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Interview: Morghan King – YOG Athlete Role Model

The International Olympic Committee, along with the International Weightlifting Federation, appointed Morghan King and Oscar Albeiro Figueroa Mosquera as Athlete Role Models at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina. So, how is Morghan feeling about her new role? [caption id="attachment_23874" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Morghan King at Rio2016 (USA Today Sports)[/caption] What will your role as YOG ambassador entail? My overall mission is to support and inspire our young athletes. Weightlifting is an incredible sport – it’s an incredible feat of human physical ability. So, I’m going to do my best to promote weightlifting on one of the biggest stages.   What advice would you give to those competing at YOG? One thing Melanie Roach (USA Olympian 53kg) said to me after the 2008 Olympic Games was to make sure you enjoy it, because it goes by so fast. For weightlifters specifically – appreciate the moment of walking out onto the platform. Try to take in everything, including everyone who’s there to support you. If you remember your training and keep calm, you’ll do great things.   Have you had any experience of the Youth Olympic Games before? I haven’t. I only started weightlifting at the end of 2012! However, I’ve spoken to athletes who competed at the last Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing and they said they had the most amazing time. Travelling to a different country, for some of these kids the first time, and opening their eyes to different cultures will be an incredible experience.   What excites you about this specific YOG? I’m excited to be in a competitive environment and be supportive of these young athletes. My focus is on having fun and enjoying the sport while being a role model. Being a young athlete, it will most likely be the first time they're participating in the Olympic movement - it will be cool to feel that energy in Buenos Aires. It will be special to be part of where it all starts for these young athletes.   How can athletes get the most out of this event? The Youth Olympic Games has an inclusive and open feel about it. The Olympic movement is all about unity and love of sport, I feel as though everyone is keen to meet everyone else and experience it together. Athletes will get to meet so many new people, so be outgoing and try to remember how few people actually get to experience what you are experiencing.   What do you just before you're about to go lift that others might find helpful? I’m a big proponent of meditating. Learning to control what’s going on in your own mind and letting go of the things out of your control can help so much with performance. The Games can be chaotic, especially in the weightlifting back room, so practicing breathing techniques will be useful. In terms of performance – do what you’ve always done, don’t change a thing. When you’re about to step out onto the platform, allow yourself to enjoy the moment and simply remember your training. For the most part, a coach will not put weight on the bar that they think you can’t lift. That should be reassuring. Don’t worry about what’s on the bar and most importantly - have fun!   Do you think YOG is a good stepping stone to the Olympic Games? The Olympic process isn’t as straightforward as progressing in traditional sports, as every quad can be very different. So, having an event like the Youth Olympic Games where kids can reach such a high level so early is a great tool to inspire the next generation of athletes. Weightlifting is on the rise, so having an internationally-recognised event is a way to get more young people involved with the sport and to nurture the goal of becoming an Olympian.   Apart from weightlifting, are you excited to watch any other events? Loads! When I competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, I finished competing the day after the opening ceremony, so I had lots of free time to explore and take in the wonderful Olympic experience. If I could watch every single sport I would. Just knowing what these athletes have gone through to get to this level makes me appreciate them all. I'm hoping to be with the young athletes and watch many of the events. At the Olympics I missed out on watching tennis, table tennis and rugby, so I would love to see some of those. — Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter

Get to know… Fernando Reis

