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Sensational Lovchev takes Rezazadeh’s world records on a great night for Russia

By Brian Oliver at the George R Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas Aleksei Lovchev took the title of “the strongest man in the world” with a breathtaking world-record victory in the men’s +105kg. A couple of hours later the there was more glory for Russia when Tatiana Kashirina won the women’s +75kg world title for the third year in a row. Lovchev went up 16kg from his second lift to his last in the clean & jerk when he was assured of a clean sweep of golds. He had never lifted more than 257kg in training. He had to lift 264kg to beat Iranian Hossein Rezazadeh’s clean & jerk and total world records, which had stood for 11 and 15 years respectively. He made it, to huge cheers from a large crowd who rose to their feet. “I was thinking ‘This is impossible,’ as I had never tried that weight before,” said Lovchev, 26. “I’m overwhelmed. “This shows that Russia is the strongest nation. I could never have done it without the support of my parents. My father is my coach and he introduced me to weightlifting. My mother passed away in 2012 and I dedicate this victory and the records to her. “When I was little I used to watch Rezazadeh on television, lifting enormous weights. He was an example to me and I never imagined I would one day take his records.” In the snatch the Canadian announcer, Richard Mason, called “Good lift” 27 times from 35 attempts. Apart from the Egyptian Mohamed Ehsan, who withdrew after injuring his left leg on his second attempt, every lifter had at least two successes. Lovchev won on 211kg from Lasha Talakhadze (Georgia) on 207kg and Gor Minasyan (Armenia) on 203kg. “If I was going to break a world record tonight I thought it might be in the snatch,” said Lovchev. That record (214kg) belongs to another Iranian, Behdad Salimikordasiabi, the Olympic champion who was absent from Houston with a knee injury. “I wish him well, a good recovery, and I look forward to competing against him again,” said Lovchev. “If he had been here the snatch results might have been a bit different.” Another absentee was the 2013 and 2014 champion, Lovchev’s Russian teammate Ruslan Albegov. “He will compete at the President’s Cup in Grozny next month,” said Lovchev. “It was decided that I would come here to the World Championships and he would be the team leader in the President’s Cup. He’s still the strongest man on earth!” Runner-up Talakhadze offered his congratulations to Lovchev and said he could barely believe the 264kg lift. “I have never bettered 250kg in training,” he said. “This is a historical moment.” Mart Seim, of Estonia, finished second in the clean & jerk on 248kg and third overall. “I am happy but to win a medal in the Olympics I must improve by 15-20kg,” he said. If that sounds daunting, Lovchev just achieved it in a single lift. In the final event of the championships, the women’s +75kg, Kashirina started when everybody else had just about finished in the snatch. There was one lift remaining, for China’s Meng Suping, when Kashirina came in at 143kg. She finished on 148, clear of Meng and Thailand’s Chitchanok Pulsabsakul. Kashirina weighed in at 108kg, up 2kg on her weight in Almaty last year, where she finished 28kg clear of Meng. This time it was closer as Kashirina made only one of her clean & jerk attempts, at 185kg – eight short of her own record - but it was enough for a clean sweep of golds. Her 333kg total left her 8kg clear of Meng again. PR Korea’s Kim Kuk Hyang, fifth in the snatch, was a long way back in third place, on 296kg. “I don’t know what happened, I just didn’t feel comfortable tonight and I’m a bit ashamed that I didn’t at least go for the record,” she said. “But as long as I’m young and strong and healthy I will keep doing my best. Let’s see what happens in

Rim defies doctors and pain to take silver in dramatic women’s 75kg

By Brian Oliver at the George R Brown Convention Center, Houston, Texas Rim Jong Sim defied medical advice to compete in the clean & jerk, collapsed three times, still had a clean sweep of second places, and then had to be helped on to the podium by her fellow medallists in a dramatic women’s 75kg. The PR Korea athlete – who will drop back down to 69kg to defend her Olympic title next summer - injured herself while attempting her third snatch, which she failed. She was helped off stage by medical staff and the IWF duty doctor advised her team to withdraw her. Rim, 22, had a bad and very painful left hip injury, which meant she was unable to rotate her hips. She also stretched a muscle and had a knee complaint, but despite medical advice she continued. “According to the IWF TCRR, the Doctor in Duty can give a medical opinion and advice, but cannot stop an athlete continuing through their own will.The advice of the Doctor on Duty was not to compete, as it would have been from every other doctor on site. But the PRK team representative said Rim wanted to make her country proud, wanted to win as she had promised, and said it was her own decision to continue. After undergoing 15 minutes of spraying and strapping treatment, Rim made a few tentative lifts in the warm-up room. She was cheered by the large crowd when she came out for her first clean & jerk attempt at 150kg, made the lift and collapsed. Rim hobbled off stage and came back for more. She did it again – the lift and the collapse - at 155kg, after which she was given a standing ovation. The crowd were on their feet again when she made another, failed attempt at 157kg, and fell back in distress. After the medal ceremony, for which she was helped on to the podium by gold medallist Kang Yue, of China, and the Russian bronze winner Olga Zubova, Rim was helped backstage and taken to hospital on a stretcher. “It was an honour to compete against her. She is a hero,” said Zubova, who took clean & jerk gold ahead of Rim and Kang. The Chinese winner also praised Rim for her “spirit and sportsmanship” and Jenny Arthur, the American who finished eighth said, “That took a huge amount of courage.” Kang made only two good lifts, a 127kg snatch and a 155kg clean & jerk, to finish 2kg ahead of Rim. Last year’s champion, Nadezhda Evstiukhina, of Russia, made only three lifts for a disappointing total of 261kg. Lydia Valentin, of Spain, had to withdraw because of back and neck injuries. The 2014 men’s 105kg champion Ilya Ilyin, from Kazakhstan, sat out these championships but still heard the Kazakh anthem while watching on television. His teammate Alexandr Zaichikov was the clear winner in a contest that featured only 13 good lifts from the field of 11 in the clean & jerk. The snatch gold medallist, Ivan Efremov, could finish only eighth overall and his Uzbekistan teammate, Sandorbek Dusmurotov, won a clean & jerk bronze from the B Group. The 18-year-old Armenian, Simon Martirosyan, was third in the snatch and fifth overall. Russia’s David Bedzhanian moved from ninth in the snatch to second overall by winning the clean & jerk with 231kg. He went up 11kg for his final lift, a bold attempt at 242kg, equal to Ilyin’s world record. He cleaned it but not could not complete the lift. “It was too much – like a circus exercise,” said Bedzhanian afterwards. “I’ve never lifted that weight in training.” Nor had Zaichikov, 23, who declared this “one of the greatest competitions I have been in”. He said his best in training was 240kg, but he weighed 111kg at the time. The only man to make all three clean & jerks, the Latvian Arturs Plesnieks, took bronze on

Straltsou sees off Kazakhstan pair, and Xiang runs to a clean sweep

By Brian Oliver at the George R Brown Convention Center The great Ilya Ilyin declined to compete at the 2015 IWF World Championships as he prepares for the Olympic Games next summer, but one of his training partners was expected to win the 94kg title, at which weight Ilyin won Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012. The Kazakhstan pair Almas Uteshov and defending champion Zhassulan Kydyrbayev, who have been training with Ilyin, both entered a 405kg total but they finished second and third, beaten by Vadzim Sraltsou of Belarus. “Ilya was watching on television and we will call him later,” said Uteshov, a former wrestler who came desperately close to victory. He was originally given his second snatch attempt of 180kg but the decision was overturned. If it had stood he would have had a total of 410kg. Straltsou won with 405kg. “My coaches will review that on video,” he said. “I think the jury said my left elbow was not locked but I’m not sure.” Straltsou was only sixth in the snatch but he made 230kg in clean & jerk. In the snatch seven lifters collectively made 13 attempts at 180kg or more and only two were successful. In the clean & jerk there were seven attempts at 230kg or better, and only two successes. Straltsou, a 2006 junior world champion, said he had suffered elbow and knee injuries in the build-up to these Championships. “It was a long wait for this,” he said. “I am very happy.” China’s Liu Hao failed with his fist five lifts and became the fourth Chinese male lifter to fail to register a total. That will affect their chances of sending a full men’s team of six to the Olympics. There was, once more, better news for China in the women’s medal event. Xiang Yanmei had to go for a run to make the weight, then won a clean sweep of golds in the 69kg. “At my first weigh-in I was 69.1kg, so I went for a run and kept running until I burned it off,” said Xiang, who eventually weighed in right on the mark at 69.0kg. She won with two lifts to spare from Zhazira Zhapparkul, of Kazakhstan, and Russia’s Anastasia Romanova. “I had not been training very well before the Championships so I’m very pleased with that,” said Xiang, 23, the 2013 world champion and reigning Asian Games champion. Zhapparkul had hoped for better – “I wanted a clean & jerk of 147-150” – and her 116-140-256 left her 7kg behind Xiang. Zhapparkul’s Kazakh teammate Maiya Maneza, who is expected to drop back to 63kg to defend her Olympic title next summer, made only 100kg in the snatch but an impressive 135kg in the clean & jerk. There were good performances from two 17-year-olds. Sara Ahmed, of Egypt, made a 245kg total and Ankhtsetseg Munkhjantsan, of Mongolia, made 243kg. PR Korea’s Ryo Un Hui, second in the snatch, had not been able to train properly because of an abdominal

Okulov leads way for Russia, and Deng wins again

By Brian Oliver at the George R Brown Convention Center, Houston, Texas There was good news and bad for China, while Russia won gold, silver and bronze for total in the two medal events on day six of the 2015 IWF World Championships. Artem Okulov, junior world champion in 2013 and 2014, won the men’s 85kg when Kianoush Rostami, of Iran, failed with his last two lifts. Okulov’s long-time friend and training partner, Apti Aukhadov, was third. Tian Tao of China won the snatch but then failed with all three clean & jerks. After similar failures to register a total by Long Qingquan (56kg) and Lu Xiaojun (77kg) it could have an impact on China’s qualification places for the Olympic Games next summer. There was much better news for China when Deng Wei had a clean sweep in the women’s 63kg, with a clean & jerk world record of 146kg. She was in great form after failing with her first snatch, making four straight lifts and passing on her final attempt after hobbling off the stage with a minor leg injury. Deng, 22, had 113kg in the snatch to finish ahead of Tima Turieva. The Russian failed with her last two clean & jerk attempts at 141kg but still took silver overall, with PR Korea’s Choe Hyo Sim in third place. The 1-2-3 finishing order was identical to last year’s World Championships in Almaty, and for the second straight year Choe won a bronze despite finishing only eighth in the snatch. “I didn’t come here to finish second again, I wanted gold,” said Turieva. “But I didn’t get properly acclimatised, I was still feeling the jetlag. I tried my best but it was not enough.” Great Britain had two lifters in the A Group. Zoe Smith, the Commonwealth Games 58kg champion, did better than Rebekah Tiler, finishing ninth. But Tiler is only 16 and clearly has a bright future. The biggest drama of the day came at the end of the men’s 85kg. Rostami needed his lift of 218kg to overtake Okulov and he made it, only to lose the bar backwards. “Only god didn’t want it,” he said later. He added another kilo to go for a world record and the gold, but accidentally touched his knee with his elbow. Okulov, 21, almost lost his balance on his final attempt at 215kg but recovered

Six different medallists and a big surprise in men’s 77kg

By Brian Oliver at the George R Brown Convention Center, Houston, Texas Six different nationalities were represented in the medal ceremony for a remarkable men’s 77kg. The world record holder failed to make a total, a Kazakhstan athlete who was once a flag-bearer for Azerbaijan won, an Egyptian who moved up from 69kg only six months ago finished third, and a lifter from the B Group was on the podium. Lu Xiaojun from Chjina, the Olympic and Asian Games champion who set the snatch and total world records in the 2013 IWF World Championships, looked set for victory when he took the snatch gold with 175kg. He missed a world record attempt at 177kg, then failed with all three clean & jerks at 201kg. He complained later of a knee injury. Kim Kwang Song, of PR Korea, second in the snatch, also failed in his first attempt at 201kg but when he made it with his final lift he went into the lead. Only Nijat Rahimov, with two lifts to come, could beat him and to do so he would have to go up 12kg from 195 to 207. Amazingly, he did it with his first try, and even had a go at the world record on 211kg, which he failed. “I was very surprised,” said Kim. “I was expecting just to compete against China. I have never been in a competition with so many rivals and I offer my congratulations to the winner.” Rahimov, who won on body weight on 372kg, had carried the flag for Azerbaijan at the 2013 Universiade. He had a falling-out with Azerbaijan’s coaches and switched nationality in the summer. “I moved because the coaching in Kazakhstan is better,” he said. The bronze went to Mohamed Ihab of Egypt, who also deserved a gold medal for best celebration of the week. He screamed, jumped, clapped his hands and kissed the floor when he made his third clean & jerk at 201kg – cheered all the while by a large and appreciative crowd. He then watched his rivals fail with lifts and danced around the warm-up room when he was sure of a medal. Ihab moved up from 69kg only six months ago and said afterwards, “I kept saying to my coach in training 200, 200 I can do it. But he said no, wait for competition. I wanted to compete in the African Championship and again he said no, you can win a medal in the World Championships. “I had one chance. The coach told me ‘Now, this time, go!’ My blood was hot and I did it. I am so happy, my mother is so happy.” Ihab set national, African and Arabic records for snatch, clean & jerk and total. There was a silver medal for a B Group lifter in the clean & jerk. Elkhan Aligulizada, of Azerbaijan, came from the audience on to the podium when only Rahimov beat his 203kg. The Armenian teenager Andranik Karapetyan took snatch

Two more world records as Kostova and ’the new Shi’ take the honours

By Brian Oliver at the George R Brown Convention Center, Houston, Texas Another day, another two  world records at the 2015 IWF World Championships. Boyanka Kostova, the Bulgarian who became an Azerbaijani in 2010, set a snatch world best with her third lift and bettered the mark for the total with her final lift in the women’s 58kg. With two kilos more on that third clean & jerk she would have had a clean sweep of world bests on the day but it is within her sights. “I will try my best to do it in Rio de Janeiro,” she said, looking ahead to next summer’s Olympic Games. In an exciting men’s 69kg the “new” Shi Zhiyong followed in the footsteps of the original by taking gold for China. The 22-year-old was renamed by his coach, when he was a boy, after the 2004 62kg Olympic champion Shi Zhiyong, who is now 35. “It means wisdom and courage,” said Shi. “I was still young when my coach gave me the name and I did not know about the 2004 Olympics. As I grew up I learned all about Shi Zhiyong and I am proud to say we have met since.” Kostova was in imperious form. She led China’s Deng Mengrong by 4kg after her record-breaking snatch of 112kg, and extended her lead in the clean & jerk. She missed her first attempt at 140kg but had another chance and made it for a total of 252kg. The Azerbaijan state pays huge rewards to its gold medallists. Last summer, any athlete who won gold in the European Games earned about $100,000, and a delighted Kostova said, “We are very well supported by the government when we win.” Deng offered her congratulations to Kostova and said, “I will just have to train harder now.” Kuo Hsing-Chun, of Taipei, finished 15kg behind Kostova for the bronze medal on total and Sukanya Srisurat, of Thailand, took bronze in the snatch. In the men’s event Oleg Chen, of Russia, who was 27 on Sunday, was beaten by Shi but not disappointed. “I had knee surgery recently and I lifted more than I have ever done, even in training, so I am very pleased with the result,” said Chen, who was 160-184-344. Turkey’s Daniyar Ismayilov, 23, was third. “A very good result for me and I am looking forward to training hard and doing my best at the Olympics,” he said. The minor medals in the clean & jerk, which was won by Shi, went to Azerbaijan’s Firidun Guliyev and PR Korea’s Kim Myong