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Paris topped Antalya by numbers

519 athletes participated in Paris 2011 Weightlifting Championships. It means we had more more lifters to compete in Paris comparing to Antalya. Numbers by continents                                           Women                 Men            TotalEurope                                 86                       135              221Asia                                     60                         92             152Africa                                   12                         13               25America                               44                         52               96Oceania                               10                         15               25                                           212                      307             519In Antalya                            203                      312            

Iranian Hercules bewildered everyone with his snatch techniques

Disneyland Weightlifting Dome witnessed its last but greatest competition, after thousands of people raised to their feet applauding Iranian modern-day Hercules Behdad Salimikordasiabi when he snatched 214kg and broke the world record previously set by Iranian icon Hossein Rezazadeh, who had snatched 213 kilograms in 2003 Asian Championships.Salimi, the World Championship and Asian Games gold medalist, was successful on his first attempt at 201 kilograms, then lifted 209 kilograms for the second, and finally elevated 214kg overhead in his third attempt. He then lifted 250kg in the clean and jerk, and was crowned as undisputed champion of the event after he lifted a total of 464kg. Iran's Sajjad Anoushiravani won a bronze medal after he snatched 198kg, and selectedtwo silver medals after he clean and jerked 241kg and reached a total of 439kg. Korea's bronze medalist Sang-Guen Jeon, proved himself as a good rival for the Iranian athletes in clean and jerk, after he decided to take 254kg overhead and stood in second place right after Behdad Salimi. But the Korean lost his hopes to come in second as he was not successful in his third attempt. Men's +105kg Press Conference: Speaking at the press conference, Iranian world champion Behdad Salimi expressed his pleasure over his results and setting new world record in snatch. Salimi declared that he has joined Iran's national team five years ago and has been training with Iranian silver medalist Sajad Anoushiravani for two years. Being asked over the opinion of Hossein Rezazadeh about breaking his snatch record, Salimi said Rezazadeh was very happy when seeing an Iranian weightlifter could break his record in snatch. And that he has always been encouraging him to set new world record in super heavy weight class. Iranian gold medalist then stressed that he also wanted to set new world record in total in Paris 2011 championships, but could not perform well in his last clean and jerk attempt. Adding as his true rivals were absent at this competition he did not have fierce contest. He hoped to have more challenging competition in the London Olympics to break the world record in total too. When asked about the referees' decision to remove his armband as it was illegal, Iranian champion said it was only an armband in which he kept the verses of holy Quran, a way to ask for help from God. Iranian silver medalist Sajad Anoushiravani also said he joined Iran's national team 8 years ago, but due to some injuries he had to leave the camps but has joined the team again since two years ago. He expressed his satisfaction for receiving the silver medal, saying he has always told to his team mates that again two Iranian weightlifter would win the gold and silver medals at 2011 world championships. Korean bronze medalist Sang-Guen Jeon, also present at press conference, said his record at Paris 2011 was his best in the past years. Adding right before 2008 Beijing Olympics, he participated in a national selection competition in Korea and there he made an overall of 440kg, but his total was 433kg he made at Paris 2001 world championships. When asked why he did not make improvements in the past three years, Jeon explained that he was injured, his ankle broke seriously while he was water skiing in 2009 and went under medical treatments, and accordingly he could not participate in Korea's training sessions and could not prepare himself very well for the competitions. He later stressed he would make better performances in London Olympics, promising to win gold medal in clean and jerk. He said the Korean team, which is going to compete in the coming 2012 Olympics, would be selected in April.

Zhou Lulu crowned in +75 kg

The audience enjoyed the dual between Russian and Chinese competitors. It was unexpected Opeloge (SAM) had no correct lift at all in snatch. Armenian Hripsime Khurshudyan had a serious elbow injury on 130 kg and she had to withdraw. In snatch both athletes had their best performance as Zhou Lulu equalled the world record (146 kg), while Kashirina's (RUS) junior and senior world record was broken by Kashirina (147 kg). From far distance Olha Korobka (UKR) followed them with 127 kg on the third place. In clean and jerk the crucial moment came by the first attempt of title holder Kashirina. She made a mistake (175 kg), Zhou played upon the chance (175 kg). Kashirina had to jump to 181 kg but it was clear 13th is not her lucky number. It was a bad day for the 20 years old Russian lifter and she even had to sustain how Zhou rived the world record total from her (328 kg). Korobka collected two more bronze medals (157 kg clean and jerk, 284 kg total). Women's +75kg press conference: Women's +75kg category ended with Chinese weightlifter Lulu Zhou setting new world record in total and winning two gold and a silver medals. Speaking at press conference, China's champion who was competing in her first world championships said she started weightlifting in 2003 and that she accidentally got involved in this sport. When she was in primary school, she was selected by weightlifting coaches to train and later compete as she had enough physical abilities to lift heavy things. Russia's silver medalist Tatiana Kashirina, who also won a gold medal in snatch and set new world record at the move, expressed her disappointment over her result. She said she really did not know what happened and why she made poor performances in clean and jerk. "I don't know what really happened, I concentrated very much on my attempts in clean and jerk, but I did not perform well and I could not show my full power," Tatiana said while still crying for her loss. Ukraine's bronze medalist Olha Korobka also attended the press conference expressed her satisfaction over the results. The three medalists said that they were the only weightlifters in their family and that they were the only heavy members of their

