.1993

USA

74.91 108 127

235

1 SANTANA PEGUERO CRISMERY D.

20.04.1995

DOM

86.00 116 142

258

2 VALDES PARIS MARIA F.

17.03.1992

CHI

89.80 110 143

253

3 PEREZ REVERON NARYURY A.

29.09.1992

VEN

88.83 109 135

244

1 ROBLES SARAH ELIZABETH

01.08.1988

USA 147.26 123 157

280

2 SALADIN TOLENTINO VERONICA E.

21.05.1992

DOM 128.45 124 145

269

3 MASCORRO OSUNA TANIA G.

24.11.1988

MEX 109.45 120 146

266

90 KG

+90 KG

Podium in 90kg Beatriz Piron, DOM

Yaneysi Merino, CUB

40 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

› PAN-AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS - 2018 SANTO DOMINGO - DOM - MEN Some Champions defending, others ceding titles Speaking of the men’s categories first: in 56kg, 23-year old Dominican Luis Garcia (275kg) scored a hands down victory on defending Pan-American champion and WWC 4th Carlos Berna (COL) (263kg). In the same category a Cuban teenager attracted attention: Otto Onate clinched a bronze medal and placed 4th overall.

In 62kg the defending continental champion, Antonio Vazquez Mendez from Mexico was able to win again; on the podium he was joined by another Mexican, Jose Montes Gongora, who took the silver medal.

In 69kg, USA prodigy and youth-junior world champion Clarence Cummings JR – who is not more than 18 years old! – totalled 324kg falling short by only 1 kilogram of the winner’s result and being the best in clean and jerk. The other two gold medals were captured by Julio Mayora of Venezuela, himself not older than 21.

Colombia took the final gold medal in 77kg thanks to Hugo Montes (342kg). His compatriot, Yony Andica collected the clean and jerk gold and total silver medals, while Cuban Addriel La O Garcia had to settle for bronze after being awarded two silver medals on the individual lifts.

In both the 94 and the 105kg classes contenders battled strongly for the Pan-American titles. First, in 94kg, once again a Cuban lifter, Victor Quinones vied against Venezuelan Yeison Arias with alternating success on the two lifts, while overall third Serafim Veli (BRA) clinched a snatch silver and a total bronze. In the end, Quinones was victorious two kilos ahead of the Venezuelan.

The same distance of 2kg separated the gold and silver medallists in 105kg. However, it was not a preordained outcome, because in snatch Jorge Arroyo Valdez of Ecuador accumulated no less than 13kg advantage in the snatch on silver medallist American Wesley Kitts.

Nevertheless, the latter was able to catch up in clean and jerk and win with a mighty 212kg lift.

Brazil’s giant, Fernando Saraiva Reis, practically unchallenged, finished off the men’s contests in the last category, putting on a confident performance of 201kg in snatch and a comfortable 235kg for a 436kg total, 4kg short of his personal best.

