Archive from

Britain’s strongest sister trio lifts girl power to new heights

BRITAIN’S strongest sisters from Henley-in-Arden have been crowned national champions and record breakers for weightlifting. Nathalie Richards, 16, and sisters Charlize, 13, and Keira, 12, started working out after becoming inspired by their gym-going dad Leighton. They all joined the Warwickshire Weightlifting Club three years ago and now train at least three times a week. The trio started entering competitions and have all won national championships for the ‘snatch’ and ‘clean and jerk’ categories. Nathalie and Charlize have even broken weightlifting records, making them the strongest girls in the UK in their age group. They began training at the gym in Henley-in-Arden, Warkickshire, after their father Leighton began training there. Leighton, 43, has even converted the family’s garage into a gym for the girls so they can top their training at home. Nathalie has won two British Weight Lifting championships as an under-15 in the 64kg bodyweight category. Now she competes as an under-17 category in the 71kg bodyweight level. The record she set in February was 147kg based on the weights she lifted in both the ‘snatch’ and ‘clean and jerk’ sections of the competition. Charlize is also a British champion in the under-15, 59kg category. The record she set was 55kg in the ‘snatch’ part of the competition in June. Keira isn’t allowed to compete until she is 13. But she would be a British champion if she was a year older, based on the weights she is lifting. The sisters now have an eye on competing in the European championships and Nathalie hopes to try out for the British team in the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Nathalie said: “I think my main strengths are all round strength and technique. “I really enjoy training and I like the way it makes you feel powerful and confident. It makes you feel better about yourself.” Charlize said: “Weightlifting is just really fun to do. When you lift the bar it improves your confidence. It helps me as a person. “My goal is to see how far I can get with weightlifting and compete at an international level.” Keira said: “I love weightlifting. It keeps you occupied. I am looking forward to getting to the age where my results can be officially recorded.” Dad Leighton, 43, who works in software, competed internationally in judo for Wales. Leighton, who is married to May, 43, a project manager for the National Grid, was confident the girls would succeed from the beginning. Leighton said: “I am very proud and very happy. “The national success isn’t the most important thing. I wanted them to be involved in sport. It’s more about health, self-esteem and the

Technical Officials’ Seminar in Myanmar

Under the IWF Development Program 2019 a Seminar and Workshop for Technical Officials was held in Naypytaw, Myanmar between 27 and 29 July 2019. The seminar was led by Ms. Sirilak Thatman from Thailand who is member of the IWF Technical Committee. Besides Ms. Thatman, local experts also give lectures such as Mr. Thi Han, General Secretary of Myanmar Weightlifting Federation, Mr. La Min Soe, Vice President of MWF and Mr. Myo Min, Joint Secretary of MWF. The experts talked about the duties, different roles and responsibilities of TOs in front of 50 participants. The Seminar and Workshop were valuable and successful for the Myanmarese Technical Officials. The General Secretary expressed his hope that the good qualified TOs will be able to serve at International Competitions. The Vice President of the Myanmar Olympic Committee and the Deputy Minister for Health and Sports, Madame Dr Mya Lay Sein also attended the opening and closing

Coaching Seminar in Azerbaijan

A Coaching Seminar was organised on July 22-24 2019 in the Weightlifting Academy of Shuvalanyi, Azerbaijan, in the framework of the IWF Development Program 2019, by the Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation (AAAF). The seminar where Colin Buckley (Ireland) and Eduards Andruskevics (Latvia) were the speakers, was attended by about 30 coaches from different regions of Azerbaijan. During the three-day-long seminar, practical and theoretical issues were discussed “Coaching the Next Generation” and video analysis was shown to the participants, on which classical exercises were performed by German athletes, tracked the training process of the national team. In addition, a report was presented about coaching innovations in the weightlifting world. Many questions were answered during the lectures, local coaches and guest lecturers voiced their opinion. General Secretary of the Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation (AAAF) Rizvan Rasulov, commented on the coaching seminar: “Every year the IWF gives the opportunity to its Member Federations to get funding for courses and activities through the IWF Development Program, in order to help the countries educate their coaches and athletes on a higher level. The AAAF decided to take the opportunity, and our application to organize this seminar was supported by IWF.” “We wanted to take advantage of the knowledge and skills of experienced professionals such as Colin Buckley and Eduards Andruskevics and it turned out to be the right decision.” “It was a very effective seminar. Coaching seminars in weightlifting are held on 3 levels – for beginners, coaches with some experience and high-level coaches. We decided not to separate them and managed to hold a seminar where coaches of all experience level could improve their skills and knowledge.” “These seminars are very important to develop weightlifting in our country and we are grateful to IWF for the opportunity. Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation intends to work closely with the International and European Weightlifting Federations to ensure the constant improvement of Azerbaijan

