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IWF Education Seminars in Almaty

The IWF will hold two Education Seminars on the occasion of the 2014 IWF World Championships Almaty, KAZ: 1. 9th November 2014, 10:00 am – Hotel Astana 2. 12th November 2014, 10:00 am – Hotel Astana Presentations on the following topics, presented by internationally recognized presenters: Anti-Doping and Medical issues - The new WADA code, key changes - All about doping (what is doping, control, rights and responsibilities, etc) - Medical and legal aspects Ethical issues, Olympic Movement - Olympic Games, Olympic spirit - History of weightlifting - Ethical aspects of sport Technical issues Rio Olympic Games - Qualification system - General information on the preparation We expect all the athletes and coaches to participate. Small gifts will be

THE 2014 OTIP Program – Discovering talent!

The Oceania Talent Identification Program (OTIP), implemented by the OWF three years ago to identify talented students throughout the schools of the Oceania region, and in particular the Pacific Island nations was a great success in 2014. Financial support is provided by the IWF in the framework of the Development Program’s contribution for Continental Federations. This year 4,338 students from 166 schools and 14 countries took part in the program; almost 1,700 more than last year’s results. (2312 boys and 2021 girls). The program has grown each year and it was rewarding to see so many of these students who have participated in the OTIP program competing in the Oceania Championships, Olympic Youth Qualification, Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the recent Olympic Youth Games in Nanjing. This is truly amazing in that such a short time the national federations have been able to tap in on the work that they have done at the school level producing the next generation of champion weightlifters. Special thanks must go to those individual weightlifting federations who took part in the program and in particular to those individual coaches/lifters/volunteers, who took the time to go to the schools and successfully run the program. Among the talents participating in the OTIP, we can name KATOATAU David who celebrated Kiribati’s first Commonwealth Games medal at Glasgow 2014. Besides him individual weightlifting federations, individual coaches, lifters and volunteers took part in the program. We appreciate the efforts of Paul Coffa, OWF General Secretary who built up the project and promotes weightlifting in the Oceania Region. Check out the full report

69th National Sports Festival 2014 in Nagasaki

On the occasion of the 69th National Sports Festival 2014 in Nagasaki, Japan Weightlifting Association was bestowed the honor of the visit of Hisako, Princess Takamado who made a wonderful speech at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires for Tokyo2020 Olympic and Paralympic Bid. Princess enjoyed watching the exciting competition of Category 85kg high school division in fully packed venue and cheered to young

Technical Visit for Rio 2016

Weightlifting Technical Delegate for Rio 2016, Attila Adamfi, IWF Director General proceeded to a Technical Visit to make sure all infrastructures and sport specific requirements will be implemented on time for the next Olympic Games. One of the biggest issue is the very limited number of accommodation, however, Attila Adamfi was assured that all sites currently under construction will be delivered by the set deadline. Weightlifting will be located in the zone of Barra, considered to be the center of the Games at the Riocentro Pavilion 2. Riocentro is next to the Olympic Village and is located just a few minutes from the Olympic Park. During his stay, Attila Adamfi met Agberto Guimaraes, Rio 2016 Executive Director of Sport and Paralympic Integration and Roberto Sivierio, the recently appointed Rio 2016 General Manager, Sport Competition as well as Pedro Meloni, Weightlifting Sport

Monique Maurice Hall inaugurated

Monique Maurice (1956-2006) was in international Technical Official, the spouse of Jean-Paul Bulgaridhes, former President of the French Weightlifting Federation and IWF Executive Board Member. Her charisma, her dynamism left no-one indifferent. An active weightlifter herself, Monique Maurice became Masters World Champion in 1996 and 2000 and won the 1998 World Masters Games. With her Club of Villeneuve-Loubet (near Nice, South of France), she co-organised the under 16 European Championships in 2002 and the World University Championships in 2005. The Villeneuve-Loubet Club today boasts 1,100 members of which 80 are weightlifting competitors and it has been the Number 1 Club in France for years. The township of Villeneuve-Loubet decided to dedicate a brand new sports complex to the memory of Monique Maurice who died in a cycling accident on 29 August 2006. In the presence of Lionnel Luca, Mayor of Villeneuve-Loubet and Jean-Paul Bulgaridhes, Deputy Mayor, the "Monique Maurice Hall" was officially inaugurated and they unveiled the plaque and a symbolic barbell sculpture to commemorate this extraordinary weightlifting enthusiast. (Source: J.P.

Australian weightlifter Kirsten Wu passed away

It is with great sorrow that I inform you that 21 year old Kirsten Wu from Brisbane Australia, 2010 Oceania Youth Champion, Australian representative at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune and quite a few times Australian national youth and junior champion, has tragically passed away. Kirsten started lifting at the age of 14 and was a valued member of the Cougars Club in Brisbane, coached by Angela Wydall. A very talented athlete who had a great future, highly intelligent and a wonderful personality. A real loss to our weightlifting family in the Oceania and Commonwealth region. On behalf of the International Weightlifting Federation, we extend our heartfelt sympathies to the Wu family, the Oceania and Commonwealth Weightlifting Federations, the Australian Weightlifting Federation and to the weightlifters of Queensland and in particular to the Cougars Club. Kirsten will always be remembered for the wonderful person that she was. Source: Paul Coffa, General Secretary