Forde, Day 1: Photo Gallery
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Forde, Day 1: Winning start and world records for PRK’s Ri Song Gum – and a day to remember for Scottish doctor-to-be
The highlight of a busy first day at the IWF World Championships in Forde, Norway – four sessions and a colourful opening ceremony – was another victory, more world records and a joyful celebration for Ri Song Gum from PRK. When the IWF president Mohammed Jalood addressed a full house of 1,700 people at the opening ceremony at Fordehuset, he finished by saying, “I invite you all to now watch a great competition and a world record this evening.” Ri Song Gum (PRK) His prediction was right. About two hours later Ri finished off the women’s 48kg A Group by making world records in her last two lifts. She screamed, jumped for joy, waved to the crowd and twice kissed the discs before eventually leaving the platform. Ri held a firm salute on top of the podium as she sang the PRK anthem at the medal ceremony. Ri, 27, made 91-122-213 to finish well clear of Mirabai Chanu from India on 84-115-199 and Thanyathon Sukcharoen from Thailand on 88-110-198. She broke the world records on total and in clean and jerk with both her last two lifts at 120kg and 122kg. Ri had appeared to be on the way to a snatch record an hour earlier. Her renowned coach, Kim Chun Hui, made a point of applauding Ri’s perfectly executed opener at 88kg, and a second attempt at 91kg put Ri within 4kg of the world record. But the jury intervened after three white lights from the referees, and overturned the decision for bending and extending. Mirabai Chanu (IND) Ri, who made her international debut 11 years ago, set seven world records at 49kg after PRK’s return to international competition in 2023. In April last year, she made 15kg more than China’s Hou Zhihui needed for Olympic gold in Paris four months later. PRK was ineligible for Paris because the team’s four-year absence during and after the Covid pandemic kept them out of the qualifying programme for too long. Chanu, who was fourth in Paris and won Olympic silver in Tokyo, failed with two snatch attempts but made all three clean and jerks. At 31, she looks to be on the way back to her best after two years blighted by injury and is clear favourite for Commonwealth Games gold next year. Thanyathon Sukcharoen (THA) Sukcharoen, a world champion in 2021 and 2022, also failed twice in snatch, and missed her final clean and jerk attempt on 113kg. In the lunchtime C Group, an enthusiastic young audience at the Fordehuset Arena applauded the loaders before a lift had been made. They gave noisy encouragement when an athlete was in danger of bombing out, or if they showed a bit of character on the platform, which Alex Mackay from Scotland did. “I’d describe myself as quite bouncy, and they liked that,” she said. “The crowd’s support was great and I really enjoyed it.” Mackay, 23, is one of the 36 athletes in Forde whose team is listed as CWF – Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation. They are from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Jersey, and are in Norway seeking to make qualifying targets for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year. They are “extras” whose results do not count in the World Championships. Alex Mackay (CWF) Mackay, who was full of energy throughout her five-from-six 61-84-145, put 3kg on her best total and needs to find another 7kg at next year’s European Championships to hit her target and lift at a major Games in her home country. “It would be amazing to be in Glasgow, to have all my family there watching – especially my granny and granddad,” she said. “They love to follow me and they’ll have been watching the livestream from here.” Mackay and her family are from Portskerra, way up north in the Scottish Highlands. After 10 years as a swimmer, Mackay took up weightlifting only three years ago at university in Dundee, where she trains alone while in the fifth of six years studying medicine. Scotland has set minimum standards for its lifters, who can take host nation places, and head coach John McEwan is hoping as many as nine might hit them. “The sport is stronger in Scotland than it has been for a while,” he said. The medal events on Friday are women’s 53kg and men’s 60kg, and PRK has a strong contender in both. By Brian Oliver Photos by Giorgio
IWF Executive Board successfully meets before the Worlds in Forde (NOR)
Under the leadership of IWF President Mohammed Jalood, the IWF held its Executive Board meeting in Forde (NOR) with the occasion of the 2025 IWF World Championships, taking place from October 2-11. Among the main decisions and discussions during the two-day gathering, we can include the update of the IWF By-laws, the successful implementation and delivery of the first cards to coaches under the International Coaching Licence programme, the finalisation of the eight-year agreement with sport apparel manufacturer SBD, the organisation of a World Cup event in 2026 in Samoa, the confirmation of the 2026 IWF World Youth Championships to be held in Bogota (COL), the update on the qualification system for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028, the choice of Sole Suppliers for LA 2028 (Eleiko) and YOG Dakar 2026 (ZKC), the approval of a ‘Host Bidding Procedure” for the IWF events, the preparation status of upcoming IWF events (IWF World Championships 2026 in Ningbo, China; IWF Junior World Championships in Ismailia, Egypt; and 2027 IWF World Youth Championships in Asuncion, Paraguay), and the presentation of a detailed report about the current ‘Digital Transformation’ project. At the beginning of the meeting, Stian Grimseth, president of the Norwegian Weightlifting Federation and also of the Organising Committee of the World Championships welcomed the entire IWF