56 KG 1 GARCIA BRITO LUIS ALBERTO

19.04.1995

DOM

55.79 122 153

275

2 BERNA GONZALEZ CARLOS A.

21.01.1990

COL

56.00 117 146

263

3 POSADA WILDER

28.09.1994

COL

55.70 114 136

250

1 VAZQUEZ MENDEZ ANTONIO

12.08.1993

MEX

61.86 120 171

291

2 MONTES GONGORA JOSE L.

18.04.1989

MEX

61.83 120 162

282

3 HIGUITA BARRERA LUIS F.

10.01.1997

COL

61.65 127 154

281

1 MAYORA PERNIA JULIO RUBEN

02.09.1996

VEN

68.37 145 180

325

2 CUMMINGS JR CLARENCE

06.06.2000

USA

68.90 144 180

324

3 MUNOZ MARTINEZ JONATHAN A

10.11.1995

MEX

68.78 134 165

299

1 MONTES HURTADO HUGO F.

29.01.1990

COL

76.71 160 182

342

2 ANDICA ANDICA YONY A.

26.08.1987

COL

76.92 150 186

336

3 LA O GARCIA ADDRIEL

10.02.1992

CUB

76.84 150 185

335

1 MENDEZ PEREZ ARLEY

31.12.1993

CUB

84.66 170 211

381

2 RODALLEGAS CARVAJAL BRAYAN S

15.11.1997

COL

84.32 166 201

367

3 SAEZ VERA OLFIDES

24.09.1994

CUB

84.20 158 200

358

1 QUINONES BENITES VICTOR M.

03.01.1992

CUB

93.73 168 196

364

2 ARIAS YEISON

09.09.1993

VEN

93.42 161 201

362

3 VELI SERAFIM

28.11.1986

BRA

93.24 162 191

353

1 KITTS WESLEY BRIAN

22.05.1990

USA 104.42 172 212

384

2 ARROYO VALDEZ JORGE DAVID

23.09.1991

ECU 104.92 185 197

382

3 GONZALES BARRIOS JESUS A.

22.04.1991

VEN 104.22 171 208

379

1 SARAIVA REIS FERNANDO

10.03.1990

BRA 152.01 201 235

436

2 WILKES CAINE MORGAN

10.07.1987

USA 143.52 183 219

402

3 LAURET RODRIGUES LUIS M.

20.01.1997

CUB 116.06 172 210

382

62 KG

69 KG

77 KG

85 KG

94 KG

105 KG

+105 KG

Medal winners in 105kg

Luis Garcia, DOM

Fernando Saraiva Reis, BRA WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 41

VALLENILLA Keydomar is Venezuela’s No.1 hopeful

42 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

The medallists of 77kg with the fabulous youngster LOPEZ LOPEZ Yeison, COL winning by 19kg

› WHAT’S NEWS ON THE

ANTI-DOPING FRONT?

TEXT: DR ÉVA NYÍRFA PHOTO: IWF

LOTS OF NEWS ON THE ANTI-DOPING FRONT

T

he IWF’s recent year in the fight against doping has been an eventful one. We can report on historic achievements, while further measures have begun to take shape within the latest period, all being equally significant to the future of clean weightlifting.

The Weightlifting Community has expressed its will to preserve the Olympic Spirit in its sport; therefore in September 2017 a new Commission was established by the IWF called the Clean Sport Commission. The CSC, in short, was mandated by the IWF Executive Board to provide an unbiased and independent overview of the IWF’s Anti-Doping Program which the aim to introduce multiple innovations in its already diversified Anti-Doping activities.

At the same time, before September last year the Tbilisi Commission and the IWF Executive Board finalized the specific sanctions and criteria imposed on nine of IWF’s Member Federations that had taken the lion’s share in the AAFs at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic reanalysis process. This move, involving a 1-year ban for these Federations, was unprecedented in the world of sport and received wideranging favourable repercussions from the sporting environment.

In order to tackle tasks arising from the above, a third entity was created, an Independent Monitoring Group. The IMG became operational almost immediately and has already overseen remarkable progress in the Anti-Doping activities of the IWF Member Federations under its scrutiny. Fields monitored include among others sample collection, submission of whereabouts information, Athlete Support Dr. Éva Nyirfa, IWF Legal Counsel was invited to the Panel at the Personnel information and last but not WADA Symposium least Anti-Doping Education.

Another important milestone in the field of Anti-Doping Education was the recently organised International AntiDoping Seminar in Moscow, Russia. The Seminar was organised by the Russian Weightlifting Federation with the support of the IWF and included lecturers from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. Participants from all the nine suspended IWF Member Federations were present at the Seminar and showed great interest and willingness in working with the IWF to clean their weightlifting.

Meanwhile, the IWF Executive Board approved updates to its Anti-Doping Policy. As per the new ADP Member Federations are subject to a set of wider and more specified obligations. We are pleased to perceive a globally supportive and positive response, whereby the Federations are trying to comply with the increased expectations.

The IWF remains dedicated to continue its anti-doping fight, but we are aware that it will never lead to success without the alignment of all its Members, Athletes and Officials. Their commitment to the cause is what matters the most to Clean Sport.

Our representatives in Lausanne, whereby IWF was confirmed as WADA Code compliant

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 43

› DESTINATION: TOKYO 2020

DESTINATION

W

e are launching a new series “DESTINATION: TOKYO 2020” and in each issue news and important knowledge about the next Olympic Games will be shared. We start with the article of IWF Director General Attila Ádámfi, who has pioneered in elaborating a brand new, individually-based, system for the upcoming Games.

The IWF Executive Board with Tokyo2020 Organising Committee representatives on the stage of the weightlifting venue, the Tokyo International Forum

44 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING

› DESTINATION: TOKYO 2020 TEXT: ATTILA ÁDÁMFI

OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION SYSTEM TOKYO 2020 A BRAVE NEW APPROACH

A

s is known, in the process of introducing reforms in the Olympic sports program, the IOC has set weightlifting’s quota for Tokyo2020 in 98 men and 98 women (196 in all) and in 7 bodyweight categories for men and 7 categories for women. The task was thus defined, therefore, shortly after an IWF Sport Programme Commission (SPC) was established with one of its main objectives being to elaborate the Qualification System for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, one that fully conforms to the IOC’s key principles as well as provides a solid solution for weightlifting’s actual challenges.

The SPC proposed a brand new and innovative Qualification System that was fundamentally designed to protect and promote the values, integrity and ideals of the clean athletes.

The main characteristics of the System are:

- Individual qualification

- Supporting the IWF’s strong Anti-Doping activity Furthermore, the IOC delivered a clear message to the IWF that the athlete quota reduction should be targeted at the NOCs with the highest number of anti-doping rule violations from the past, including the sample re-testing programme for the Games of the Olympiad in Beijing 2008 and in London 2012. Notwithstanding, the System still provides the possibility to all NOCs to participate at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the rules apply equally to all IWF Member Federations.

Since weightlifting is in a special situation, we knew that this was an unprecedented opportunity to introduce comprehensive and major innovations in the sport and do more than “just” work out a Qualification System. To this end, we are happy to have concluded an agreement with the IOC on the elaboration process with an extended deadline that enabled the IWF to do the following:

- Review and elaborate new bodyweight categories for the sport

- Develop a Qualification System that includes the new bodyweight categories According to our accord with the IOC, the following timeline has been set and applied:

- In October 2017 the basic principles and guidelines elaborated and proposed by the Sport Pro

gramme Commission were approved by the IWF Executive Board

- In November 2017 the detailed principles and guidelines elaborated by the SPC were approved by

the IWF Committees, Executive Board and presented at the IWF Congress in Anaheim, USA. The document package contained:

- The development of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games Qualification System

- The elaboration of the new set of bodyweight categories for both women and men in the sport

- and the timeline how these two projects will be merged in the future.

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 45

› DESTINATION: TOKYO 2020 As always, the IWF was dedicated to ensuring an open and transparent process, including the opportunity for proposals to be provided from all Member Federations and elected Officials.

To develop such an innovative, complex Qualification System is a huge challenge and to no surprise, by the deadline not a single full and comprehensive proposal was received to assure individual qualification. (Although some persons are now claiming that the individual Qualification System was their idea…..) It became quite clear how easy it is to speak but how difficult it is to create such a document and a feasible system.

In January 2018 the Qualification System (without exactly named bodyweight categories) was endorsed by the IWF Executive Board before being submitted to the IOC for their approval on 3 February 2018. It should be understood that it is the IOC’s right to approve and publish the Qualification Systems in a standardized format for the Olympic Games in each and every sport.

After receipt of the final document from the IOC, the Qualification System Tokyo 2020 was published and made available to all Member Federations in April 2018.

Below you can find the main characteristics of the Qualification System.

In simple terms, in order to be eligible to qualify an individual quota place for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the following factors must be considered;

- The eligible athlete will be required to compete at least six (6) times at an IWF designated event

during the truncated qualification period of eighteen (18) months (divided into 3 periods):

01 November 2018 to 30 April 2019;

01 May 2019 to 31 October 2019 and;

01 November 2019 to 30 April 2020.

- Minimum one (1) athlete participation is required within each of the three (3) periods;

- IWF designated events will be categorised into three (3) levels; Gold, Silver & Bronze events/com petitions/championships.

