News

Educational Seminar in Antalya

We would like to draw your attention to the next edition of the very successful IWF Educational Seminars which will be held during the World Championships in Antalya. It is organized in the framework of the IWF Education Program, and will take place on Saturday the 18th and Friday the 24th of September 2010.   Renowned and experienced lecturers will lecture about Weightlifting-related topics:   Mr. Kyle Pierce, Professor in the Kinesiology and Health Science Department at the Louisiana State University in Shreveport will start on Ethical issues and the Olympic Movement. Mr. Sam Coffa, Vice President of the IWF, Chairman of the Technical Committee will discuss Technical issues in Weightlifting. Mr. Attila Ádámfi, Competition Director of the IWF will talk about another aspect of Technical issues. To conclude, Dr. Ágnes Tiszeker, Director of the Hungarian Anti-Doping Organization and medical doctor will present her studies and views on medical and anti-doping issues.   We would like to ask every official and team leader to make sure that their athletes will honor the seminar by their presence! We can also provide Spanish and Russian interpreters if needed.   Feel free to contact Ms. Éva Moska by e-mail at [email protected] for further information, and please confirm your participation in order to best meet your expectations.

International Weightlifting Federation on Facebook!

We are pleased to inform all members that the International Weightlifting Federation has launched its Facebook site! Feel free to "Like" our Fan Page and to contact us if you have any suggestions, inquiries or questions! We will share information with every FB user on the latest Competitions, and any other related news about the Weightlifting Sport around the

IWF Development Program for Coaches in South Africa

A course for coaches started yesterday, the 29th of August 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa in the framework of the IWF Development Program. The course will last 8 days from the 29th of August until the 5th of September 2010. We expect the course to be a great success and we are proud to support the organizers in their work! Several topics are about to be discussed relating to Technical Rules, Nutrition and Anti-Doping issues. Weightlifting related lectures will be held by experienced and recognized experts such as Mr. Aveenash Pandoo, the National Coach of SAWF and recently appointed Director of Development of Africa by the WFA. 8 countries are about to attend the IWF Development Program for Coaches: Seychelles, South Africa, Kenya, Cameroon, Mauritius, Swaziland, Uganda and Tanzania. An established online connection through Skype enabled a video conference between IWF Offices and Cape Town, where the course is currently underway. Participants were excited and surprised to talk to the President of IWF Dr. Tamás Aján, who personally wanted to greet attendants, members and contributors. Much evolutionary changes have been made, and this course is a major step forward in development of Weightlifting sport in South Africa.   Dr. Tamás Aján encourages National Federations, and coaches for further progress, and noticed with great contentment the high number of

The very first Youth Olympic Games

This first edition of the Youth Olympic Games welcomed a total of 104 participating weightlifters out of 64 countries. IWF takes great pleasure in congratulating Singapore on its accomplishment for providing stupendous atmosphere and conditions for every athlete and official participating in the weightlifting competitions.   The numbers of gold medal winning countries are 8. Lifters from the Asian continent won 5 and lifters from the European continent won 3 gold medals.   There were 20 medal winning nations from 4 continents. Lifters from Asia won 8, from Europe 6, from Pan-America 4 and from Africa 2 medals.   We had the pleasure to be present at the first attempt of the YOG, Lilla BERKI (HUN, Women 48kg, 40kg) and of the last attempt on the YOG, Alireza KAZEMINEJAD (IRI, Men +85kg, 196kg). They both performed a good lift, and we would like to congratulate them on their results.   The youngest athlete was Lomina TIBON (MHL, Women 53kg), born on the 17th of December 1994 and the so to speak "Oldest" athlete was Tairat BUNSUK (THA, Men 69kg), born on the 11th of January 1993.   Tian Yuan (CHN, Women 48kg) set two new Youth Women’s World Records in snatch and in total while Deng Wei (CHN, Women 58kg) improved Junior Women’s World Record in total and set Youth Women’s World Record in snatch, clean & jerk and in total.   Jacques Rogge the President of the IOC honored the + 85kg competition by making a longer appearance. Throughout the event several IOC members were present at weightlifting competitions every day. The IOC Member of the USA, Anita De Frantz, was so strongly amazed by the athletes and competition that she wrote a short story about her impressions.   Despite that the weightlifting competition came to an end, the first Youth Olympic Games is still going on until the closing ceremony to be held on the 26th of August.   We appreciate the conditions and assistance that have been provided for weightlifting by the Singapore Organizing Committee, and grateful to Tom Liaw Competition Manager for ensuring the success of the Games.

World Weightlifting’s brand new issue has appeared

In the 2010/2 edition readers can find a full preview of the upcoming main qualification event in Antalya. Moreover, it also includes the summary of the Junior World Championships held in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia. You can subscribe to World Weightlifting by contacting

Men’s last two categories wind up successful Youth Olympic Games

Singapore - 19 August 2010: The last two men's categories - 85kg yesterday and +85kg this morning - wound up the 1st Youth Olympic Games in Singapore: for weightlifting an entirely successful debut. Suspense and drama were both prevalent in the men's 85kg category, when Russian Alexey Kosov, after convincingly in the lead in snatch with 2kg plus bodyweight advantage over Bulgaria's Georgi Shikov finally lost to the latter in an exciting end-game. Shikov put a well-planned and impeccable six-on-six performance on stage, resulting in an Olympic gold medal for Bulgaria. Meanwhile Konstantyn Reva (UKR) did his own best earning the bronze medal. A very similar situation came about today, in the last competition, which was fought for the Youth Olympic title in the men's +85kg. In the presence of IOC President Dr. Jacques Rogge in the Toa Payoh Sports Hall, two hardly 16-year old giants were battling in a spectacular show. Gor Minasyan of Armenia was ahead of his challenger after the snatch, lifting 5kg more and enjoying (about 30kg bodyweight advantage). Yet, in the final countdown, Iran's Alireza Kazeminejad decided the outcome of the battle as early a in his second attempt at 196kg, making a 351kg total against the Armenian's 350kg finish. The host Singapore must be congratulated and thanked for putting on these inaugural Games on a much higher than expected level and justifying the IOC's initiative. Both the young participants and the officials engaged in the 1st YOG will always remember the events in Singapore, in August 2010. (Report and photos by Aniko Nemeth-Mora, IWF/World Weightlifting)