Name: Fernando Reis D.O.B.: 10 March 1990 Nationality: Brazilian Bodyweight category: +105kg Major medals (Total): 2010 South American Games (Medellin, Colombia) - Silver 2011 Pan American Games (Guadalajara, Mexico) - Gold 2014 South American Games (Santiago, Chile) - Gold 2015 Pan American Games (Toronto, Canada) - Gold Personal Bests:  Snatch: 201kg Clean and Jerk: 242kg Total: 440kg [caption id="attachment_24023" align="aligncenter" width="563"] Fernando Reis[/caption] -- BUSINESS   1 Snatch or clean & jerk? It depends of the training cycle. At times I would rather do the snatch and other times the clean & jerk. Snatch is a technical exercise, whereas the clean and jerk… it requires more strength and more courage!   2. What do you like to listen to when training?  For me, the music doesn't really matter. I like to listen to hip-hop, but I think I listen to music so I don't get distracted by outside conversations.   3. How many hours a week do you spend in the gym?  I do 2 sessions on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. I do 1 session on Thursday and Saturday. Each session lasts 2 hours.   4. What's your favourite aspect of training?  My favourite aspect of training is preparing for competition. The prime of the prime. I like to compete well, so I must prepare myself like a savage.   5. Which aspect of training do you hate the most?  I hate the injuries. In fact, now I'm dealing with a big injury that brings a lot of uncertainty throughout the process. But I like to use injuries as an opportunity to work on something else, something I wouldn't normally do in a training session.   6. If there was one thing you could improve about your technique, what would it be?  Something I would improve about my technique would be for sure my second pull - where I could use more legs instead of my back. By doing that I would be able to keep the barbell closer to my centre of gravity, therefore I would finish the pull more vertically.   7. What is your most memorable lift? I think lifting at home in the Olympics in 2016 was a memorable moment. Thousands and thousands of people cheering my name – it was very cool. Watch our intimate interview with Fernando before the Rio Olympic Games.   8. What achievements will allow you to retire happy?  I will retire after I get my World Championships medal and Olympic medal. After that I will be happy. That means I have to work a lot to achieve those goals.   9. Knowing what you know now, what one thing would you change in your first training routines?  Knowing what I know now I would change my patience. When I was younger I used to kill myself in training. Now I know that I have to prepare myself for war and don't get killed in the process!   10. Who is the greatest weightlifter of all time?   Fernando Reis. I have to believe in myself more than anything. I respect the other lifters and have more respect for those who lift more than myself. I have admiration for Evgeny Chigishev, Khadzhimurat Akkayev, Pyrros Dimas. I like lifters who represent more than just lifting heavy weights.   11. What is the most important thing needed to be an Olympic weightlifter?  Be crazy, but have control. Know that the process takes a long time.   [caption id="attachment_24015" align="aligncenter" width="567"] Fernando at the 2017 IWF World Championships[/caption] -- PERSONAL    1 Describe yourself in 3 words Determined. Resilient. Kind.   2. What other sports do you like to play?  I like to shoot guns. I like automobiles - anything that involves speed.   3. What is your favourite meal?  Steak and fries.   4. If you could only eat one type of one cuisine for the rest of your life, what would it be?  Brazilian steakhouse.   5. Describe your perfect day off.  PR snatch and PR clean & jerk. Sauna and then the beach in Miami. That’s a good day.   6. Which person, alive or dead, would you like to have a conversation with? The Brazilian racing driver Ayrton Senna.   7. Name one skill you would like to learn  I would like to learn how to invest money in stocks.   8. Where is the one place you would like to visit?  Bora Bora.   9. What's the best piece of advice you've ever received? Do the best you can with what you have. Be kind and treat others with respect – everyone is the same unless they give you a reason to treat them differently. Family first.   Watch Fernando takeover @iwfnet Instagram Stories next Wednesday 26 September, as he trains for the 2018 IWF World Championships in Ashgabat. — Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter

Get to know… Mart Seim

