News

Celebrating 120 years of weightlifting in Ukraine

On September 11th, the Khmelnytskyy new sports club "Epitsenr" welcomed the 120th anniversary of weightlifting in Ukraine. At the gala, held under the patronage of the President of Weightlifting Federation of Ukraine Oleksandr Gerega and honorary president of the sports club "Epicenter" Galina Gerega, major sport personalities gathered together. The International Weightlifting Federation was represented by the President Dr. Tamas Ajan, while personalities as Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine Ihor Zhdanov, President of the Ukrainian Olympic Committee and IOC Executive Board Member Sergey Bubka were also present. Also event was attended by athletes, coaches, politicians and Olympic Champions forging the past and present of weightlifting in Ukraine. The best of the best were awarded in five categories: "Outstanding coaches and athletes of today", "The future of weightlifting, coaches and athletes", "Famous veterans, coaches, organizers, judges", "Famous athletes of the past" and "For the promotion of weightlifting Ukraine". Honored guests congratulated all members of the Ukrainian weightlifting family on this great occasion for the tremendous work they are doing for the promotion of the sport. All the guests expressed their gratitude to President of the Ukrainian Weightlifting Federation Alexander Gerega and honorary president of the sports club "Epicenter" Galina Gerega, for promoting the construction of new modern sports facilities and for promoting weightlifting in Ukraine. Winning altogether 59 medals since 1991, Ukrainian athletes are aiming for the 60th one in Houston on the occasion of the 2015 IWF World

2015 IWF World Championships Preliminary Entry Forms Deadline

The deadline for the Preliminary Entry Forms to the 2015 IWF World Championships Houston, USA is 10th September 2015. We invite all National Federations to send their Preliminary Entry Forms to the USA Organizing Committee ([email protected]) and to the IWF Secretariat ([email protected]) before

Hungary takes honours at inaugural V4 Cup

The Czech Weightlifting Federation, under the leadership of Petr Krol, President, hosted the inaugural edition of the "Visegrad 4 Cup" in Prague, beautiful capital of the Czech Republic. History, geography and a thousand other threads bind the four countries involved in this originally political conglomeration called the "Visegrad 4": Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. The four Weightlifting Federations concerned initiated the V4 Weightlifting Cup among the first to demonstrate their cooperation also in the field of sport. Both the IWF and the EWF embraced the new concept of the Cup and their support was symbolized by the presence of IWF President Dr Tamás Aján and EWF General Secretary Hasan Akkus. Among the 4 teams Hungary excelled taking both the Team Trophy and the individual Male Best Lifter cups (Péter Nagy, +105kg). The best Female Lifter of the V4 Cup became Lenka Kenisová, CZE,

Commonwealth Games Federation update

New Vision, New President and the first ever Commonwealth Games on African Soil announced at the 2015 CGF General Assembly Auckland, New Zealand, 2 September 2015 The Commonwealth Sports Movement is assured of a strong and impactful future as key decisions were taken today, 2 September 2015, at the Commonwealth Games Federation’s General Assembly in Auckland, New Zealand. Decisions included the unanimous approval of Transformation 2022, the Commonwealth Games Federation’s ambitious new strategic plan, the election of a new President for 2015- 2019 and the appointment of the South African City of Durban as host of the XXII Commonwealth Games, heralding the first ever international multi-sport Games to take place on African soil. Transformation 2022 is a seven-year strategic plan that aspires to broaden the Federation’s focus from the four-year operational cycle of hosting Commonwealth Games to a more far-reaching role as a global movement – focused on partnerships, engagement and value generation - that unites athletes, citizens and communities. It includes proposals for a new sports programme of compulsory and optional sports, which now sees the number of compulsory sports at a Commonwealth Games increased from 10 to 16 - and the implementation of a sports quota system for 2022. The result of the approved changes to the sports programme creates a Compulsory Sports Programme for the 2022, 2026 and 2030 editions of the Commonwealth Games comprising: Aquatics (Swimming, inc Para Swimming); Athletics (inc Para Athletics); Badminton; Boxing (Men and Women); Cycling (Road); Gymnastics (Artistic); Hockey; Judo; Lawn Bowls (inc Para Lawn Bowls); Netball; Rugby Sevens (Men and Women); Squash, Table Tennis; Triathlon; Wrestling and Weightlifting (inc Para Powerlifting). And the introduction of a pool of Optional Sports/Disciplines comprising: Aquatics (Diving); Archery; Basketball (3x3); Cricket; Cycling (Track, Mountain Bike, Para); Gymnastics (Rhythmic); Shooting (Clay Target, Pistol, Full Bore, Small Bore); Para Table Tennis; Para Triathlon; Wheelchair Basketball (3x3); and Volleyball (Beach). Delegates received a final Candidate City Briefing from Durban, South Africa – including contributions from Alec Moemi, Director General for Sport and Recreation for the South African Government and Durban’s Mayor James Nxumalo - before the Federation’s 71 members voted to unanimously award the hosting rights to the XXII Commonwealth Games. Louise Martin CBE was elected to the post of President, the first female leader of the Commonwealth Games Federation. Elections were overseen by Honorary Legal Advisor Sharad Rao. The location of the Federation’s next gathering was also announced – with the Canadian City of Edmonton selected as host city of the 2016 General Assembly. Joining the newly-elected President will be Vice-Presidents Bruce Robertson (Canada) and Gideon Sam (South Africa) who were re-elected and Kereyn Smith (New Zealand) who joins them for the first time on the Executive Board for the 2015- 2019

Dato Ong Poh Eng elected as VP of Olympic Council of Malaysia

The Malaysian Weightlifting Federation is proud to  announce that its President Dato Ong Poh Eng had been elected as Vice President to the prestigious Olympic Council of Malaysia. IWF Vice President and also President of the Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation, Dato Ong Poh Eng is one of his country's most active sports executives and has already excelled as host to numerous important international weightlifting events, among them the 2011 IWF Junior World Championships. In 2016, he is again looking forward to welcoming the world's Youth weightlifters to his lovely home island, Penang, and in 2017 the same paradise will serve as the home of the IWF World

Rebekah Tiler named as flag bearer for Team England at Commonwealth Youth Games

Commonwealth Games England has announced that Rebekah Tiler will lead Team England out as the Official Flag Bearer at the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa. Rebekah was voted by Team England’s designated sport Team Leaders to carry England’s flag into the Opening Ceremony on 5 September in Samoa’s capital city of Apia. Having competed at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Rebekah is widely regarded as one of England’s most exciting young talents and is currently the Women’s British record holder for the clean and jerk, having lifted 125kg earlier this month. She narrowly missed out on a medal in Glasgow last year when she finished fourth, but will be able to use her experience to lead Team England’s young athletes in Samoa. Rebekah, from Keighley, West Yorkshire, won silver at the World Youth Championships earlier this year and, more recently, gold in a record breaking performance at this month’s European Youth Championships, having previously won gold in 2013 and silver in 2014. Last year Rebekah also became Britain’s youngest ever winner of the British Senior Championships when she won gold in the 69kg class, lifting a total of 205kg. Source: British Weight