News

London 2012 – 1 Day to Go!

With the arrival of IFs, TOs and guests of the weightlifting Family to London, Matthew Curtain as LOCOG Weightlifting Manager is looking forward to the Games being the absolute highlight of the year to begin. Games Makers are providing great conditions for Weightlifters in the Training Venue ExCeL. The Mixed Zone is operational and a great interest is already shown from the press and media representatives. The Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games will be held on 27 July and promises exciting surprises for spectators and fans. Dr. Tamás Aján, IWF President is also in London and participated together with Sebastian Coe, LOCOG Chairman, Sepp Blatter, FIFA President and HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, FEI President in a special dinner given by Debbie Jevans, LOCOG Director of Sport organized to welcome the IF

London’s Big Ben to ring more than 40 times to celebrate the first day of the Games

Big Ben, the hour bell of the Palace of Westminster, will chime more than 40 times from 8.12am – 8:15am on Friday 27 July to ring in the Olympic Games. This is a historic occasion for one of the world’s most famous bells, as it is believed to be the first time that the strike of Big Ben has been rung outside its regular schedule since 15 February 1952 for the funeral of King George VI. The Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow MP, said: 'It is a sign of how special this summer is when one of the world’s most famous bells will ring outside its regular schedule so it can be part of this London 2012 Festival commission.' Click here to read

Athletes’ Bios

We are happy to announce that in cooperation with infostrada sports group the IWF has officially launched today the Athletes’ Bios section. If you are interested in getting more personal information about weightlifting athletes to participate at the London 2012 Olympic Games, please visit the constantly growing database under Results/Bios or click

The Final Entry List is published

The International Weightlifting Federation published on its website the Final Entry List for the London 2012 Olympic Games (as of 10 July 2012). Beijing Olympic Gold Medallists to participate at the London 2012 Olympic Games: Women’s +75kg: Mi-ran JANG (KOR) Men’s 77kg: Jaehyouk SA (KOR) Men’s 85kg: Yong LU (CHN) Men’s 94kg: Ilya ILYIN (KAZ) Men’s 105kg: Andrei ARAMNAU (BLR) Men’s +105kg: Matthias STEINER (GER) Out of the 15 current World Champions winning their title at the 2011 IWF World Championships Paris, France, 13 will compete to win the Olympic Gold: Women’s 53kg: Zulfiya CHINSHANLO (KAZ) Women’s 58kg: Nastassia NOVIKAVA (BLR) Women’s 63kg: Svetlana TSARUKAEVA (RUS) Women’s 69kg: Oxana SLIVENKO (RUS) Women’s 75kg: Nadezda EVSTYUKHINA (RUS) Women’s +75kg: Lulu ZHOU (CHN) Men’s 56kg: Jingbiao WU (CHN) Men’s 62kg: Jie ZHANG (CHN) Men’s 77kg: Xiaojun LU (CHN) Men’s 85kg: Kianoush ROSTAMI (IRI) Men’s 94kg: Ilya ILYIN (KAZ) Men’s 105kg: Khadzhimurat AKKAEV (RUS) Men’s +105kg: Behdad SALIMIKORDASIABI (IRI) Further 10 athletes – World Champions in 2009 and/or 2010 will compete. The youngest athlete to compete is: Khadija MOHAMMAD (UAE) – Women’s 75kg – born on 19 June 1995 The oldest athlete to compete is: Martin TESOVIC (SVK) – Men’s 105kg – born on 26 October 1974 Download the Final Entry List Download the Competition

Financial Times – Weightlifting Special

The International Weightlifting Federation published an Olympic Games Weightlifting Special inserted in today’s Financial Times. Run to the closest newsstand to get your own copy! See you in

Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz bags prestigious role

WEIGHTLIFTER Hidilyn Diaz got the rare honor of becoming the Philippine flag-bearer during the parade of countries highlighting the glitzy opening ceremonies of the 30th London Olympic Games on July 27. A native of Zamboanga City who competed in the Beijing Olympics four years ago, Diaz beat shooter Brian Rosario, swimmer Jasmine Alkhaldi and Filipino-Japanese judoka Tomohiko Hoshina for the right to carry the national tri-colors at the head of the small team during the march past of nations. “Hidilyn is the unanimous choice of the board. I know she’ll be elated once she receives the good news,” said Team Philippines chief of mission Manny Lopez, emerging from the monthly Philippine Olympic Committee meeting on Wednesday at the POC office in Pasig City. Diaz is one of seven Filipino athletes in the midst of a free training camp leading to the Games, the others being Rosario, Alkhaldi, swimmer Jessie Khing Lacuna, boxer Mark Anthony Barriga, long jumper Marestella Torres and 5,000-meter bet Rene Herrera. One of seven children by a tricycle driver, who fell in love with the sport while growing up in her hometown, Hidilyn competed in the Beijing Games as a 16-year-old and wound up 11th in a field of 12 in a forgettable stint that had her promising to do a lot better if given the chance to compete again. Set to compete in the 58-kg division, Diaz qualified for the London Games following strong performances in two qualifiers by the International Weightlifting Federation in Paris and in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. Diaz, the first Filipino weightlifter to represent the country in two-straight Olympics, finished ninth overall at the end of the two qualifying tournaments to clinch a spot. Under IWF rules, the top 10 lifters in each divisions after the qualifiers will earn outright berths to the Olympics. In Beijing, she lifted 85 kilos in the snatch and 107 in the clean and jerk for a 192 total, way off the winning effort of 244 by China’s Chen Yanquing. The other members of Team Philippines supported by the International Container Terminal Services Inc., Bank of the Philippine Islands, Mizuno, Samsonite, Petron, TV5, Smart Sports, Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Racing Commission are archers Mark Javier and Rachelle Anne Cabral and BMX rider Danny Caluag. Source: