IWF President successfully promotes Weightlifting at the ONOC Assembly
The IWF President Mohammed Jalood was this week in Auckland (New Zealand) for the ONOC (Oceania National Olympic Committees) Annual General Assembly, and had the opportunity to do an inspiring presentation about Weightlifting in this region of the world. The Assembly was also attended by the IOC President, Ms Kirsty Coventry.
During his speech, Mr Jalood recalled the historic tradition of our Sport in the Pacific region, namely its importance and significance for many islands of this continent. The IWF President highlighted that many former and present lifters representing these nations had remarkable participation at Olympic Games and World Championships.
“Besides their amazing career, many of them are today at the head of their sport organisations in their territories, namely as presidents of the respective National Olympic Committees, or Weightlifting Federations. The most illustrious example of this success is Marcus Stephen, an Olympian, that then became President of Nauru. At the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, it is very common that flagbearers from Oceania nations are weightlifters”, declared Mr Jalood.
Reflecting on the future, the IWF President recalled the audience that many young lifters from the region have namely shone in the 2025 edition of the IWF World Youth and Junior Championships, held in Lima (PER). “The grassroot work is there, and the development of new generations of lifters is definitively assured. We could not have a better perspective of excellence ahead of the 2032 Olympic Games, to be held in this continent, in Brisbane, Australia”.
Finally, Mr Jalood also highlighted the importance of the IWF Academy in Samoa, a regional centre for development of weightlifting. This amazing facility recently hosted the Universal Cup, an event that once more has demonstrated the vitality of our Sport in the region. “The future of Weightlifting is definitively bright in Oceania and I have no doubt that lifters from this continent will shine in Brisbane 2032”.
Mr Jalood concluded his presentation by showing a video on the brilliant tradition of the sport in the region. Mr Jalood was accompanied in Auckland by Mr Jerry Wallwork, IWF Executive Board member and President of both the Samoa Olympic Committee and the national weightlifting federation.
IWF Communications
