News

Weightlifting Dates Confirmed for Paris 2024

Paris2024 weightlifting @Paris2024 The dates for the weightlifting at Paris 2024 have been confirmed with the Olympic competition set for 7-11 August 2024. The five-day competition will take place at the South Paris Arena 6 and see weightlifting as one of the sports which brings the Games to a close. On the final day of Paris 2024, weightlifting, along with wrestling and track cycling competitions will put women in the spotlight as they will all conclude with women’s events. Weightlifting will be gender equal at Paris 2024 with five men’s and five women’s events and 60 athletes competing in each gender. A total of 50 athletes out of the 60 will qualify via IWF Olympic Qualification Ranking. An additional five places per gender will be allocated based on Continental representation, two will go to the host country and a further three places per gender will be available through University places. The period for qualification began on 1 August 2022 and will run until 28 April 2024. IWF President Mohammed Jalood said: “With just over two years to go until the Olympic weightlifting competition at Paris 2024 there is a great sense of anticipation and excitement within the weightlifting family. Paris 2024 will be a fantastic event and we have no doubt that the weightlifting competition will make a significant contribution to the Games’ success.” IWF General Secretary Antonio Urso added: “We cannot wait for the return of Olympic weightlifting at Paris 2024. Weightlifting is one of the founding Olympic sports and always delivers thrilling action at the Games. Of course, it is not just Paris 2024 itself we have to look forward to. We have many fantastic IWF competitions coming up and the possibility of qualifying for the Games will add even more excitement for our athletes and fans.” IWF Athletes' Commission Chair Forrester Christopher Osei said: “The confirmation of the dates for the Olympic weightlifting competitions at Paris 2024 gives all athletes a key target and something to aim for. It is every athlete’s dream to represent their country at an Olympic Games. With the qualification window now open, athletes will be working to do everything they can to book their places at Paris

The official slogan for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024: Games Wide Open

The President of Paris 2024 Tony Estanguet explains the slogan "Games wide open", which was released on Monday 25 July 2022, as part of the 2 years to go to Paris 2024 Olympic games celebrations. "Games Wide Open. This is the shared slogan for both the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, unveiled by Paris 2024 on the occasion of the 2 years to go anniversary. Above all, since the beginning of this adventure, it is the ambition that drives us and inspires each of our actions. It is an invitation to the world to come and experience new emotions together. Our Games are the commitments of new experiences and big thrills. New disciplines, outdoor competitions in the heart of Paris, a unique Opening Ceremony on the Seine, the Marathon for All so that everyone can run this iconic Olympic event like the athletes... Let’s open the emotions of sport It’s a power. The power to open our hearts and minds, to stop seeing differences as obstacles. Between the non-disabled athletes and Para athletes: there is only one French team. Between the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games: there is only one emblem and one slogan. Between men and women: our Olympic Games will be those of perfect parity. The power to write the greatest collective story of a whole generation, through everyone's contribution, by giving room for everyone: all the territories, the expertise, and all those who wish to join us. Let's open the Games to all energies It is also a dream, a dream shared by everyone who is building these Games. A Games, to reinforce the place of sport in our lives; to support the transformation of the territories, particularly in Seine-Saint-Denis. Ground-breaking Games, which imagine the world of tomorrow, testing, inventing, creating, and shaping solutions that will genuinely serve society. And which place youth at the heart of their action. Let’s open our eyes to the current challenges It is a collective ambition, to open the Games, to showcase to the world the best of France especially its boldness, its creativity and innovative spirit that makes up our country's identity. To deliver inspiring Games that will help take the Olympic and Paralympic Movement into a new era. Bold and creative Games that dare to take a step outside the box, to challenge the current models, our ways of seeing things, our paradigms; to give us the opportunity to come together, to be proud together, to experience together. Quite simply a Games wide open." Source:

Event Schedule – Paris 2024 Olympic Games

The event schedule of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has been announced yesterday. Please see the complete schedule

Paris 2024 Olympic Games events schedule announced 2 Years before the Games – see you there!

