Archive from 2024

Tashkent, Day 1: Double success for PRK – and it’s now nine world records in 127 days for their women’s team

DPR Korea won both the medal events on the opening day of the Asian Championships in Tashkent. Its women’s team continued a remarkable run of record-breaking victories when Won Hyon Sim claimed a sweep of golds at 45kg, then Pang Un Chol finished ahead of the Vietnamese world champion to win the men’s 55kg.Both athletes had also won at the IWF Grand Prix in Qatar two months ago.Won broke snatch and total world records on her way to victory. Since the first day of competition at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China 127 days ago, PRK athletes have now set nine women’s world records. Won Hyon Sim (PRK) - Photo credit: Isaac Morillas/awf.sportUntil this Championships nobody had met the world standards, set in 2018, of 85-108-191 at the minimum weight for women. Won beat those marks in snatch and total as she made 86-106-192. Had she not failed with her second clean and jerk on 106kg, Won might have claimed all three world records.It was a dominant performance by Won, who improved her Qatar Grand Prix total by 11kg. While she made five good lifts, second-placed Siriwimon Pramongkhol from Thailand made only two as she finished 29kg behind on 72-91-163. Hong Zi-yu from Chinese Taipei was third on 72-90-162.In the men’s 55kg, world champion Lai Gia Thanh withdrew with an injury after failing with three of five attempts. The Vietnamese lifter had either won or bombed out in his past 11 competitions but this time he broke the sequence by finishing third. Pang Un Chol (PRK)Lai missed his first two snatch attempts and had to be helped off the platform, clutching his right leg in pain, after he made the third. His 116-134-250 was a long way below his best.Natthawat Chomchuen from Thailand had led at halfway but he failed with his final two attempts and finished on 119-145-264, also far lower than his career-high numbers. Pang made 116-150-266 for victory, 2kg lower than his winning total in Qatar.The youngest competitor here in Tashkent made five good lifts in the women’s 49kg B group, which opened the Championships.Ogulshat Amanova from Turkmenistan won the world youth title aged 13 last March and competed here aged 14 years 66 days. She has had minor injury problems and made 70-82-152, which was 4kg lower than her world title effort. Ogulshat’s big target this year is the IWF World Youth Championships in Peru in May. Ogulshat Amanova (TKM) - Photo credit: Isaac Morillas/awf.sportUzbekistan also has two 14-year-olds in its team. Munisa Odilova made 57-70-127 in the 45kg A Group and Shakhnoza Jabbarova lifts on Tuesday in the women’s 64kg A Group.Yadav Gyaneshwari from India posted a career-best 79-99-178 to lead the B Group. Juliana Klarisa, who won South East Asia Games gold at 55kg less than nine months ago and has cut more than 10 per cent of her body weight to lift at 49kg, was second on 77-98-175. That puts her within 1kg of her team-mate Windy Aisah, who is 16th in the Paris 2024 rankings.The 49kg A Group is on day two of this Paris 2024 qualifying event, which also features the men’s 61kg and the non-Olympic women’s 55kg. By Brian Oliver

Team China and Olympic champions take a break while hundreds try to boost Paris hopes at continental championships

Nine hundred and ninety-nine weightlifters from across the world are entered in their senior continental championships over the next four weeks. From the first lift at the African Championships in Ismailia, Egypt tomorrow until the last at the Pan American Championships in Caracas, Venezuela on the last day of February, more than 500 of those athletes will be aiming to improve their position in the Olympic rankings. The five championships make up the penultimate round in the Paris 2024 qualifying programme which ends with the IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand from March 31 to April 11. Karlos Nasar (BUL) With nearly 400 entries, the European Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria from February 12-20 is by far the biggest of the five. The numbers are boosted by the presence of the United States, whose athletes were given permission by the EWF and IWF to compete as guests in Bulgaria because their government advised them not to travel to Venezuela, with which the US has no diplomatic relations. The Americans cannot win medals but their totals will count in the Paris rankings. The United States will not be at full strength because some athletes have, like the entire China team, decided to focus on preparations for the IWF World Cup. The double Olympic super-heavyweight medallist Sarah Robles will go for one big final push in Thailand as she tries to overtake team-mate Mary Theisen Lappen, while Jourdan Delacruz has planned all along to miss this round. She is very well placed at 49kg. Sarah Robles (USA) Hayley Reichardt, who is only 3kg behind team-mate Delacruz at 49kg, is out of qualifying altogether because of mental burn-out. “I withdrew from the European Championships and the World Cup, so I forfeited my Olympic eligibility. You might be confused… and honestly, I am too,” Reichardt said on social media. She had messages of support from team-mates. “I’m taking a break from the Olympic lifts and doing some different types of workouts and having fun in the gym for the first time in a long time,” Reichardt said. China’s athletes dominate the rankings and can afford to focus on training. They lead the way in all five women’s weight categories, and three of the men’s. In four of the extended lists they have the top two contenders. A statement from the Chinese Weightlifting Association explained the decision, saying: “The Chinese weightlifting team participated in three important international competitions in a row from September to December last year, including the Riyadh World Championships, a compulsory Olympic qualification event, the Hangzhou Asian Games, and the Doha Grand Prix, a qualification event as well. “Our athletes have adjusted their training and competition states multiple times within a short period of time, and thus could not undergo systematic training. Considering that the Chinese team have already completed four out of seven qualifying events, only one more qualification event is required, in accordance with the Paris Olympic Games Qualification System.  “In order to ensure the systematic winter training of our athletes and adjust their rhythm for competition, after careful consideration we have decided to participate in the Thailand World Cup, which is also a compulsory qualification event.” Sara Samir (EGY) Other notable absentees at the continental championships include Olympic champions Hidilyn Diaz from the Philippines and Maude Charron from Canada, as well as the Tokyo silver medallist Mirabai Chanu from India. Athletes from the continental host nations Egypt, Uzbekistan, Bulgaria, Venezuela and New Zealand all have a chance to win gold and improve their Olympic chances. Among the favourites in Ismailia, where the African Championships run from February 2-10, are the Egyptians Karim Abokahla, Neama Said and Sara Samir. Akbar Djuraev and Ruslan Nurudinov could both win for Uzbekistan, where the Asian Championships take place in Tashkent from February 3-10. Keydomar Vallenilla (VEN) Multiple word record holder Karlos Nasar will be Bulgaria’s biggest star at the European Championships from February 12-20. Keydomar Vallenilla leads a strong Venezuela team at the Pan American Championships from February 23-29. For New Zealand, David Liti will be aiming to win a second continental super-heavyweight title within three months on the final day of the Oceania Championships which run in Auckland from February 21-15.  By Brian