Name: Mart Seim D.O.B.: 24 October 1990 Nationality: Estonian Bodyweight category: +105kg Medal record (Total): 2015 IWF World Championships (Houston, USA) - Silver 2016 European Championships (Førde, Norway) - Bronze Personal Bests:  Snatch: 191kg Clean and Jerk: 253kg Total: 444kg [caption id="attachment_23833" align="aligncenter" width="602"] Mart Seim (Mati Hiis)[/caption] -- BUSINESS   1 Snatch or clean & jerk? Clean & jerk.   2. What do you like to listen to when training?  When I feel I'm in good shape or undergoing a harder training session, I listen to something heavier, like rock. With base training I listen to anything but rock, as I don't want to ruin it. If I don't listen to heavier music too much, it helps me at the right training moment, if this makes any sense.   3. How many hours a week do you spend in the gym?  At training camp I spend on average 25 hours. In classic lift training I spend approximately 10 hours a week.   4. What's your favourite aspect of training?  If I'm injury free - that I'm in great shape and able to lift heavy weights.   5. Which aspect of training do you hate the most?  Injuries.   6. If there was one thing you could improve about your technique, what would it be?  I'd keep my heels down in snatch until the bar is at hip height. I'm working on it, but my heels tend to lift too soon. I've gotten a lot better over the years, though.   7. What is your most memorable lift? That 253kg clean and jerk in the last IWF Worlds. The audience there was unbelievably disrespectful, and to perform so well despite that... I'll remember it for a while.   8. What achievements will allow you to retire happy?  The clean & jerk world record and a medal at the Olympics. If they succeed in their current anti-doping efforts, maybe even a brighter medal...   9. Knowing what you know now, what one thing would you change in your first training routines?  I would change a lot. I've received loads of advice from people with the knowledge of the 1970s, when sport wasn't exactly clean. If you want to train clean, the entire plan is different, so I've had to learn myself by trial and error.   10. Who is the greatest weightlifter of all time?   I'd like to say Leonid Taranenko, but Lasha seems to be passing him.   11. What is the most important thing needed to be an Olympic weightlifter?  Patience. You can't escape injuries in weightlifting and being able to cope with them is probably one of the most important qualities. And of course you have to be willing to work very hard.   -- PERSONAL    1 Describe yourself in 3 words Hard-working. Patient. Positive.   2. What other sports do you like to play?  Football. Table tennis. I play table tennis at training camp, as it's quite safe!   3. What is your favourite meal?  If I cook myself, I make a great pasta with chicken, chanterelles, olives, paprika, garlic, cheese and a good sauce (just pasta would sound incredibly boring). In a restaurant I mostly order rib-eye steak with potatoes and mushrooms.   4. If you could only eat one type of one cuisine for the rest of your life, what would it be?  Probably my native Estonian as we're used to eating a lot of potatoes and meat/carbs and protein. They're quite versatile, there are so many different meals you can make out of them.   5. Describe your perfect day off.  Holiday. Wake-up at 11am. Breakfast. To the sea on a yacht to do some whale/dolphin/penguin etc. spotting. A little nap in the afternoon. Some bowling in the evening. A nice meal at a restaurant. Home at a decent hour.   6. Which person, alive or dead, would you like to have a conversation with? Einstein. He might have a few tips on how to become stronger, or he'd figure it out!   7. Name one skill you would like to learn  Play with gravity like Lasha does in the Snatch.   8. Where is the one place you would like to visit?  There are several, but to name one – Madagascar. The more exotic, the more inviting.   9. What's the best piece of advice you've ever received? My dad told me after my very first competition, “Don't worry. Be patient. Do the work and you'll see the results.”   Watch Mart takeover @iwfnet Instagram Stories next Wednesday 12 September, as he trains for the 2018 IWF World Championships in Ashgabat. — Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter

Meet Judy Glenney – The Woman Behind Women’s Weightlifting

“I had always been interested in testing my strength, but growing up that’s just something girls didn’t do,” remembers Judy Glenney, four-time Women’s National Champion. The American was one of the first women to pick up a barbell and swing it above her head, a movement that would see her start a long, rewarding relationship with weightlifting. [caption id="attachment_23537" align="alignright" width="290"] Gary and Judy Glenney[/caption] Judy was introduced to weightlifting by Gary Glenney, a member of the Athletes in Action weightlifting team and her future husband. “I was actually responsible for cleaning their weight room” laughs Judy, “I knew nothing about weight training, but I wanted to learn.” Under Gary’s guidance, Judy began to learn basic compound movements like the bench press and squat. But it still wasn’t enough to satisfy Judy’s burning curiosity. “I was interested in attempting what the guys around me were doing,” she says, “the snatch and the clean and jerk. The thing that intrigued me about the Olympic