Paris 2024 has published its events competition schedule, along with new information on ticket pricing. A chance to look forward, two years before the Games begin. The countdown continues! With the first medals being awarded the day after the Opening Ceremony, a packed middle weekend, the swimming and athletics finals in the evening, placing women in the spotlight, the calendar was designed to let fans live the full experience of the Games! With two years to go before the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on 26 July 2024, Paris 2024 has released its events competition schedule, marking a key milestone in the Paris 2024 project. Drawn up in close cooperation with all the International Federations, the IOC and OBS (which will produce the TV coverage of the Games), the schedule provides a detailed breakdown of the sports programme of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. So close your eyes for a few moments and cast your mind forward to… Team sports taking centre stage from 24 July 2024, when the eight opening matches of the men’s football tournament will be played at venues all over France, while the Stade deFrance hosts the thrills and spills of the first 12 rugby sevens matches; The men’s and women’s 100m freestyle swimming finals, and the silence of the Paris La Défense Arena crowd as they await the start of the race: at 8.30pm on 31 July; The electric atmosphere at the 110m and 100m hurdles finals in athletics at the Stade de France: from 7pm on 8 August for the men and 7pm on 10 August for the women; The handball finals in front of 27,000 frenzied spectators at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille: from 3pm on 10 August for the women and 1.30pm the following day for the men; The first ever breaking finals in Olympic Games history, at the foot of the Concorde obelisk: 8pm on 9 August for the B-Girls and the same time the next evening for the B-Boys; The Eventing cross-country Equestrian event, in the majestic setting of the gardens of the Château de Versailles: 28 July, from 10.30 am The new kitesurfing events in sailing, in the magnificent Marseille Marina: from 11am on 8 August; The men’s and women’s surfing quarters, semi-finals and finals on the mythical Teahupo’o wave in Tahiti: from 7am local time (7pm Paris time) on 30 July; The men’s individual archery final on the Esplanade des Invalides, starting at 1pm on 4 August; The very last Olympic gold medal to be decided (before the Paralympic Games begin two weeks later) at the women’s basketball final at the Bercy Arena, starting at 3.30pm on 11 August It’s official! The 32 sports on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games programme now know their events schedule, with 329 events spread across 18 days of competition from Wednesday 24 July to Sunday 11 August. (...) Source:

BWL celebrates two Commonwealth Games flag bearers

Two British Weight Lifting (BWL) home nation weightlifters have been selected by their respective Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) to serve as their flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on 28 July. Emily Campbell will fly the flag for Team England. Emily is already a Commonwealth medallist after securing bronze at the Gold Coast 2018 and for these Games, she is ranked no. 1 in the Commonwealth and will compete in the women’s 87+kg category on Wednesday 3 August. Campbell made history at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 by becoming the first British woman in history to medal in weightlifting with silver. Furthermore, Campbell is a dual European Champion and medallist from the 2021 World Championships. Emily Campbell has commented on being selected “I am extremely honoured to have the opportunity to fly the Team England flag high at the opening ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. It makes it so much more special that I get to do it in front of a home crowd on Midlands soil! It really doesn’t get any better than that. Being the first female weightlifter and the first weightlifter to be flag bearer since the legend Precious Mackenzie in 1974 has me bursting with pride and I hope this moment will inspire other young girls to chase their dreams whether that’s in sport or anything else they have ambitions of becoming. I really can’t wait to get out there with the team!”  In parallel, Holly O’Shea will fly the Gibraltar flag. Holly is set to be Gibraltar's first ever weightlifter at the Commonwealth Games and will compete in the women’s 71kg category on Monday 1 August. Holly O’Shea commented, “I am so overwhelmed and incredibly honoured to have been selected to be a flagbearer for Team Gibraltar. I absolutely cannot wait to lead this super talented team out & raise the flag high for the nation. It has been a real journey through this qualification period, from training in -3 in the garage through Covid-19, to finding my feet in competition, to organising and jetting off to compete in Uzbekistan by myself. Thankfully I've had incredible support along the way that I will be forever grateful for. Thank you to everyone who has played even the smallest part in this journey, I hope I am able to make you proud.” Matthew Curtain, British Weight Lifting CEO, has commented “We are thrilled with the selection of Emily Campbell and Holly O’Shea as flag bearers for the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games. We congratulate both athletes wholeheartedly as Emily and Holly are leading role models across our diverse membership. Indeed, such accomplishments will certainly inspire the next generation of athletes as BWL looks towards future Commonwealth Games”.   (...) Source: British Weight

IWF Athletes’ Commission Elects Dora Tchakounte as New Vice Chair

Last week the IWF Athletes’ Commission opened a vote among its members to fill the position of Vice Chair after the previous Vice Chairwoman Hiromi Miyake (JPN) was elected to the IWF Executive Board at the 2022 IWF Electoral Congress in Tirana, Albania.Due to this recent activity, the IWF Athletes’ Commission has now officially elected Dora Tchakounte from France as the new Vice Chairwoman. Tchakounte is an Olympian, recently competing in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where she placed 4th in the 59kg category. She will now join Forrester Osei on the IWF Executive Board as IWF Athlete Representatives.IWF President Mohammed Jalood commented, “On behalf of the new IWF Executive Board, I would like to congratulate Ms. Tchakounte and welcome her to the Board. The athlete perspective is very important to our sport, we have a lot of good work to do for weightlifting and together with her and the IWF Athletes’ Commission Chair Forrester Osei, I know that we will achieve a lot for our sport together.”IWF Athlete Chair Forrester Osei added, “We are so pleased to have Dora Tchakounte as our new Vice Chair. She is a strong leader within our Commission, and now having her voice included in the important discussions we will have with the IWF leadership about the future of our sport will be invaluable.”Currently there are three positions available for Athlete Representatives on the IWF Executive Board. IWF Athlete Commission Chair, Forrester Osei and now Vice Chair, Dora Tchakounte hold two positions and the third will be filled later on this