News

Impressive showcase of the sport in St. Petersburg

With a stage built following the design and shape of the famous Peter and Paul fortress and an impressive background illustrating the outstanding architectural monument, the 2012 President’s Cup impresses with its spectacle. The competition started with the Men’s 94kg bodyweight category and an uncontested winner: the Russian Igor KLIMONOV. Silver Medallist at the 2012 IWF Junior World Championships in Antigua, Guatemala, he lifted a Total of 380kg, 30kg more than his compatriot - the Silver Medallist Rinat KIREEV. The battle for the second and third places was tighter. Antti-Roiko Miika (FIN) ended up third with 342kg and won the Bronze Medal. Women’s 75kg also brought a Russian duo to the Podium. Olga ZUBOVA (RUS) Junior and Youth World Champion also Gold Medallist at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games ended the competition on the first place with a Total of 265kg. She couldn’t make it to the London 2012 Olympic Games, but here in St. Petersburg she lifted only 3kg less than her personal best. The Silver Medal went to Ekaterina KATINA (RUS) while the Chinese lifter Huixian LAN - participating in her first international competition - was awarded the Bronze. In the Men’s 105kg, last year’s winner David BEDZHANIAN (RUS) got injured while performing his second attempt in the Snatch and retired from the competition with no Total Result. This gave a tremendous opportunity for the other athletes competing in the bodyweight category to take the floor. 2011 Summer Universiade Gold Medallist Gennadiy MURATOV (RUS) won the Gold Medal with a Total of 395kg. The Syrian lifter Ahed JUGHLI stood up on the second place of the podium lifting 35kg less than MURATOV. The third place went to Godfrey BALIGEYA from

Eurosport will broadcast LIVE

Time refers to Central European Time (CET) Saturday 13 October Men 94kg starts at 12.00 on Eurosport 1 Sunday 14 October Women 75kg starts at 11.45 on Eurosport 2 Men 105kg starts at 12.45 on Eurosport 2 LIVE Women +75kg starts at 15.00 on Eurosport 2 LIVE Men +105kg starts at 17.00 on Eurosport 1 Live Scoreboard will also be available on the IWF

Press Conference before the kick off of the 2012 President’s Cup

Prior to the 2012 President’s Cup St. Petersburg, Russia the Russian Weightlifting Federation held a press conference in the presence of the IWF President Dr. Tamas Ajan. This competition organized now for the second time became the first international scale weightlifting event in Russia. In 2011 Belgorod, 5 World Records were broken, and top class athletes performed at their bests to win the Gold Medal and the impressive Prize Money awarded. According to Mr. Sergey Syrtsov, President of the Russian Weightlifting Federation the strong weightlifting background of the country contributes to making this event a successful meet every year. The first weightlifting club was founded in St. Petersburg in 1885. Only 2 months after the London 2012 Olympic Games, 36 athletes from 18 countries and 4 continents will compete in the 2012 President’s Cup St. Petersburg. Two remarkable athletes will have the possibility to defend their titles: Tatiana KASHIRINA (RUS) winner of the Gold Medal in the Women’s +75kg bodyweight category and David BEDZHANYAN (RUS) winner in the 105kg. Dr.Tamas Ajan is thankful to the Russian Weightlifting Federation for the initiative to run this successful Cup Under the patronage of Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, where several high class top athletes will have the opportunity to shine. Mrs. Maria Kiseleva, Press Secretary of the Russian Olympic Committee, Mr. Attila Adamfi, IWF Competition Director, Mr. Anton Kislyakov, Vice President of the RWF, Mr. David Rigert, Russian Men Team Head coach, Mr. Soltan Karativ, Russian Women Team Head coach, and other dignitaries from St. Petersburg City Council also participated in the press Conference. Watch the competition Live on

Peter Nagy receives Shenzhen Universiade Gold

Receiving a gold medal in your sport is always a big moment in your sport career. Hungarian weightlifter Peter Nagy got close at the 2011 Summer Universiade in Shenzhen, China, but had to settle for the silver in the +105kg category. The gold originally went to Egyptian athlete Mohamed Massoud Ihssan who after testing proved positive for doping was stripped of the medal. Silver medallist Peter Nagy won with the same Total result (412kg) and so became the new Universiade champion. Considerable effort was made to present the Hungarian athlete with the medal he deserved. The gold medal was presented to him at a successfully organised Award Ceremony in accordance with FISU protocol on October 6th, 2012, in Budapest, Hungary, in conjunction with the Hungarian National Weightlifting Championships. Presenters were Dr. Tamas AJAN, IWF President; Imre DOBOS, President Hungarian Weightlifting Federation; Dr. Adam KISS, President of the HUSF and Aniko Nemeth-Mora, FISU Technical Chair for

Entry Deadline for 2012 World University Championships closing on 11 October

FISU and IWF have extended the deadline for submitting Entries to the 3rd World University Championships in Eilat, Israel until 11 October 2012. Last-minute entries can therefore be submitted only by National University Sports Organisations (FISU members) online: http://wuc.in-1.it/ The Championships will take place 5-9 November

Regional Seminar held in Nairobi, Kenya

In the framework of the Regional IWF Development program, a Coaching and Referee Seminar was held in Nairobi, Kenya jointly by the Confederation of Eastern and Central Africa Weightlifting and the Kenya Weightlifting Federation. The lectures were held by Mr. Kyle Pierce, Member of the IWF Coaching and Research Committee and official expert of IWF Education Program. Participants from Uganda, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Malawi and Kenya attended the Seminar. Combining theoretical and practical exercises, the course was a great success. All attendees received a certificate of participation and left the Seminar in possession of a greater