News

Technical Course for Coaches in Ashgabat

A Technical Course for Coaches was held in the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat between 5 and 15 May, supported by the Olympic Solidarity.   The presentation - introduced by Mr Andras Szabo - included many important topics, such as the changing technical rules; basics of biomechanics; updates on what a coach should know about diets, physiology, biochemistry, selection methods and up to date expectations towards coaches and their roles. Mr Szabo also tutored the coaches on legal performance and regeneration enhancement options; adverse effects of taking anabolic steroids; weight control and changes in the bodyweight categories. Practical sessions were included and in the end, theoretical and practical tests were done. The 27 participants, as well as the sports leaders who attended, were impressed with the course and all the practical and theoretical knowledge they gathered. Ashgabat will be the host city of the IWF World Championships 1-10 November 2018.

Jamaican Olympian Louis George Martin Inducted into Walk of Fame in the UK

He has created history first in the Olympics and now again as one of the first people to be inducted into Derby’s first augmented reality walk of fame, Made in Derby. Louis George Martin MBE was born in Kingston, Jamaica where he started weight-lifting – something he excelled in when his family immigrated to England and settled in Derby, the UK’s number one hi-tech city and home to many global brands such as Rolls-Royce, Toyota and Bombardier. Hailed as Britain’s greatest-ever weightlifter, Martin, who was from the Windrush generation, won four world mid-heavyweight championships, Olympic silver and bronze medals and three Commonwealth titles. Now he’s achieved another first after he was one of 10 people selected from more than 300 submissions by the residents of Derby to be inducted into the walk of fame as someone Made in Derby and with whom Derbians are proud to be associated. His son, Dr Richard Martin, Assistant Director of Public Heath for Derby City, says the accolade bestowed on his father, who died in 2015 at the age of 78, has not yet fully sunk in. “My wife and I were still pinching ourselves last night as we looked at old photos of dad. He was a lion of a man and a giant in so many ways. He had intellectual and sporting prowess among numerous other qualities,” he said at the ceremony on Saturday. “Everyone in Derby loved dad and he dearly loved Derby but never once did he ever forget his Jamaican roots. “During his lifting career he was a huge man with a beard and a head full of hair. He looked like a lion on stage and roared like a lion but he was a very gentle man. There will never be another Louis Martin,” he added. In this city, which has been at the cutting edge of industry and technology for centuries, comes another first – an augmented reality trail. The trail combines public art installations with computer-generated information to tell the Derby story through the people, like Louis Martin, who has made a significant contribution to the city. Eight ceramic mosaic stars with cast-iron frames will be installed in the city centre streets. Each one is made of locally-forged cast iron – one of the many key industries associated with Derby.  Artistically, each depicts a leading light of the city.  And in terms of augmented reality, each engages with the visitor to show how their story has contributed towards the very essence of Derby. When scanned with the Made in Derby App, a computer-generated image is superimposed on a user’s view of the real world, providing people with a way of learning more about the individuals and their achievements. Derby becomes the first city in Europe to use this technology in its walk of fame. The app is available free of cost from Google Play and the App Store. Made in Derby is a joint project, involving Derby City Council, Derby Telegraph and local business leaders. Chair of the Selection Panel and Editor of the Derby Telegraph Steve Hall said: “Derby is a city with a fantastic heritage but perhaps we have been guilty of not celebrating the achievements of our most influential sons and daughters as much, or as publicly, as we should. Made in Derby tells the story of some of those who made our city such a fantastic place. We hope it will be a source of pride and inspiration.”

María Fernanda Valdez will be the Chilean flag bearer on the South American Games

The gold medalist at Anaheim (Cat. 90 Kg.), Maria Fernanda Valdez was nominated by the Chilean Olympic Committee as the flag bearer to Cochabamba 2018. Miguel Angel Mujica, COCH President announced the news on a press conference joined by Italo Barattinis, President of the Chilean Weightlifting Federation and other authorities on 11 May. COCH President said the reason for her nomination wasn’t only her successful career, but also her personal qualities and positive attitude.   María Fernanda expressed how happy and proud she was for the nomination. Italo Barattini talked about how satisfied he is with the position of weightlifting in Chile as one of the most popular sports in the country, and he is proud to have Maria Fernanda Valdez at the head of the delegation in Bolivia. After the 2017 World Champion title of Arley Perez Mendez and the silver medal of Maria Fernanda Valdez, this represents another recognition of weightlifting in Chile. Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter

PAWF Executive Board meeting and Congress

The Pan-American Weightlifting Federation (PAWF) held its Executive Board meeting and Ordinary Congress prior to the kick off of the 2018 Pan-American Championships in Santo Domingo, DOM. Willian Ozuna, PAWF President dedicated the PAWF Congress to the memory of General Secretary Lic. Rafael Pacho Gonzalez who recently passed away. Dominican Republic NOC President Luis MEJIA OVIEDO attended the Opening of the Championships. Attila Adamfi, IWF Director General delivered a presentation with details on the Qualification System for Tokyo 2020 and an Update Report including general guidance on Social Media. To be up to date with the activities of the  PAWF, follow them on Federación Panamericana de Levantamiento de Pesas. Check follow the competition on the LIVE

IWF Technical Visit in Tashkent

The Uzbekistan Weightlifting Federation, under the supervision of Mr. Shakrillo Makhmudov, UWF Vice President and IWF Executive Board Member welcomed the IWF delegation in the capital city of Uzbekistan. Matyas Lencser, IWF Competition Manager and Angelique Mottet, IWF Operations Manager paid a 2-day IWF technical visit to Tashkent, host of the 2018 IWF Junior World Championships. The group inspected the Uzbekistan Sport Complex where competitions and training will be held and visited the dedicated JWC team hotels (Hotel Uzbekistan, Hotel Golden Valley) as well as the Meetings and Congress premises at the International Hotel Tashkent. Participants further discussed the final conditions and requirements to deliver a great event. The IWF is happy to return to Tashkent after the great success of past

Who will be dominant in Santo Domingo?

Big-name champions will be among more than 260 of the strongest athletes from across North, Central and South America at the 2018 Senior Pan-American Championships next week. Starting on Monday in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, talents representing a total of 26 countries will fight it out for a place on the podium and the chance to book their qualification ticket for the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. Oscar Figueroa, Arley Méndez, Leidy Solís and Sarah Robles are just some of the world-beating lifters who will be on show. Colombian comeback Figueroa announced his retirement immediately after becoming Colombia’s first men’s weightlifting Olympic champion at the Rio 2016 Games. However, to the delight of his army of fans in his homeland, he is now stepping up preparations to defend his Olympic title in Tokyo in two years’ time and will compete in Santo Domingo in the 69kg bodyweight category. Also, in the men’s, Méndez will aim for top spot again after securing Chile’s first ever medal at the 2017 IWF World Championships in Anaheim, USA by sweeping the board in the men’s 85kg category with clear victories in the snatch and clean and jerk.   However, he will be challenged by 17-year-old American Harrison Maurus, who is moving up a bodyweight category after ending a 20-year medal drought for the USA with a bronze in the 77kg category at the World Championships.   Brazilian star Fernando Reis, who finished fifth at the Rio Games and sixth at the World Championships, will be among the favourites in the +105kg category, while the outstanding Jorge Arroyo of Ecuador and the USA’s Wesley Kitts, who has a personality as big as his lifts, will be gunning for gold as they compete at 105kg. The 94kg bodyweight category, meanwhile, will be one of the most competitive, with the likes of Nathan Damron, Wilmer Contreras and Paul Ferrin, Victor Quiñones, Serafim Veli and Jason Bonnick just some of the names in the running for medals.     Champion performers No fewer than seven medal-winners from the World Championships will be participating in the women’s competition, including two world champions – Leidy Solís and Sarah Robles. Solís topped the 69kg bodyweight category in Anaheim, becoming the first athlete from Latin America to stand on the podium in this category in the history of the event. Robles, who will compete in the +90kg in Santo Domingo, won USA’s first gold medal at the World Championships since 1994 by breezing to victory in the snatch, clean and jerk and total score in the same category. Ana Iris Segura of Colombia and Martha Rogers of the USA finished third in their respective categories at the World Championships and will be among the front-runners in the 48kg and 69kg. Meanwhile Ecuadorian Neisi Dajomes will be hoping for the perfect gift just days after her 30th birthday as she aims to go one better in the 75kg after picking up a silver medal at the World Championships. In a schedule packed full of enticing contests, a fierce clash is also brewing in the 90kg between Chilean María Fernanda Valdés, who claimed second place in Anaheim, and Crismery Santana, who picked up a bronze medal at the World Championships and will be cheered on by the home fans, as one of 19 competitors from the Dominican Republic across the men’s and women’s