family in Forde and ensured that everything is in place “for a great and memorable edition” of the IWF showcase. “I know Forde is a small city, but all participants in this event will surely live an unforgettable experience,” declared Grimseth. The first cards of the International Coaching Licence (ICL) programme were delivered - From left to right: José Quiñones (IWF General Secretary), Mohammed Jalood (IWF President), Mohammed Al-Harbi (IWF Vice-President and Saudi Arabia WL Federation President), and Colin Buckley (ICL manager) The IWF President also expressed his confidence that the Championships “will be a milestone in the IWF history, with many great performances and hopefully several World Records”. Mr Jalood acknowledged the excellent work made by the Organisers and wish all the participants “the best of luck” in Forde. Lecturers at the Seminar on Prevention of Competition Manipulation - From left to right; José Quiñones (IWF General Secretary), Kristin Kloster (IOC EB Member), Eirik Haugen Tysse (Norwegian Gambling Authority Senior Advisor), Forrester Osei (IWF Athletes Commission Chair and IWF Ambassador on Prevention of Competition Manipulation), and Atle Hamar (Norwegian Gambling Authority Director) After the conclusion of the EB meeting, IWF General Secretary José Quiñones and IWF Athletes Commission Chair Forrester Osei took part, as lecturers, in a ‘Seminar on Prevention of Competition Manipulation’, staged by the Forde 2025 Organising Committee and the Norwegian Gambling Authority. The Olympic Movement perspective was also presented, thanks to Kristin Kloster, IOC Executive Board Member in Norway. IWF
IWF delegation visits Los Angeles to discuss the Olympic Games 2028
An IWF delegation was recently in Los Angeles to meet the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games 2028 and to discuss about the preparation of the weightlifting event. The group included the two IWF Technical Delegates to the competition, Ursula Papandrea (IWF First Vice-President) and Matthew Curtain (IWF Executive Board member), and also the IWF CEO Achilleas Tsogas. From left to right: Achilleas Tsogas (IWF CEO), Niccolo Campriani (LA2028 Sports Director), Ursula Papandrea (IWF First Vice-President and Technical Delegate), and Matthew Curtain (IWF EB Member and Technical Delegate) With less than three years for the start of the Games – the Opening Ceremony is scheduled to take place on July 14, 2028 – and coinciding with the IOC announcement that two additional bodyweight categories will be on the programme for the weightlifting event, the IWF representatives had the opportunity to visit the proposed venue for the IWF, the Peacock Theater. The IWF delegation visiting the Peacock Theater This prestigious location hosts the annual most prestigious cultural events in Los Angeles, including the famous Emmy Awards Gala. Located in the city downtown, it will be a privileged scenario for the outstanding performances of the 120 lifters who will compete at the Olympics. The IWF delegation was also briefed about the transportation plan at the Games’ time and could visit the hotels that are being proposed for the IWF family. Inside the Peacock Theater The next steps related with the sports programme will be the definition of the six bodyweight categories for both men and women, and the establishment of the Olympic Qualification System, in close co-operation with the IOC. IWF
Forde, Men’s preview: Three Olympic champions in one session – and world records will surely follow
Olympic champions from three different Games at three different weights will compete against each other at the IWF World Championships in Forde, Norway, which run from October 2-11. Kianoush Rostami, who won at 85kg in Rio nine years ago, the Tokyo 96kg champion Meso Hassona, and the Paris 89kg winner Karlos Nasar are all in the A Group of the new 94kg category on October 9. Nasar is 21 and has set more than 20 world records in the past two and a half years, during which time he has had seven major victories. Meso, from Qatar, is 27 and looking for improvement after a surprise bombout in Paris. Rostami won for Iran in Rio and is now making his debut for Kosovo at the age of 34 – his first international appearance in more than two years. Karlos Nasar (BUL) When he won his third European title in Moldova in April, Nasar was lifting in the old 96kg category but he weighed less than 94kg. He made 188-229-417, which would be enough for a sweep of world records in the new category by margins of 6kg in snatch, 7kg in clean and jerk and 20kg on total. If Meso and Rostami can get within 15kg of Nasar it will be an achievement. Their respective career-best totals of 404kg and 403kg were made when they weighed about 96kg. There are six Olympic champions in Forde, a good turnout given that none of China’s many winners at Rio, Tokyo and Paris will be there. They have either retired or are not entered during their preparations for the China National Games in November. Meso Hassona (QAT) There is another contest between Olympic champions at 110kg, this time both from the same country. Ruslan Nurudinov, the 33-year-old Rio 2016 winner at 105kg, goes head to head with his Uzbekistan team-mate Akbar Djuraev, the Tokyo 109kg gold medallist who is eight years younger. Nurudinov was struggling with a back injury and talking of retirement 18 months ago, but he returned to his best at the World Championships in Bahrain last December. His 242kg clean and jerk world record left him 20kg clear of his nearest rival. Ruslan Nurudinov (UZB) Djuraev has competed only once since finishing second to Liu Huanhua in Paris, where he missed his last two clean and jerks. He has been in world record form in training, and the world standards of 195-237-427 look beatable by both men. The sixth Olympic champion in Forde is Rizki