Jiri Orsagh: missed World Championships

Jiri Orsagh (CZE) had a remarkable result at the European Championships this year. His total of 410kg ranked him number three following the winner Lapikov (419kg) and runner up Shymechko (412kg). According to Mr. Krol, President of the National Federation the athlete had a wrist injury and he might be operated soon. Time is short as Orsagh had among his plans to take part at the test event in London in

105 kg: Russian Top Guns Faultless

In the presence of former two times Olympic Champion (1996, 2000) and four times World Champion judoka M. David Douillet, Sports Minister of France men's 105kg category has once again seen a fierce competition after the two Russian teammates fought with each other to win the gold medal. But finally Khadzhimurat Akkaev could win three gold medals of this category. The Dome was full again and many had to fall back on sitting in the lobby area and watching the competition on giant beamer only.All through the competitions, the Russian competitors, Akkaev and Dmitry Klokov bewildered the audience with their great performances, as they both made three-three correct lifts, and proved themselves to be the strongest athletes in the 105kg bodyweight category. The end of the competition in both Snatch and Clean and Jerk were completely unpredictable as the last three lifters, the two Russian and Ukraine's Oleksiy Torokhtiy, kept increasing their weights. Akkaev, who was 2011 European Champion, demonstrated himself as the strongest man in 105kg category, with an overall of 430kg, 198 in Snatch and 232 in Clean and Jerk. His last attempt in Snatch was only 2kg lower than the world record of 200kg formerly set by Belarus's Andrei Aramnau in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics. After his teammate Klokov finished Clean and Jerk with 232kg, Akkaev disappointed his fans as he also lifted ‘only' 232kg. Klokov, 2010 European Champion, once again came in second as he also won silver in 2010 World Champion and 2008 Beijing Olympics. He ended Paris 2011 World Championships with an overall of 428kg, 196 in Snatch and 232 in Clean and Jerk. World Champion's third icon was Ukraine's Oleksiy Torokhtiy who was experiencing his first World Championships, but his great jerks raised the audience to their feet. He ended the competition with a Total of 410kg, 181 in the Snatch and 229 in the Clean and Jerk. Georgia's Gia Machavariani also made 6 correct lifts and won bronze medal in the Snatch with 187kg. The weightlifting fans will definitely witness much more demanding competition in London as these four competitors promised to perform even on a higher level in the coming Olympic Games. Men's 105kg Press Conference: Speaking at press conference, Russian silver medallist Dmitry Klokov told the reporters that he had not been on the same club with Akkaev, as they live in different cities and train in different gyms. Right before the competitions the coach gathers them and they train together while they are staying in the National Team's camps. Dmitry also added it was the first championships that they were competing with each other, and that they know each other for ten years. He stressed that during training sessions he made better performances, including 200 in Snatch and 240 in Clean and Jerk. Being asked whether the two were friends and would celebrate their victories with each other, Russian world champion Akkaev said they are only "partners" and not friends, and that each is going to celebrate with the group that accompanied them for the IWF 2011 World Weightlifting Championships Paris. When asked if they had fan clubs, the gold medalist said he did not have official fan club but has been the subject of discussions in internet. Silver medalist said his family was his fan club. Ukraine's bronze medallist Oleksiy Torokhtiy also considered his family, friends and coaches as his fan club. Torokhtiy said 2011 Paris two bronze medals were his first medals at a World Championships and that he was very happy to compete

Ele Opeloge has medal dreams

Samoa has never had a medal at World Championships. Beijing Olympics fourth placed Ole Opeloge thinks it is really high time to open a new chapter and she expects medal today in women +75kg competition. Her personal best is 130kg Snatch, 165kg Clean and Jerk. She hopes to improve these results and aim at 300kg in Paris. She feels herself strong enough to achieve her goal. As she said her preparation was undisturbed during the trainings she had in Samoa. Her family helped her a lot to focus on her great task. The family works hard at a banana plantation and they live on this work. Finally Ele added she likes eating and her favorites are salmon, chicken and a local vegetable of Samoa, taro she misses very much here in Paris. As Ele Opeloge's plans mentioned she aims at Olympic participation and Commonwealth Games with her medals.