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Lima, Day 3: Casadevall wins Argentina’s first ever world title – and senior Oceania champion Femily takes another medal

Argentina had its first weightlifting world champion when Paz Casadevall made all six lifts in the women’s 59kg at the World Youth Championships in Lima. Among other highlights on a busy day, Femily Notte from Nauru just failed to win in her own age group after taking the Oceania 64kg senior title as a 14-year-old in February, and a successful 11kg jump on the last attempt gave Uzbekistan victory in the men’s 81kg.   Casadevall was cheered throughout the medal ceremony by a small but noisy group of supporters. “I have been preparing for this competition since January and being champion was the goal, but I still can’t believe it,” said the 16-year-old. Paz Casadevall (ARG) Her older sister Luz, 23, was well placed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games when her hopes were ruined by a positive Covid test, said Gustavo Malgor, proud president of the Argentina Weightlifting Federation who is officiating in Lima. “I compete against her, but I haven’t beaten her yet,” said Paz. That is one target, another is the Junior Pan American Games in Paraguay next year. “This is fantastic,” said Malgor.  “Paz is the best weightlifter in Argentina. “We have worked very, very hard for 12 years, bringing in a new generation of athletes, coaches and officials. This is the result of all that hard work.” Paz and Luz are coached in their home town of San Jorge, in Santa Fe province, by Roman Gorosito, who was as proud as Malgor of Paz’s achievement. Casadevall made all six lifts in her 86-106-192. Alina Daderko was second for Ukraine on 84-100-184 and Marjona Abdumutalova from Uzbekistan was third on 82-100-182. Notte, now 15 and the youngest athlete in the 64kg field, put up another good performance. Claudia Chirinos (VEN) Claudia Chirinos from Venezuela was behind until she made her final lift, to the delight of her noisy team-mates in the audience. When Chirinos finished 89-113-202, Notte had to make 114kg on her last attempt for victory. She cleaned it but just failed with the jerk, finishing second on 90-111-201. Tugbanur Koz from Turkey was third on 88-105-193. “I was a runner first, and I became a weightlifter when my mum tricked me when I was nine,” said Notte. “She said why don’t you come and watch some weightlifting, and when we got there I found out I was training, not watching. “I love it, competing and training. I didn’t expect to win in Auckland, I just wanted to have some fun. Today I did think I would win a medal.” Nauru’s coach Quincy Detenamo was around in the 1990s when Nauru was a force in weightlifting, thanks to the exploits of Marcus Stephen who won seven Commonwealth Games golds and a World Championships silver. Stephen was so popular he later became President of the country. “A lot of kids lost interest when Paul Coffa (Stephen’s coach, Nauru’s national coach and head of the Oceania Weightlifting Institute) left the island,” said Detenamo. “Marcus wasn’t involved for a while either. Now Marcus is back at the federation and things have improved, kids are showing interest again.” Bedabrat Bharali (IND) India had its second winner of the week when Bedabrat Bharali finished 12kg clear in the men’s 73kg. His team have won two golds, two silvers and a bronze on total in the first three days, and Preetismita Bhoi set a clean and jerk youth world in the women’s 40kg. Bahrali made 136-160-296, up 29kg on his total last year when he was third at 67kg. The 67kg champion then, Seryozha Barseghyan from Armenia, had to withdraw injured today after making his first snatch. Ryan McDonald from the United States was second on 125-159-284 and Serhii Kotelevskyi from Ukraine third on 130-153-283. McDonald, 17, was seventh at 61kg in 2022 and eighth at 67kg last year. He is schooled at home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and is keen on physics. But he is much keener on being a full-time weightlifter. “I’ve been doing it for eight years and I want to be a full-time member of Team USA,” he said. Ruslan Rakhmatjonov from Uzbekistan made a sensational international debut when he won at 81kg.   Ruslan Rakhmatjonov (UZB) Moustafa Bakry from Egypt was 5kg ahead of Rakhmatjonov at halfway and looked sure of victory when he finished 144-166-310, despite failing with an appeal when his final attempt at 170kg was ruled a no-lift. Rakhmatjonov, 16, had missed his second clean and jerk and needed to go up 11kg to 172kg to win. He made it, finishing 139-172-311. Dawid Lisiak from Poland made all six lifts in third place, overtaking India’s snatch bronze medallist Sairaj Pardeshi with his final attempt. Lisiak made 135-166-301. By Brian Oliver Photos by Bob

IWF President Jalood: “There is an effective culture change in our Sport!”

