World and Olympic medallists in the line up – 2017 IWF JWC Japan
The 2017 IWF Junior World Championships kicked off today in Tokyo.
A Total of 265 (108 Women / 157 Men) athletes from 50 countries started their competition the capital city of Japan. Women will represent 31 countries while the number will be 45 for Men.
Since the first Junior competition hosted by Marseille in 1975, the record number of countries represented was led by the 2007 IWF Junior World Championships Prague, CZE with 49, which now Tokyo exceeded by one.
Junior Women events are held since 1995, and the 2011 competition organized in Penang, MAS is leading the way with 120 participants while with 32 countries, the 2000 Prague still remains undefeated.
The oldest participants are 20 while the youngest ones were born in 2002.
Juniors are mostly organized in Europe, however Pan-America, Asia and Africa also hosted such events. Sofia welcomed the competition three times while it was held twice in both Athens, Prague, Warsaw and Lignano-Sabbiadoro.
Athletes competing here in Japan already proved their talent in the senior age-groups as well.
Speaking about quality, we’ll be able to witness lifters such as the 2016 Junior World Champion SUKCHAROEN Thunya (THA) 48 kg, the 2016 Junior and Senior African Champion LANDOULSI Nouha (TUN) 53 kg and 4th place at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and 2016 Junior Champion KOHA Rebekka (LAT) 58 kg.
Two-times Youth World Champion PALACIOS DAJOMES Angie Paola will represent Equador with her teammate and 2016 Junior World Champion DAJOMES BARRERA Neisi Patricia.
Silver Medallist at the 2017 European Championships KISIL Valentina (UKR) will compete in the 90kg bodyweight category while 2014 Youth Olympic Champion CHAIDEE Duangaksorn will try to win the Junior Champion title in the +90kg.
Men’s category will showcase 2016 Junior Asian Championships Bronze medallist LAI Gia Thanh (VIE) 56kg and 2015 Youth World Champion LIN Zhixiang (CHN) 62kg.
The Men’s 69kg competition is expected to be the most exciting thanks to the potential duel between two-times Youth World Champion, 2016 Junior World Champion CUMMINGS JR Clarence (USA) and his number one rival, 2015 Youth World Champion MOSQUERA LOZANO Jose David (COL).
LOPEZ LOPEZ Yeison (COL), Youth World Record holder and 2016 Junior World Champion is expected to show an outstanding performance in the 77kg bodyweight category.
The 94kg bodyweight category has many excellence athletes: 2016 Junior European Championships Bronze Medallist PYROHOV Kyrylt (UKR), this year’s Asian Champion, last year’s Junior World Champion SOBIROV Farkhodbets (UZB) and the 2016 Junior World Championships third BEIRALVAND Reza (IRI).
105kg will include GASPARYAN Samvel (ARM), KHETSURIANI Dato (GEO) while in the +105kg, we’ll see 2016 Rio Olympic Games Silver Medallist as well as World and European Champion MARTIROSYAN Simon (ARM).
We’ll keep you posted!