lifts was that they combined so many different things – strength, power, flexibility. Moving the body into those positions absolutely amazed me.” As soon as Judy started to practice the two lifts, she fell in love with them. And like any other great strength athlete, she became obsessed with trying to move as much weight as possible over her head, an obsession that would eventually lead to testing herself in male-dominated competition. ALL-MALE COMPETITION “Let’s be clear, I lifted weights because I loved to lift weights,” Judy says unapologetically. “I wasn’t trying to breakthrough the glass ceiling or embark on a crusade for women everywhere, I just wanted to test myself.” [caption id="attachment_23532" align="alignleft" width="291"] Judy in competition[/caption] It was in competition where Judy would start to encounter more pushback. Initially, she would compete against men in their competitions, as this was all that was on offer. She even agreed to not be officially recognised for her efforts – no medals, no trophies. “I wanted to show I could do it on their terms,” says Judy. “If I could show them I could lift with correct technique, that’s how I would win respect. I let my lifting do the talking.” Judy got the impression early on that this was something girls weren’t supposed to do. Fortunately, she had Gary in her corner giving simple advice - ‘if you enjoy it, do it.’ “I put all the funny looks aside”, says Judy, “I enjoyed the lifts, I enjoyed training, I enjoyed challenging myself. So, I just did it.” It was in the early 70s that Judy began to compete in weightlifting, when the American feminist movement was in full flow. “I wanted to compete to test myself,” explains Judy, “but in the process I found myself breaking down the barriers that existed to women and becoming part of the wider narrative.” Soon Judy would find herself at the forefront of the women’s weightlifting movement. WOMEN TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT Judy’s efforts on and off the platform were starting to make waves in the weightlifting community. Bill Clark, a pioneer in strength sports, held the first female competition in 1976 in Columbia, Missouri. “There were only a handful of us,” Judy recalls. It was the starting point for accelerated growth in women’s weightlifting. [caption id="attachment_23540" align="alignright" width="290"] Judy, Murray Levin and Mabel Rader[/caption] Five years later, the first official National Women’s Championship was held by USA Weightlifting in Waterloo, Iowa. It was Judy, along with magazine owner Mabel Rader and former USA Weightlifting President Murray Levin, who spearheaded the campaign for women to compete. “Murray was instrumental in the movement,” Judy says. “His was the deciding vote that allowed women into the fold.” Judy bested 28 other women to win the first Women’s National Championships, a title she would hold for four consecutive years. Judy recorded her best lifts in this era – 97.5kg clean and jerk, 82.5kg snatch and a 172.5kg total at a bodyweight of 67kg. How would she compete against today’s women? “Oh, I don’t think I could match them!” she laughs. From 1981 onwards, women’s weightlifting experienced unprecedented growth. The historic decision to open the sport to women internationally was made by the IWF in 1983. It was realised three years later with the Pannonia Cup held in Budapest, which attracted competitors from Hungary, China, Canada, Britain and the United States. “Budapest was the catalyst,” Judy remembers. “We drew big audiences. That made the guys at the top sit up and pay attention.” FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH As soon as the hunger for women’s weightlifting became apparent, international competition flourished. The success of the first Women’s World Championships in 1987, held in Daytona Beach, Florida, would assure recognition and support for women around the world. Interestingly, a prepared China won seven of the eight weight categories at these Championships, establishing their dominance in the sport that lasts to this day. [caption id="attachment_23542" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Judge Judy. Judy on jury duty for the World Championships[/caption] This fresh impetus for women would lead them to the Olympic Games for the first time in 2000. Her competing days over, Judy would have to settle for a position on the jury at the Sydney Games. “My dream was to see women compete at the Olympics,” Judy smiles. “It was incredibly rewarding and humbling to see it happen.” Weightlifting put women on the Olympic programme before wrestling and boxing, and at Tokyo 2020 there will, for the first time, be an equal split of the medals. Judy had been working towards that goal long before now. As the sport moves from strength to strength, bringing in female weightlifters from all over the world, it’s important to remember that that every one of them owes a debt to Judy Glenney.       - Judy Glenney lives and works in Vancouver, Washington in the United States. In 1989 she wrote a book with her husband Gary titled ‘So you want to be a female weightlifter’ and still works with aspiring female weightlifters. A note from Judy:  'I want to thank all the folks that have contacted me regarding the history of women's weightlifting. It has been such an honor and a humbling experience to find so many are interested. I never in my wildest dreams thought it would bring about this much attention. I am so thankful that God allowed and enabled me to do what I did. He brought about the fulfilment of a dream that I never thought possible in a most unexpected way. If it's one message I would like to convey, it would be to never give up on your dream. You never know how or when it will come true. Thanks again for allowing me to share my passion - my hope is that others will find that passion as well!' — Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter

IWF Junior World Championships 2018 Roundup

232 young men and women from a total of 48 countries gathered in the capital of Uzbekistan for the 2018 IWF Junior World Championships last week. [caption id="attachment_23224" align="alignright" width="351"] Closing Ceremony[/caption] An impressive range of talent was on display in Tashkent, with some young stars making clear statements in showing they could challenge for Senior titles in the very near future. We thank the event organisers, led by IWF Executive Board Member Shakhrillo Makhmudov, for a fantastic edition of the competition. Here is a roundup of the results and key moments from the Championships. If you missed any of the action, you can re-watch each category in full here on our YouTube channel. Women’s 48kg The lighter categories are usually dominated by the Southeast Asian lifters, and the 2018 Junior World Championships was no exception. The competition favourites were 2017 silver medallist NANTHAWONG Chiraphan from Thailand and bronze medallist OLIVEIRA MADEIRA Luana from Brazil. Both improved on their 2017 position, leaving the Thai lifter to collect her Junior World Championship gold with a 181kg Total and the first of the Championships in Tashkent. Men’s 56kg A similar story in the Men’s 56kg, as the Southeast Asian lifters put on a show. The podium was crowded with Vietnamese lifters, as LAI Gia Thanh and NGO Son Dinh won gold and bronze respectively. It was a comfortable victory in the end for LAI, who was put under little pressure from Colombia’s second-placed GARCIA PEREZ Jairo Luis. However, the fight for bronze was fierce, as NGO was pushed all the way by Korea’s LIM Kanghun who came back with a strong clean and jerk to match NGO’s Total. Women’s 53kg There was a close fight in the Women’s 53kg between Thailand’s KHAMBAO Surodchana, USA’s DELACRUZ Jourdan Elizabeth and Colombia’s SINISTERRA TORRES Yenny. There was only 3kg separating third from first going into the clean and jerk, but in the end the Thai lifter proved too strong, securing gold with her second attempt of 110kg. Men’s 62kg [caption id="attachment_23065" align="alignright" width="250"] ERGASHEV Adkhamjon[/caption] Pure domination in the Men’s 62kg. In front of a home crowd, Uzbekistan’s ERGASHEV Adkhamjon snatched 14kg above his closest rival, and another 13kg in the clean and jerk, taking his Total to a massive 295kg. German MAU Jon Luke put on an impressive display in the clean and jerk, redeeming his fifth-place finish in the snatch, to finish second overall. Ultimately, there was no competition for the Uzbek lifter, who was Youth World Champion in 2016 with 280kg and fourth at the 2017 World Championships with 292kg. Women’s 58kg What more can we say about KOHA Rebeka? The young Latvian put on a clinic at the Championships, taking home three gold medals and finishing a whopping 21kg above second place. Canadian DARSIGNY Tali impressed after ranking 4th in the snatch and in the clean and jerk.  She stood on the podium to be handed the bronze medal for her total of 197kg. Men’s 69kg A three-peat was on the cards for USA’s CJ Cummings, who did not disappoint with his performance in Tashkent. The reigning Junior World Champion took home 3 gold medals. A fired-up DUMITRASCU Paul took silver. The Romanian came from fifth place in the snatch to lift a massive 175kg in the clean and jerk, just 1kg behind Cummings. Women’s 63kg [caption id="attachment_23101" align="alignleft" width="249"] Fayzullaeva[/caption] More success for Uzbekistan and a lifter who is one to watch for the future. After a tense snatch session, which resulted in three lifters tied on 94kg, 16-year old FAYZULLAEVA Kumushkhon came out and dominated the clean and jerk, lifting 120kg and 7kg ahead of Egypt’s AHMED Esraa Elsayed Rashed Elsayed. Men’s 77kg Just like his compatriot KOHA Rebeka, Latvian SUHAREVS Ritvars took home three golds with an impressive display of lifting. Suharevs totalled 10kg above Iran’s SOLTANI Hossein and 12kg ahead of HARUTYUNYAN Rafik, who took second in the clean and jerk. Women’s 69kg More domination in the next Women’s categories, as AHMED Sara Samir Elsayed Mohamed eased to victory in the 69kg. The Olympic Games bronze medallist fulfilled all expectations, as she totalled an impressive 238kg, improving on her 2015 Championship-winning total of 232kg. Men’s 85kg [caption id="attachment_23118" align="alignright" width="251"] Davitadze[/caption] The Men’s 85kg provided the first Georgian victory of the Championships. DAVITADZE Revaz waited until all athletes had completed their snatch to come out and set the tone with a 160kg lift. In the clean and jerk, USA’s MAURUS Harrison James came from the middle of the pack for three good lifts, one taking gold at an impressive 198kg, giving him bronze overall and 1kg behind Egypt’s ALI Ahmed Sayed Ashour. Women’s 75kg The Women’s 75kg provided the biggest victory of the Championships. Ecuador’s DAJOMES BARRERA Neisi Patricia totalled a massive 35kg above second place, and was the only woman to snatch double figures with 115kg. USA’s ALWINE Meredith Leigh secured her second place spot with a 121kg clean and jerk, 5kg above Uzbekistan’s JABBOROVA Tursunoy who took bronze in the Total. Men’s 94kg The Men’s 94kg now had two athletes who had moved up from 85kg. Qatar’s ELBAKH Fares Ibrahim and Colombia’s RIVAS MOSQUERA Jhonatan battled to prove who had made the right decision. RIVAS won a tense snatch competition by 1kg. But, ELBAKH proved way too strong in the clean and jerk, lifting a massive 215kg and 12kg ahead of RIVAS to take gold. [caption id="attachment_23131" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Men's 94kg podium[/caption] Women’s 90kg A nail-bitingly close competition unravelled in the Women’s 90kg, as Uzbek lifter DAVRONOVA Dolera took home the Total gold by 1kg. After ranking fifth in the snatch, DAVRONOVA came out to win the clean and jerk by 3kg. Two solid all-round performances were put in by USA’s RIOTTO Juliana Rose and Austria’s FISCHER Sarah, who both finished on 224kg. RIOTTO took home the silver medal while FISHER was awarded the Bronze. Men’s 105kg Another bag full of golds for Georgia, as CHKHEIDZE Irakli comfortably won all three in the Men’s 105kg. CHKHEIDZE ended with a 13kg advantage over Uzbek and 2018 Asian Junior Champion DJURAEV Akbar, and 22kg over bronze medallist ABDELAZIZ Mohamed Abdelrahman Mohamed, who registered 360kg in his first IWF event. Women’s +90kg The last Women’s event in Tashkent saw another clean sweep of the gold medals, as no one was to match Republic of Korea’s 2018 Junior Asian Champion LEE Seon Mi. LEE came out to three good lifts in both the snatch and clean and jerk, totalling 18kg ahead of second place AYOVI CABEZAS Lisseth Betzaida and finishing with 274kg. Third place went to Nauru lifter AMOE-TARRANT Charisma Precious registering her first result. Men’s +105kg Iran are good at producing heavyweights. DAVOUDI Ali added weight to this claim, as he dominated the Men’s +105kg. The 19-year old finished the snatch a massive 15kg ahead of Armenia’s LALAYAN Varazdat and then eased to a total victory in the clean and jerk with a 227kg lift. However, it was not a clean sweep of golds for DAVOUDI, as Pakistan’s BUTT Muhammad Nooh Dastgir came to spoil the party in the clean and jerk, lifting 228kg for gold. [caption id="attachment_23191" align="alignright" width="235"] Iran's Ali Davoudi[/caption] [caption id="attachment_23183" align="alignleft" width="246"] South Korea's Lee[/caption] Special Awards... According to the Team Classification, the first 6 best-performing Men and Women Teams received their trophies during the Closing Ceremony. Women's Team Classification: United States of America Thailand Uzbekistan Turkey Ecuador Chinese Taipei Men's Team Classification: Iran Uzbekistan Turkey United States of America Poland Colombia [caption id="attachment_23219" align="alignright" width="250"] Adkhamjon Ergashev and Neisi Dajomes[/caption] The IWF Media Trophy of Best Lifter amongst the women was awarded to DAJOMES BARRERA Neisi Patricia of Colombia, for her commanding performance in the 75kg making her Junior World Champion for the third year running. For the men, the winner was the home nation's talented ERGASHEV Adkhamjon, who lifted 17kg more than his nearest rival in the Men's 62kg. See the full list of results here.       — Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter

Which of Today’s Stars Succeeded at the Junior World Championships?