Juniansyah, who also takes on a team-mate at 79kg. Three men in this category, competing at different weights, have already exceeded one or more of the world record targets of 166-203-362. They are Rizki, his fellow Indonesian Rahmat Erwin, and Ri Chong Song from PRK. Rizki Juniansyah (INA) There are plenty more top-quality athletes in what promises to be the most competitive session of the Championships. They include the Korean Son Hyeonho, the ever-improving American Caden Cahoy, who failed with a world record clean and jerk attempt at the Pan American Championships, the back-to-form Olympic medallist Julio Mayora from Venezuela, Yedige Yemberdi from Kazakhstan, Oscar Reyes from Italy and Mohamed Elsayed from Egypt. There is a 26-year age range in Forde. The youngest athlete in the Championships, 14-year-old Mohammad Alotaibi from Kuwait, lifts in the first men’s session, the 60kg B Group, and on the penultimate day the 40-year-old Czech Olympian Kamil Kucera is in the super-heavyweight B Group. By Brian
Forde, Women’s preview: Olympic champion Solfrid Koanda aims to put on a show fit for a king in “party town”
All five of PRK’s female champions from last year are capable of setting world records at the 2025 IWF World Championships in Forde, Norway which run from October 2-11. This is the first global competition since new weight categories were introduced in June, and there is a good chance that world standards will be bettered on most days. The PRK women’s team had two record-breakers at last year’s World Championships in Bahrain and there could be more this time in the five lightest categories from Ri Song Gum at 48kg, Kang Hyon Gyong at 53kg, Kim Il Gyong at 58kg, Ri Suk at 63kg and Song Kuk Hyang, who drops down to 69kg. Ri Suk (PRK) So far only one female athlete has made world records since June – the American Olympic gold medallist Olivia Reeves at 69kg at the Pan American Championships. Reeves could repeat the feat when she moves up for the first time to 77kg in Forde, a weight at which there is no entry from PRK. Whatever Reeves and the Koreans do in the first week, the highlight for the host nation – and its reigning monarch – is day eight when all eyes in Forde will be on Norway’s Olympic champion Solfrid Koanda. Olivia Reeves (USA) Koanda is clear favourite at 86kg. She has won eight of her past nine competitions (the only blip was a bombout at the 2023 World Championships), and when she won at 81kg in Paris last summer she became the first European woman to claim Olympic gold in a weight category higher than 80kg. To win in style with world records would be extra special. King Harald V, who competed at the Olympic Games three times in sailing, will be in the 1,700-capacity auditorium to watch Koanda. “It’s a great honour that the King has chosen to come – it shows that our sport is being taken seriously,” said Koanda, who has been training hard in Germany during her preparations. “I’ve already had the honour of meeting the King a couple of times, and I’m really excited to compete with him present. It makes the whole experience even more special. “Having the audience, friends and family in the arena gives me extra motivation and energy, and I’m really looking forward to bringing that with me on to the platform. Solfrid Koanda (NOR) “It’s very cool that we are hosting the World Championships. It gives Norway the chance to show itself as a host nation, and it’s a great opportunity to create more attention around weightlifting nationally. I hope it can inspire more people to try the sport. “I’m staying on track through both challenges and good days, and I’m really looking forward to October 9th when I’ll be ready to give my very best.” Koanda’s career best total was 280kg two and a half years ago, when she weighed just under 86kg. Another 10kg will be needed to set a world record on total in the new category. Planning for the World Championships began six years ago. Forde is a coastal town with a population of 12,500, which will grow by about 1,100 when athletes, coaches, referees and team officials are in town. Stian Grimseth, president of the Norway Weightlifting Federation and the man behind the bid, had to work hard to gain state support, persuading the IWF that awarding the World Championships to the highest bidder every year was not always the right approach. “I pointed out to the IWF that the process should be more about quality, about promoting the sport, and they agreed,” said Grimseth. “After that, Norway’s Department of Sport and Culture supported us. “We have 1,500 students working on a school project about the Championships, and we have 500 volunteers. We will have a lot of spectators. We have a big team from Norway – we are seeing improved results from the male lifters.” There will be family activities, food stalls and a festival of music in the town throughout the Championships, creating a party atmosphere. “As you will see, we are going to do things a bit differently to others. I think everybody is going to enjoy it,” said Grimseth. Sara Ahmed (EGY) Forde hosted a big event before, the 2016 European Championships. One medallist from then will lift this time – Mercy Brown from Great Britain, who was second in the super-heavyweights. Her team-mate Emily Campbell will be a strong medal contender in the absence of China’s top supers who, like many renowned team-mates, are missing Forde to focus on the China National Games in November. Two bronze medallists from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games are back for more, Sara Ahmed from Egypt and Kuo Hsing-Chun from Chinese Taipei, and there is a bronze medallist from London 2012 among the entries. Madias Ngake, who lifted for Cameroon 13 years ago, won a snatch medal for Great Britain in last year’s World Championships and lifts with Koanda at 86kg. By Brian Oliver
