2018 IWF World Championships Roundup
582 lifters, 272 women and 310 men from 85 countries gathered in Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan to participate at the 2018 IWF World Championships, held on 1-10 November.
This year’s World Championships was special in several ways. First of all, because of the introduction of the new bodyweight categories. This meant a clean slate of World Standards.
The competition welcomed a huge number of entries and high interest for the event among the fans.
Led by Weightlifting Federation of Turkmenistan President, Berdinyyaz Myatiyev, the Organizing Committee delivered a fantastic event with a high organisation level.
Read a roundup of the key moments and results.
Women’s 45kg
SUKCHAROEN Thunya (THA), who was second last year, confidently won the competition of the lightest women, beating her compatriot, NANTHAWONG Chiraphan, this year’s Junior World Champion.
The first Youth World Record of the Championships was set by 17 years old ECHANDIA ZARATE Katherin Oriana (VEN) at 90kg.
Men’s 55kg
Already three times World Champion, OM Yun Chol (PRK) had no opponent on the field, won all Gold with a 34kg advantage over Silver Medallist. OM also set the Clean and Jerk World Record at 162kg.
RUSEV Angel Hriskov (BUL) set the Snatch and Total Youth World Records (108kg, 248kg), while also 17 years old CHOMCHUEN Teerapat (THA) set the Clean and Jerk Record at 141kg.
Women’s 49kg
After a tense competition of Asian lifters, PRAMONGKHOL Chayuttra (THA) took home the Gold Medal, setting two World Records – to 120kg in the Clean and Jerk and to 209 in the Total.
TANASAN Sopita (THA), Gold Medallist in the Snatch set the World Record on this lift at 93kg.
Bronze Medallist with 206kg, JIANG Huihua (CHN) set 7 Junior World Records in this single event.
Men’s 55kg
The Star of the 2018 Asian Games, IRAWAN Eko Yuli (INA) won his first World Champion title and set the Clean and Jerk Record to 174kg.
The 19-year-old Uzbek ERGASHEV Adkhamjon, Junior World Champion this year, set three Junior World Records.
Women’s 55kg
SRISURAT Sukanya (THA) was the winner in this bodyweight category, she set the World Record three times and the 127kg and 232kg Total were worthy of Gold.
LANDOULSI Nouha from Tunisia, this year’s Junior World Championship Silver Medalist broke the Junior World Record in the Snatch with 97kg.
Men’s 67kg
Chinese athlete CHEN Lijun, 2013 and 2015 World Champion won with 332kg, attempted to break the World Standard with 185kg but failed.
Crowd favourite FIGUEROA MOSQUERA Oscar Albeiro (COL) returned to competitive weightlifting and earned a Bronze Medal in the Clean and Jerk with 178kg.
Women’s 59kg
Five lifters shared the Medals in the women’s 59kg bodyweight category. The one who won the most, 2 Golds and 1 Silver was KUO Hsing-Chun (TPE), who also set 4 World Records along the way.
Setting a series of Junior World Records, KOHA Rebeca (LAT), 2018 Junior World Champion was third with 227kg.
Men’s 73kg
The Olympic and World Champion SHI Zhiyong (CHI) won all three Gold Medals, achieving 5 World Record altogether, with 360kg in the Total.
Several times Youth and Junior World Champion CUMMINGS JR Clarence set 4 Junior World Records.
Women’s 64kg
2016 Olympic Champion DENG Wei (CHN) won with a significant, 13kg advance, becoming a four-time World Champion. DENG also set two new World Records: 112kg in the Snatch and 140kg in the Clean and Jerk.
Men’s 81kg
Olympic Champion and now four times World Champion LYU Xiaojun finished second on both lifts but won the Gold in the Total with 374kg which is also the new World Record.
American MAURUS Harrison James, the youngest in the bodyweight category got to 200kg, setting 3 Junior World Records.
Women’s 71kg
ZHANG Wangli (CHN), with 6 excellent lifts, finished way ahead of her competitors. She set the Clean and Jerk and Total World Records (152kg, 267kg).
AHMED Sara Samir Elsayed Mohamed (EGY) 2016 Olympic Bronze Medallist and Junior World Champion this year achieved Junior World Records in the Snatch (111kg) and the Clean and Jerk (141kg).
Men’s 89kg
It was one of those rare competitions where seven lifters were awarded medals after a tight battle, with only 3kg difference between the first and the sixth place. OKULOV Artem (RUS) ranked highest in the Total with 372kg.
DAVITADZE Revaz (GEO), 2018 Junior World Champion set three Junior World Records, just like Venezuelan VALLENILLA SANCHEZ Keydomar Giovanni.
Men’s 96kg
Legendary Olympic and World Champion MORADI Sohrab won this bodyweight category and set three World Records (186kg, 230kg, 416kg).
Women’s 76kg
WANG Zhouyu (CHN) impressed the crowd, defeating two times Olympic Champion RIM Jong Sim (PRK) on her very first World Championships.
DAJOMES BARRERA Neisi Patricia (ECU), Junior World Champion this year set 5 Junior World Records, ending at 142kg in the Clean and Jerk and 259kg in Total.
Men’s 102kg
Iranian HASHEMI Ali stood on the top of the podium again after last year, while Uzbek DJURAEV Akbar broke the Junior World Record in the Snatch with 178kg and the Total with 392kg.
Women’s 81kg
After not being able to lose weight before the competition due to a shoulder injury, Spanish VALENTIN PEREZ Lidia competed in a higher bodyweight category than usual. This didn’t stop her winning the Gold Medal with 249kg.
Men’s 109kg
Armenian MARTIROSYAN Simon won the Gold, setting World Records on the way, 240kg in the Clean and Jerk and 435kg Total.
Women’s 87kg
There was a tight competition between AO Hui (CHN) and KIM Un Ju (PRK), which of the Chinese lifter, Junior and Asian Champion came out as the winner with a Total of 268kg.
Men’s +109kg
Setting seven World Records, TALAKHADZE Lasha , the legendary Georgian Giant had a triumphant victory in the men’s superheavyweight, earning the World Champion title for the third time.
Women’s +87kg
One of the most exciting competitions in Ashgabat, an epic battle between Russian KASHIRINA Tatiana and Chinese MENG Suping. KASHIRINA ended up on the upper side each time (145kg, 185kg, 330kg). She did a new World Record with almost every lift, piling up seven altogether.
Special Awards
According to the Team Classification, the first 3 best-performing Men and Women Teams received their trophies during the Closing Ceremony.
Women’s Team Classification:
- China
- Thailand
- Kazakhstan
Men’s Team Classification:
- China
- Belarus
- Kazakhstan
Best Lifter:
The IWF Trophy of Best Lifter amongst the women was awarded to Russian KASHIRINA Tatiana, for her performance in the +87kg bodyweight category, becoming World Champion for the fifth time.
TALAKHADZE Lasha (GEO) received the men’s trophy for his overwhelming victory in the +109kg.
See the full list of results here.
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