More than 300 young men and women from a total of 53 countries are expected to gather in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, for the 2018 IWF Junior World Championships this week. With the event running from July 6-14, a selection of top emerging talents in weightlifting will be following in the footsteps of the sport’s greats who have risen to greatness through past events. From last year’s crop of gold medal-winners at the IWF Junior World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, it's clear they have used their triumphs to help them succeed at senior level. Graduating to success [caption id="attachment_22933" align="alignleft" width="275"] A confident Yeison Lopez in 2017[/caption] In the men’s competition, Colombian Yeison Lopez, who claimed gold in the 77kg bodyweight category at last year’s Junior World Championships, followed up his success with a gold in the same category at the Pan-American Championships a month later. Meanwhile several athletes from the women’s competition last year have gone on to become serious medal contenders in the sport’s senior events. Thailand’s Thunya Sukcharoen said she was “overwhelmed” after she followed up her gold in the 48kg category in Tokyo with the top lift in the snatch and a second place Total at the 2017 IWF World Championships in Anaheim, USA. [caption id="attachment_20765" align="alignright" width="176"] Rebeka Koha in Anaheim[/caption] Meanwhile, gold in the 58kg at last year’s Junior World Championships provided a launchpad for Latvian Rebeka Koha, who went on to claim a bronze in the same category at the World Championships and a gold at the European Championships earlier this year. For Neisi Dajomes of Ecuador, topping the podium in the 75kg last year led toimpressive silver medals at the 2017 South American Championships and World Championships before a gold rush this year at the Pan-American Championships, South American Games and South American Championships. So who else dominated in past editions of the Junior World Championships? Lasha Talakhadze [caption id="attachment_22924" align="alignleft" width="275"] Lasha in Lima, 2013[/caption] Lasha got a taste for gold on the world stage for the first time at the 2013 Junior World Championships in Lima, Peru. A sensational display in the +105kg category five years ago was a sign of things to come for the Georgian, who has gone on to claim one Olympic title, two golds at the World Championships, three golds at the European Championships and the 2017 IWF Lifter of the Year Award. Behdad Salimi Still only 28, Behdad has topped the podium at the 2012 Olympic Games, two World Championships, two Asian Games and three Asian Championships so far during a glittering career. However, his first major triumph came at the 2009 Junior World Championships in Bucharest, Romania, where he claimed top spot a year after finishing third at the previous edition of the Championships in Cali, Colombia. Leidy Solis [caption id="attachment_20814" align="alignright" width="274"] Leidy Solis wins gold in Anaheim[/caption] At the 2007 Junior World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, Colombia’s Leidy Solis won gold to mark her first major success on the international stage. A full decade later, at the World Championships in Anaheim, Solis fulfilled a career-long goal by becoming world champion in the same bodyweight category – and in the process became the first athlete from Latin America to stand on the podium in this Women's 69kg. Anastasiia Hotfrid It's worth remembering that it isn’t all about first place at the Junior World Championships. Anastasiia Hotfrid had to settle for second at the 2016 edition in front of her home fans in Tbilisi, Georgia. However, she has not looked back since, claiming gold in the Women's 90kg at the 2017 World Championships and topping the podium again at the European Championships earlier this year. The Junior World Championships is a clear marker for future stars of weightlifting. It's a platform for the best and brightest juniors to show what they're capable of. Who will make a name for themselves in Tashkent? The 2018 IWF Junior World Championships will take place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from 7-14 July. Follow IWF on social media and on iwf.net for updates. — Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter