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Pyrros Dimas awarded in Monaco

Pyrros Dimas, the legendary three-times gold and one-time bronze Olympic champion, has been awarded the ‘Great Athlete’ distinction by the Hellenic Community of Monaco. The award was given on Thursday 12th December in the presence of the Honorary Consul of Greece in Monaco Petros Machas and the Honorary Consul of Albania in Monaco, Marquis Giuseppe Durazzo. President of the Hellenic Community of Monaco Sophia Vaharis Tsouvelekakis awarded the world champion and record-breaking Greek athlete for his great contribution to sports and philanthropy. She also appointed him as an honorary member of the Hellenic Community in Monaco. Pyrros Dimas is the Founder and President of the International Pyrros Dimas Institute, which leads sports projects for unaccompanied minors in cooperation with SOS Villages, provides educational programs for the value of sports in schools around Greece, supports athletes and is involved in the the organisation of weightlifting competitions. Mr. Dimas thanked the Hellenic Community for the warm Greek hospitality offered to him during his stay and for this exceptional award that will add value to his efforts to contribute more to vulnerable societies through the power of sport. Pyrros Dimas had been invited to participate the 2019 Peace And Sport International Forum, which took place at the Convention Center of the One Monte Carlo, in the presence of HSH Prince Albert II. Peace And Sport, an independent and neutral organisation based in Monaco, through its founder and President Joël Bouzou, is leading the ‘Peace through Sport’ movement and organised the 2019 forum and the 10th annual Champions For Peace Gala. This year, many important personalities from all over the world, heads of States, ministers, presidents, famous athletes, Nobel prize laurates and high-level guests participated in open discussions to present how the power of sport creates peace and happiness to communities around the world. Hellenic Community member and International Relations and Sport Diplomacy Director at Peace And Sport Iris Vlachoutsicos was also involved in the organisation and coordinated the visit and activities of Mr. Dimas in Monaco. Photo from left to right: Sophia Vaharis Tsouvelekakis, President Communauté Hellénique de Monaco; Ursula Garza Papandrea, President of USA Weightlifting Federation and VP of the International Weightlifting federation; Pyrros Dimas; Petros Machas, Honorary General Consul of Greece in Monaco; and Iris Vlachoutsicos, International Relations & Sport Diplomacy Director at Peace And Sport Source:

The 2020 IWF Junior World Championships Documents were uploaded

The competition documents for the 2020 IWF Junior World Championships, Bucharest, ROU, 14–21 March were uploaded. The Regulations and Forms can be accessed via the following link: 2020 IWF Junior World

FISU celebrates 70th anniversary with a new identity

Following the Elections of International University Sports Federation leadership, Mr Oleg Matytsin, President and Eric Saintrond, CEO, Secretary General were reassured in their positions for another 4-year term. [caption id="attachment_28790" align="alignleft" width="300"] New FISU logo[/caption] The FISU Executive Committee got down to business with allocating the next two FISU World  University Championships: 2022 Budapest, Hungary and 2024 Kampala, Uganda. The organization celebrates 70 years of existence this year and for the occasion, completely renewed its identity, consisting of a new FISU Logo and a new naming system for all FISU assets. The organization changed its multi-sport event's name from UNIVERSIADE to FISU WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES. The International University Sports Federation was officially founded in 1949 in Zurich, where it first announced it's mission: “To promote the cultural aspect of the student body from all countries, to exchange the experiences of university sport, to organise international university meetings and to spread the moral values of sport.” Weightlifting was taken into the FISU program in 2008, when the first WUC was held in Komotini, Greece. Aniko Németh-Móra (HUN) was elected and acted with utmost devotion ever since as FUSU Technical Committee Chair in charge of weightlifting. [caption id="attachment_28792" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Ms Aniko Nemeth-Mora (second left), 2017, Taipei Universiade[/caption] Weightlifting World University Championships have been organized in even years ever since according to FISU rules and enjoy a high rank and great popularity within the IWF Events program, as well. In addition to that, as an optional sport, weightlifting featured in the program of 3 Summer Universiades: 2011 in Shenzen, Hongkong; 2013 in Kazan, Kazan, Russia and 2017 in Taipei city, Taiwan. You can read more about university weightlifting here.  

Obituary: Philippe Hedrich, Canadian official

Twice Olympic Technical Official and indispensable at major weightlifting events organized in Canada, Philippe Hedrich died on 15 December. As informed by his lifetime friend, Philippe Saint-Cyr, Mr. Hedrich came from France to Canada in the early 60s. He first started to lift weights in France and he got involved quickly with weightlifting in Quebec. He was the President of the Quebec Federation for a few years. He was Assistant Director of Weightlifting at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Was a referee in many World , Pan-American and other events, including two Olympic Games: LA in 1984 and Seoul in 1988. He coached and managed a successfully a weightlifting club called Les Géants in Montreal. [caption id="attachment_28773" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Philippe Hedrich (on the right) with his lifetime friend Philippe Saint-Cyr[/caption] Here is a statement from Geoff Platt which reflects what type of person Philippe was: "Philippe was a giant of a man and a giant of our sport. I first met him when we were both selected to officiate at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. He was a very kind, supportive, gentle man and we came to work closely together when London and Quebec competed twice a year at the London Open and the Quebec Open. I am sure that he will be missed by his family, by the international weightlifting family and by the world in general." The IWF, with President Dr. Tamás Aján and staff mourns this kind and wonderful

Education Seminar in Uganda

An IWF Technical Officials Education Seminar was organised by the Uganda Weightlifting Federation under the auspices of the International Weightlifting Federation Development Programme in November at the National Olympic Committee in Kampala. The federation welcomed participants from within the country, including coaches (both individuals and clubs), technical officials, administrators, managers and athletes. Mr Milan Mihajlovic, IWF Technical Committee Member was the facilitator of the seminar, who worked hand in hand with Mr Ssenkungu Salim Musoke, Uganda Weightlifting Federation President, ITO Chairman CRC WFA. Mr Mihajlovic introduced the new Technical Rules and Regulations, the Code of Conduct and more to the audience with the help of educational and demonstration videos. Some participants took their ITO exams before the group travelled to Busia, to the OLYMPAFRICA centre, where the practical session of the course was undertaken in conjunction with the 40th National Championship and 3rd Champion of Champions. While in Busia, the experts also examined young weightlifting talents

2019 IWF World Cup in Tianjin concluded with glory for the home team

The 2019 ‘Shengxin’ IWF World Cup, a Silver Level Qualification event for Tokyo 2020 was successfully declared on the 12th of December with towering success for China over the other 19 participating countries. After the highly successful World Cup in Fuzhou, China delivered the second of such event within one year. This time Tianjin, "The Diamond of the Bohai Gulf" welcomed all participants. Thanks to the leadership and organizing of Mr Zhou Jinqiang, CWA President, the audience witnessed another highly enjoyable event, where 60 women and 52 men competed for great money prizes and to improve their chances for the Olympic Games next year. [caption id="attachment_28681" align="alignleft" width="300"] Shi Zhiyong (Photo: Chinadaily/Xinhua)[/caption] Team China piled up 29 gold, 23 silver and 7 bronze medals altogether, topping the medal table by far at both genders. At the women, PRK was second (9,7,2) and AUS came in third (3,0,0). Second on the men's medal table was KOR (6,1,5) and BOT followed (3,0,0). Two Chinese athletes broke World Records on this occasion. DENG Wei swept the women's 64kg bodyweight category winning all the gold medals and setting the Snatch record at 117kg. In the men's  73kg, SHI Zhiyong excelled and the new Clean and Jerk record is 198kg. Fiji born CIKAMATANA Eileen, who recently started to lift under Australian flag set up two new Junior World Records in the women's 81kg bodyweight category: Clean and Jerk 150kg and Total 260kg. Dr Tamas Ajan, IWF President, Mr Mohammed Jalood and members of the IWF Executive Board were also present at the event. To commemorate the seven-year anniversary of cooperation between the IWF and the Zhen-Ao group, an official sponsor for the federation, a meeting was held where Dr Ajan received a keepsake of appreciation. Zhen-Ao, is a fast-growing company in the health industry developing nucleic acid products and targets to provide health protection for weightlifters who refuse doping. Tokyo 2020 delegation led by Ms. Reiko Chinen with IWF Technical Delegates visited the ZKC factory to coordinate and supervise the production of the ZKC Olympic sport equipment.