Meeting on weightliftings status in TTO

A meeting was held to clarify the status of weightlifting in Trinidad and Tobago on 30 July, Lima, Peru, as two Federations exists in TTO, one recognised by the TTO NOC and one recognised by the IWF. The participants, including Brian Lewis, President, Anette Knott, Generat Secretary, representing TTO NOC, Dr. Tamas Ajan, President, Jose Quinones, Vice President, Attila Adamfi, Director General representing IWF and Laura Denise Ramsay Overall, President representing TTOWF agreed that there are merits in both Federations that shall be saved and used for the future, however, the two existing organizations shall be merged into one Interim Body recognised by both TTO NOC and IWF, by 1 November 2019. As a common objective, they agreed to develop weightlifting in TTO, providing wider opportunities for athletes' participation and youth development, to fully utilise all development possibilities (Olympic Solidarity, IWF Development Program, etc.) for the sport and to create a Roadmap accepted by all Parties focusing on the future. Trinidad and Tobago's IWF country code was changed from TRI to TTO.

MOSQUERA (COL) lifts Rio weight off his shoulders with gold in Lima

Weightlifter is smiling again after missing the 2016 Olympics through injury   [caption id="attachment_27509" align="alignleft" width="300"] Credit: Marcello Zambrana / Lima 2019[/caption] Francisco MOSQUERA (COL) achieved golden redemption at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games to help erase the disappointment of three years ago when he missed the Rio 2016 Olympics with a knee injury. The Colombian weightlifter triumphed in the 61kg category, setting a new Pan American record of 170kg in the clean and jerk along the way. He became the first Colombian to win gold at Lima 2019, and immediately set his sights on Tokyo 2020. "The past is done,” he said. “I am living in the present. I will continue working in the name of God and may he protect me because I am trying hard. The Pan American record was achieved, but I wanted the world record. It wasn't possible, but I will continue working hard to achieve it in Tokyo 2020. "I feel very proud of being the first Colombian athlete to win a gold medal at the 2019 Pan American Games. “I thank God, my family, the Olympic Committee and my coach Oswaldo Pinilla, because even when many people criticized him, he is the mastermind of my triumph." Source: Lima

USA Weightlifting Secures 100th Pan American Games Medal

As Harrison Maurus lifted 195kg (429.90 lbs) over his head Sunday night at the XVII Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, he secured USA Weightlifting’s 100th medal in Pan Am Games competition and continues Team USA’s winning streak that stretches back nearly seven decades. Maurus, 19, went five-for-six in his lifts Sunday in the 81kg (178.57 lbs) bodyweight division, with a best 155kg, snatch, 195kg clean and jerk for a combined 350kg  (771.67) total, enough for a bronze medal. “I was very pleased with today’s performance,” Maurus said. “We were up 15 kilograms from the Junior Worlds in Fiji, so I can’t complain. I felt great” USA Weightlifting athletes have won at least one medal since the first Pan American Games in 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. United States weightlifting athletes have won 48 gold medals, 27 silver and 25 bronze medals in the 27 Pan American Games held thus far. Maurus, the 2017 Youth World Champion and current holder of five American records, joins the list of Pan Am Games medalists that’s filled with legends of the sport including Olympic champions and hall of famers. “It’s pretty cool to earn number 100 for the United States,” Maurus said. Maurus, a hopeful to make the team for next year’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, had a strong showing that gave notice to his competitors worldwide. “We’re where we wanted to be, come in and be stronger at Worlds in Thailand in September,” Maurus said. Competing in the same body weight division, Team USA’s Christian Rodriguez Ocasio went three for three in the snatch, improving his personal best in the lift by one kilo when he made a 152kg lift on his third attempt. He hit 143kg and 148kg on his first and second attempts. https://www.instagram.com/p/B0fFluQHVQp/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet In the clean and jerk, Rodriguez Ocasio made 175kg on his second attempt after missing it on the first. Rodriguez Ocasio took a 10kg jump to 185kg on his third attempt, completing the clean but missing he jerk. He earned a 327kg total and a fourth place finish. “That [337kg] would’ve been a new personal record over the Pan American Championships,” Rodriguez Ocaio told USA Weightlifting. “There’s more in the tank and we know what we need to work on for Worlds.” Source: USA