Around 75 participants at the IWF World Youth Championships gathered today in the headquarters of the Peruvian Olympic Committee (adjacent to the competition venue) to attend the IWF Anti-Doping Education Seminar, an initiative staged in close co-operation with the International Testing Agency (ITA). Athletes, coaches, and support staff had the opportunity to be briefed by ITA’s Ambassador Thais Cevada on the main aspects related to the anti-doping programme. The IWF President Mohammed Jalood and several members of the IWF Executive Board were also present to testify on the priority this matter deserves in our International Federation. IWF President Mohammed Jalood “We are very lucky to have the ITA onboard with us in this fight against doping. They are basically in charge of the entire implementation of the programme, and since 2018 this partnership has brought excellent results,” underlined Mr Jalood. “We are proud to say that in our recent and major competitions, no positive cases were found, indicating that there is an effective culture change in our Sport, when compared with the past. The education of our younger lifters, as it happens today, is also a powerful tool to consolidate this success,” added the IWF President during his initial address to the participants. Thais Cevada, ITA Ambassador Cevada then proceeded with her presentation, highlighting many topics that are part of the anti-doping educational programme, namely: the definition of an ADRV (Anti-doping Rule Violation), the principle of strict liability, the list of prohibited substances, the Therapeutic Use Exemptions, the dangers related with the consumption of supplements, and the reporting possibilities.  “We know it’s easy to test positive without even having a full conscience that we did something wrong. That is why the principle of strict reliability must be accompanied by a very strong sense of individual responsibility. You must be always vigilant and extremely cautious when taking a medication, a supplement, or even the food you eat,” reminded Cevada, a former competitive artistic gymnastics athlete. The one-hour seminar provided the opportunity for all attendees to participate in a quiz and to request all the information they needed to correctly respect the motto #ILiftClean IWF General Secretary Antonio Urso with Thais Cevada In his closing speech, Antonio Urso, the IWF General Secretary emphasised that Sport should always be driven by strict “ethical and moral consideration. You are young athletes, and you have all the life in front of you. But you may face many obstacles during this path – however, if your moral and ethical principles are strong, it should be OK”.  IWF EB Member Florian Sperl with the IWF President Mohammed Jalood The gathering concluded with a very short presentation by the IWF Executive Board Florian Sperl on the IWF Sustainability Programme. As part of the concrete actions included in this strategy, all athletes taking part in the Youth showcase in Peru will receive a multi-use bottle to lower the carbon footprint related to the utilisation of single-use bottles of water. “In Mexico, last year, at the Junior Worlds, national delegations were invited to plant a tree. Here in Lima, we make a step further in the preservation of nature in a sustainable way,” summarised Mr Sperl. After the seminar, an educational booth will be available this Friday and Saturday in the Championships’ competition venue. Thais Cevada will have the opportunity to answer all questions and provide information on anti-doping issues to all those approaching this space. IWF Communications Photos by Bob

Lima, Day 2: Gold for Spain’s Gonzalez at fourth attempt, and a big performance from French improver Kochetova

It was fourth time lucky for Lucia Gonzalez from Spain in an exciting women’s 49kg contest at the World Youth Championships in Lima, where the day’s other champions were from Venezuela, Egypt and Moldova. After finishing fifth, eighth and ninth at three different weights in the previous three years, Gonzalez claimed gold with her last lift in her final year in this age group. Younger athletes from three continents pushed 17-year-old Gonzalez all the way. Lucia Gonzalez (ESP) “The difference this time is that I trained harder, and I made more sacrifices,” Gonzalez said. “I cannot do what other people my age do. I have a strict diet, I don’t go out socialising, don’t take holidays like them. My life as a full-time weightlifter is all about training. “I learned from those three earlier World Youth Championships that you must just keep going and do your best.” Gonzalez, who is keen on being a teacher later in life, took up weightlifting when she went to a gym with her friend Athenea Santana, who lifts here on Friday. Santana’s coach suggested she give it a try. She held off a strong challenge from Ogulshat Amanova, who won 45kg gold for Turkmenistan aged 13 last year. Amanova, coached by her father, took the lead on her final attempt before Gonzalez made 93kg to complete a sweep of career bests and claim victory on 76-93-169. One missed clean and jerk was costly for Amanova, who led at halfway and finished 77-91-168, up 12kg on her total last year. Bronze medallist Margot Kochetova from France put 36kg on her 2023 total. Kochetova, 15, whose parents left Russia to live in France before she was born, made 74-89-163. “Of course I am happy with that,” said Kochetova. “I made three personal records. “I was a gymnast and pole vaulter before, and I played chess too, but when I started weightlifting I knew it was the one for me.” Beatriz de Lima from Brazil and Maria Stratoudaki from Greece also performed well. De Lima took clean and jerk silver and finished fourth on total on 71-91-162. Stratoudaki, 15, could have been on the podium but she failed with her final two attempts in totalling 157kg. Dionangel Vargas (VEN) There was a close finish in the simultaneous men’s 61kg, in which the top three finished well clear. Pan American youth champion Dionangel Vargas won on 110-134-244 ahead of international debutant Hovhannes Hovhannisyan from Armenia on 108-134-242. Bronze medallist Wuttiphong Chomkhunthod from Thailand made all six lifts for 107-132-239 in his first competition at this weight. It was a memorable evening for Moldova when the women’s 55kg and men’s 67kg ran side by side. Nicoleta Cojocaru – no relation to Moldova’s national coach of the same name – won her country’s first youth world title for 12 years and Alexandr Baldji finished third in the men’s contest, in which the first three were a long way ahead of the rest. Nicoleta Cojocaru (MDA) Cojocaru had a nervous wait while Sato Waka from Japan had two attempts left. Sato failed with both on 105kg, leaving 15-year-old Cojocaru in first place on 80-103-183. She is Moldova's first female youth world champion. Jade Morales was the first United States medallist of the Championships in third place. Cojocaru made 80-103-183, Sato 79-100-179 and Morales 76-99-175. The Egyptian Marim Abdellatif took snatch bronze but bombed out in clean and jerk. Abdellatif’s team-mate Metwally Abdelrahman did better on the other platform. He had already won when he jumped 9kg for an attempt at the clean and jerk youth world record, but he failed. Metwally Abdelrahman (EGY) Abdelrahman made 128-158-286 ahead of Akhzol Kurmanbek from Kazakhstan on 129-156-285. Baldji was third on 127-155-282. By Brian Oliver Photos by Bob

Lima, Day 1: World record and four medals for India’s team of debutants – and two golds for Colombia

India had a day to remember when the World Youth Championships began at Videna national sports centre in Lima, Peru. Colombia also started well, winning two of the four medal events. None of India’s five athletes in action on a busy opening day had ever competed internationally. Four of the debutants won medals and Preetismita Bhoi claimed a clean and jerk youth world record of 76kg on the way to victory in the women’s 40kg. The only Indian lifter off the podium had a sweep of fourth places and missed a medal by 1kg. Preetismita Bhoi (IND) Vijay Sharma, India’s head coach who stayed at home to guide Tokyo medallist Mirabai Chanu through her preparations for the Paris Olympic Games, had set a target of seven or eight medals for his team of newcomers. They are well on target to exceed that, with six more athletes in action over the next three days. Bhoi and Jyoshna Sabar, both aged 15, finished 1-2 ahead of Fatma Kolcak from Turkey. While those two were bringing the 40kg session to its conclusion, their team-mate Babulal Hembrom was on his way to third place at 49kg on the men’s platform a few metres away. Freddy Bustillo (COL) Freddy Bustillo from Colombia won, ahead of Mohammed Al Ojaian from Saudi Arabia and Hembrom. India’s fourth medallist was 14-year-old Payal in the women’s 45kg. She finished second behind the Colombian Lawren Estrada, who claimed her second world title with a six-from-six performance. Alexandra Lopez from Mexico was third. Lawren Estrada (COL) “They were a little nervous because it was their first international competition,” said Alakesh Baruah, India’s head coach at this event. “They did very well and showed that things are happening for India thanks to our coach Vijay Sharma and our federation president (Sahdev Yadav).” Bhoi made five good lifts for 57-76-133, finishing within 2kg of the youth world standard on total. Sabar made 56-69-125 and Kolcak 55-65-120. Oriannis Pirona from Venezuela became the second youngest medallist in international weightlifting when, after failing with all three snatch attempts, she was third in clean and jerk on 69kg, aged 12 years 237 days. The other athlete who bombed out in snatch, Sevval Ince from Turkey, won clean and jerk silver on 70kg. The youngest ever medallist is Emily Ibanez Guerrero, who was third for Canada at 55kg in last year’s World Youths, aged 12 years 90 days. She is in the process of switching nationality. Pan American youth champion Bustillo made all six lifts in his 87-109-196, claiming the 49kg gold with his final attempt. Al Ojaian, who took up weightlifting when he saw his cousin compete, had one snatch failure in his 87-108-195, and Hembrom made 86-107-193. The youngest athlete in the session, 14-year-old Christian Di Maria from Italy, took snatch bronze. Bulgaria’s Nino Simeonov was unlucky in the men’s 55kg. He won snatch gold on 101kg but injured his left thigh on his final attempt, withdrew from the competition and had to go to hospital. Ramazan Yilmaz (TUR) Ramazan Yilmaz from Turkey was a clear winner after Simeonov’s injury. Yilmaz made all six lifts for 99-129-228 to deny Colombia a third victory, finishing 6kg ahead of Samuel Andrade on 98-124-222. Lissandro Rivaldo from Venezuela was third, 1kg ahead of India’s A Maharajan on 95-121-216. This is the first IWF Championships with two platforms and simultaneous A Groups in the main area, although there were multiple platforms at World Championships more than 20 years ago – one for A Groups and one for other sessions. By Brian Oliver Photos by Bob

Lima, Preview: India aiming for “simultaneous” medals as IWF tries two platforms for first time at World Youth Championships

India could win medals in different competitions at the same time when the IWF World Youth Championships starts in Peru on Wednesday. All 20 weight categories, 10 each for men and women, will be staged in five days because, for the first time, there will be two platforms at an IWF Championships. One platform will be for the men’s events and the other for the women. On the first day India – which is sending a team of 10 on a 34,000-kilometre round trip – has athletes in all four A Groups, which run simultaneously at 1400 and 2030 in Lima. Athletes are already training in Lima It is no surprise to see India looking to the future. The nation is bidding to host the 2036 Olympic Games and it knows that developing athletes now is essential. “The government wants us to do a long-term plan and we have already started our talent identification process state by state,” said Vijay Sharma, India’s head coach. “The level of interest is the key. Boxing, wrestling and athletics are the most popular among children, but weightlifting has become more popular after Mira (Mirabai Chanu) won her silver medal in Tokyo. There’s a lot of interest in her home state of Manipur, especially for girls. Everything is getting ready in the Peruvian capital “Our team for Peru is a new one, with all ten athletes from different states. We are focusing mainly on the lighter categories.” India won one silver and four bronzes at last year’s World Youth Championships in Albania. “We are hoping for seven or eight medals this time,” said Sharma. “These athletes will probably be too old for 2036 – we want them to be 21, 22 at that time so we are looking for talent aged nine or ten. “It took us a long time in India to come back from doping scandals. We have been successful with that, and now after Mira’s medal we are doing well. I would say that the future looks much brighter than the past for us.” Chinese Taipei, with 11 athletes, also sends a big team from Asia. Five members of the Pan American Federation have entered large teams – 19 for hosts Peru, 18 for Mexico, 15 for Colombia, 14 for Venezuela and 11 for the United States. Turkey, Poland and Spain send the largest teams from Europe. Three champions from last year compete in Lima – Ogulshat Amanova for Tukmenistan in the women’s 49kg, Seryoza Barseghyan from Armenia in the men’s 73kg and Irakli Vekua from Georgia in the men’s super-heavyweights. Etta Mae Love, the Canadian who was second in the women’s super-heavyweights in Albania last March, might have a shot at the youth world record in clean and jerk, judging by her numbers in training. By Brian Oliver

IWF President in Baku to enhance weightlifting development in Azerbaijan

The IWF President Mohammed Jalood was this week in Azerbaijan, where he had the opportunity to discuss new ways of developing weightlifting in the country with the national authorities. While in Baku, Mr Jalood met with Prime Minister Mr Ali Asadov, the Minister of Youth and Sports Mr Farid Gayibov, and representatives of the Azerbaijan National Olympic Committee and Weightlifting Federation. IWF President Mohammed Jalood (first from the right) meets with the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Mr Ali Asadov (second from the left) and President of the Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation Mr Kamran Nabizade (first from the left) During these three days, Mr Jalood visited Baku’s High-Performance Training Centre, a facility that could become an IWF Academy in the future. The complex includes high-level training facilities (the national team of Azerbaijan is doing its preparation there), but also excellent conditions for athletes’ accommodation. A presentation on this venue will be made by Azeri representatives at the IWF Executive Board meeting next December in Bahrain (during the IWF World Championships), so that it can eventually integrate the IWF Academy project, already active in China (Fuzhou) and Cuba (La Habana).  IWF President (centre) with Azerbaijan's Minister of Youth and Sports Mr Farid Gayibov (second from the left) and NF representatives (President Nabizade and Vice-President Mr Firdovsi Umudov, first from the right) “All authorities are quite enthusiastic about this project, as they want to elevate the level of weightlifting in Azerbaijan. The performances of the younger athletes in the country are already quite encouraging, but the sport and political officials are determined to develop a new weightlifting culture in the country, namely in the fundamental area of anti-doping,” considered Mr Jalood after the visit.  IWF President meeting Azerbaijan's National Olympic Committee representatives - Vice-President Mr Chingiz Huseynzade and General Secretary Mr Azer Aliyev  In his discussions with Mr Asadov, the IWF President was happy to know that Azerbaijan is keen to receive IWF events in the future, namely in the youth and junior age group category. This was confirmed by Mr Gayibov, but also by the National Olympic Committee Vice-President Mr Chingiz Huseynzade, and NOC General Secretary Mr Azer Aliyev.  IWF President with the President and Vice-President of Azerbaijan's Weightlifting Federation “I strongly encouraged the Azeri authorities to present their bids, as we all know that the country is perfectly capable of successfully hosting our events. Baku has staged many international and prestigious sports competitions, and we would like to be part of that list. The interest is real and I am sure we will have good news in the future,” concluded Mr Jalood. IWF