Gold Level: IWF World Championships, IWF Junior World Championships, Continental Championships, Junior Continental Championships; Silver Level: existing IWF Events: Multi Sport Games, IWF Grand Prix, Championships and; Bronze Level: International, Regional Competitions, Championships, Cups, etc.

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Minimum athlete participation is required at one (1) Gold Level event plus one (1) Gold Level or Silver Level event; In each Olympic bodyweight category, athletes will be ranked in accordance with their Absolute Ranking Points. They earn points during the qualification period; as follows: Athlete results (represented by Robi Points) attained at Gold, Silver and Bronze level events will enable athletes to accrue Absolute Ranking Points according to a multiplying factor;

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rnational Forum

- Full details of the technical regulations and event conditions of the new global IWF calendar for the

qualification period will be announced by 06 July 2018; - The IWF Absolute Ranking will comprise athlete results drawn from the ten (10) IWF bodyweight

categories in each gender;

- At the end of the qualification period; an athlete’s final Absolute Ranking Points; subject to partici

pation in two (2) events in the same Olympic category will be drawn from four (4) results (Total only):

Three (3) results, best one (1) from each period as per Paragraph C. 2. c) ii of the Qualification System and;

One (1) next best result.

The ‘next best result’ will be factored throughout the entire qualification period.

As part of the IWF Absolute Ranking database, the IWF will also develop online tools and templates to assist athletes and MFs in following the actual rankings on the IWF website.

According to the IWF Executive Board’s decision, the review and the elaboration of new bodyweight categories (both for men and women) is already in process. The new sets of categories are to be finally ratified (and incorporated in the Qualification System) by the next IWF Committees and Executive Board meetings in Tashkent, only to be ratified by the Congress in July 2018.

In order to avoid any misunderstandings and ensure a smooth implementation of the new System, an Explanatory document is also available – beside the Qualification System document itself – under the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games section of our website (iwfnet.net/tokyo2020).

We strongly believe that our new Qualification System reflecting a brand-new concept and including strong Anti-Doping measures will support weightlifting’s status in future Olympic Games and that our position in the broader Sports Movement will be reinforced.

The Sports Programme Commission at work

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› TECHNICAL CORNER TEXT: ATTILA ÁDÁMFI

ROBI POINTS For his multiple and invaluable contributions, Róbert Nagy was elected to the Hall of Fame – presentation of the Diploma by Dr. Tamás Aján

T

hroughout several decades, the Sinclaire Points used to be widely applied as an unofficial method trying to compare performances achieved in different bodyweight categories.

Due to recent Rule changes, most importantly the abolishment of the bodyweight advantage, this system lost its basis and became irrelevant. Aware that a reliable and applicable tool was absolutely necessary to have for the purpose of comparison and especially in view of the individual-based qualification systems, the IWF commissioned its former Technology Director Róbert Nagy, himself a former Olympic weightifter, to elaborate the new formula.

Therefore, developed by “IT genius” Róbert Nagy, the Robi Points have become the official IWF calculation method to compare individual athletes’ total results across all of the IWF bodyweight categories at both Junior and Senior levels.

The calculation of the Robi Points is based on the actual World Records in the respective category and the point value of a result equal to a World Record is the same (1000 points) in all bodyweight categories.

The Robi Points can be calculated on our website (http:// www.iwf.net/robi-points/), by selecting gender, bodyweight category and entering the Total result.

Please note that the World Record can be overwritten in case you are looking for an earlier Robi Point value (result achieved when the World Record was different).

For earlier World Records please visit the following page for Progress of World Records: http://www.iwf.net/results/ world-records/ Robi Points will be used during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games qualification process; however the World Records (Standards) will be fixed in advance in order to ensure consistency and to avoid changing point values throughout the qualification period.

Róbert Nagy and Attila Ádámfi have been working closely together

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RAISING THE BAR FOR 60 YEARS

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