Final entries for the IWF World Cup are due on January 31!

The National Federations that have submitted their preliminary entries for the IWF World Cup, to be held from March 31 - April 11, 2024 in Phuket (THA), have until tomorrow, January 31, to confirm their final entries for the event. Through the IWF e-entry system (https://mf.iwf.sport), all participating delegations are invited at this stage to: SELECT a maximum of 12 athletes (10+2 reserve) per gender (if available), from the registered preliminary entries; REMOVE athletes who will not take part in the competition; CONFIRM the final entries by clicking on the "Confirm Final List" button. After this important step, the verification of final entries will be done on March 17, two weeks before the start of the IWF World Cup. This competition is the last available opportunity to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris (FRA), being one of the two mandatory events on that path, along with the 2023 IWF World Championships, held last September in Riyadh

Fruitful visit from the IWF to China

In representation of the IWF President Mohammed Jalood, the Paris 2024 IWF Technical Delegate and IWF Executive Board member Matthew Curtain recently visited China to primarily inspect and approve the equipment that will be used for the upcoming Olympic Games in the French capital. For that, Mr Curtain had the opportunity to meet with Mr Zhang Zhiguo, General Manager of ZKC, IWF’s licenced manufacturer providing all the necessary weightlifting equipment during the Olympic celebration. Matthew Curtain (in the middle) during his visit to China During his stay in China, Mr Curtain could meet with representatives of several sport administration levels, namely with Mr Wang Zhiliang, Mayor of Botou Municipal People's Government, Mr Liu Chengliang, Vice-President of China’s Weightlifting Association (representing its President Zhou Jinqiang, who is also the country’s Deputy Sports Minister), Mr He Yiqun, General Secretary of CWA, Ms Meng Bo, Vice-President of the Asian Weightlifting Federation, Mr Wei Xinhuan, Director of Gymnastics, Weightlifting and Judo Sports Centre at the Hebei Sports Bureau, and Mr Zhao Guoyuan, Director of Cangzhou Sports Bureau.   The discussions with China’s national weightlifting body assumed special importance, as the country will be the host of the 2026 IWF World Championships, a rendezvous taking place in Ningbo. Besides the organisation of the IWF’s showcase, Mr Curtain and Mr Liu spoke about future opportunities for a reinforced partnership between CWA and the IWF.   “It was a very fruitful visit to China! ZKC is definitively ready to provide the best possible equipment for our lifters in Paris, thus decisively contributing to the success of the Olympic competition. On a more general note, the contacts with so many officials from different levels proves that China remains a powerhouse in the Sport and is looking to increase its valuable co-operation with the IWF. The allocation of the 2026 IWF World Championships to the city of Ningbo is the most recent example of that will,” declared Mr Curtain. “I would like to thank President Jalood for the opportunity and all Chinese authorities for the excellent welcome and the quality of our discussions,” he concluded.   IWF

Don’t miss the deadline to apply for the 2024 IWF Refugee Team: January 31!

As announced last December, the IWF has initiated the process to constitute its Refugee Team for 2024, by sending all the relevant documents concerning this programme. In accordance to this procedure, the deadline to receive the proposals is January 31, 2024 while on February 28, the IWF decides on the final constitution of the IWF Refugee Team for the current year. The new programme stipulates that a minimum of four athletes (two male, two female) will be part of the team – any IOC Refugee Scholarship holder will be automatically added to this number. As in 2023, a coach/manager will also be appointed to supervise the team’s activities, while next year’s novelties include the nomination of a physiotherapist. In terms of eligibility, athletes must be officially recognised as refugees in their country, in accordance with the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and may be entered in IWF events. Asylum seekers are not accepted in the programme. Moreover, lifters are required to have a travel document and must comply with article 5.5.16 of the IWF Anti-Doping Rules, by which whereabouts information of the athletes shall be submitted at minimum three months prior to the event. Finally, all athletes and support personnel must complete the WADA ADEL online course before competing and present their certificate to the IWF/ITA. In accordance with article 17.2.2 of the IWF Anti-Doping Rules, the IWF may also decide to request that athletes complete education activities before and/or during their participation in selected events as a condition of such participation. The 2024 IWF Refugee Team programme will be effective until the conclusion of the IWF World Championships, next December in Manama (BRN). While these athletes are not part of the Olympic Qualification system, they will be able to attend IWF competitions throughout the year and will be invited to take part in at least one training camp during the upcoming months. Relevant documents: 2024 IWF Refugee Programme Policy 2024 IWF Refugee Team Application Form 2024 IWF Refugee Team Coach and Manager job description 2024 IWF Refugee Team Physiotherapist Application

IWF committee member Keith Morgan is honoured with OBE

The lifelong efforts of a coach who helped women’s weightlifting into the sporting mainstream in Britain 40 years ago have been recognised in the nation’s New Year Honours List. Keith Morgan has been awarded an OBE, a chivalric honour established more than 100 years ago, for “services to sport”. He is a member of the IWF’s Coaching and Research Committee. Morgan has worked with 50 Olympians in a range of sports as a strength and conditioning specialist. He has been involved in weightlifting for more than 50 years as an athlete, coach, talent recruiter, anti-doping tester and competition organiser. He was also technical operations manager at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Among the many elite weightlifters he has coached is Forrester Osei, chair of the IWF Athletes Commission. Osei spent much of his childhood in Ghana before returning to London, where he was born and where he played American football for eight years before switching sports. Morgan, a lifelong physical training instructor in the police force, is famed for encouraging athletes away from their chosen sport and into weightlifting. “Nowadays they call it talent transfer. Back then I called it nicking people from other sports,” he said. Keith Morgan with Jo Calvino Others who switched included Myrtle Augee from shot put and Tokyo Olympian Emily Godley from pole vault, the last two British women to win senior European titles, 26 years apart. Morgan also helped Jo Calvino, who was competition manager for weightlifting at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, to switch from diving. Morgan has coached lifters from nine countries including the United States, Germany, Jamaica, Cyprus, and Ghana. In other sports he has worked with the Olympic diving and decathlon gold medallists Tom Daley and Daley Thompson, javelin world record holder Steve Backley, England rugby player Kyle Sinckler and heavyweight boxing world champion David Haye. “I’ve worked in about 25 sports and been to 20 World Championships,” said Morgan. “It’s been very rewarding to work with so many athletes and see them do well. I’ve had a very interesting time in sport, and weightlifting has always been right at the heart of it.” Keith Morgan with a group of athletes, including Forrester Osei (far right) In 1980 Morgan was selected for the Olympic Games in bobsleigh. He was the first non-military athlete ever to make the Olympic team, but he suffered an injury before the Games and had to stand down. An injury also brought an early end to his weightlifting career, in which he won medals in international police competitions. Morgan, a coach for 50 years, worked with women weightlifters before they were officially welcomed into the sport by the IWF in the 1980s. “I organised the first British Championship for women in 1986, when we had about 60 female lifters,” Morgan said. “It was very hard back then because so many people didn’t want women in weightlifting. It helped that we had some high-profile throwers from track and field, like Myrtle Augee and Judy Oakes.” Osei lifted at Tokyo 2020 and is trying to qualify for Paris 2024. He said, “I got where I am in weightlifting because of Keith, who has been an inspiration and a great motivator. He can be hard on his athletes but that’s what you have to be. “When I first asked him to coach me because I wanted to be a weightlifter, he said, ‘You won’t be able to do it.’ So I trained very hard, made some huge squats and then he said, ‘OK, we’ll give it a go.’ “He trained me at the London Weightlifting Club, which is one of the best in the country thanks to his own efforts over the years. I’ve seen him bring through so many athletes in so many sports from so many countries. Keith really deserves this award and the recognition that comes with it.” Morgan will be 73 when he receives the award later this year, probably at Buckingham Palace. Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said of the award winners announced recently, “The New Year Honours List recognises the exceptional achievements of people across the country and those who have shown the highest commitment to selflessness and compassion. To all honourees, you are the pride of this country and an inspiration to us all.” By Brian