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IWF120y/88 – 2000: Iran celebrates its new star – Hossein Rezazadeh

Weightlifting symbolises strength, and the super heavyweight category is often associated with the ‘strongest men’ on earth. Lifters shining in this category are often elevated to a stardom status, both in the history of the sport and of their respective country. Hossein Rezazadeh, from Iran, is certainly a good example of this principle. Born in 1978, he started to shine at the end of the 1990s, with one bronze medal at the 1998 Asian Games, the gold at the 1999 Asian Championships, and another third place at the 1999 World Championships. Arrived in Sydney (AUS) for his first Games in 2000 (photo), Rezazadeh breaks the hegemony of Soviet/Russian lifters in the heaviest category, earning his Olympic title in 212.5-260-472.5. It was the initial highlight of an outstanding career that would include another Olympic victory in Athens 2004 and four World wins, from 2002 to 2006. He triumphed also in the 2002 and 2006 editions of the Asian Games. Moreover, the Iranian ace established six World Records during his career, with bests of 213kg in Snatch and 263.5kg in Clean & Jerk. In 2008, before the Games in Beijing, he was advised by his medical team to stop weightlifting, and much to the surprise of his fans, he announced his retirement. A true hero in his country, he was immediately invited to join the Iranian Weightlifting Federation as special advisor (then manager and coach) and initiated also a political career, namely as a member of Tehran’s City Council. Having won ‘Iran’s Sportsperson of the Year’ award on four occasions, he is the only athlete in his country to have achieved such an accolade.

IWF120y/87 – 1967: World Championships, an (almost) annual tradition

The 2024 IWF World Championships represented the 89th recognised edition of the IWF showcase, with the first one taking place in London, in the now distant year of 1891. There are more than 89 years between that founding date and the present, but as a norm, World Championships are taking place annually. There are however exceptions. Until 1912, these events were erratic and did not follow a coherent calendar (there were four World Championships in 1911, for example!), but after that, there was some regularity. However, two major disruptions occurred during the period of the two world wars - between 1914-1919, and then 1939-1945. Moreover, the four-year cycle determined by the Olympics also dictated the staging (or not) of the IWF showcase. From the 1948 to the 1960 edition of the Games, World Championships were not staged in those years, something that was replicated between 1988 and 2016. From 1964 (photo) to 1984, the Olympics were also counted as World Championships, while in 2021 and 2024, the IWF event was also organised in an Olympic year. Finally, there are two abnormalities to this sequence: from 1924 to 1936, there were no World Championships, as well as in the single year of 1967. In the first case, the explanation relates to the deficient organisation of the IWF in the 1920s, the internal divisions between weightlifting factions, and the ‘forced’ change for the adoption of a triathlon format (press, snatch and clean & jerk) determined by the IOC to be implemented from the 1928 Games. Concerning 1967, the IWF showcase was scheduled to take place in Japan, but the Asian nation did not have diplomatic relations with the German Democratic Republic (still a trace of the WW II conflict). As visas couldn’t be delivered to GDR lifters, no flag could be displayed or anthem played, the Soviet and Eastern European bloc decided to support their ally and boycott the event – in consequence, the IWF had no choice but to cancel that edition. Fortunately, it remains the last major setback in the history of the IWF World Championships.

Lima, Review: Many ‘firsts’ and new countries shining at the highest level in Peru

There were plenty of ‘firsts’ at the 2025 World Youth and Junior Championships, which ended in Lima, Peru this week. This was the first time two age group World Championships were staged at the same time, an impressive effort by the Peruvian hosts who opened up for first weigh-in before 07.00 and closed the doors after the final lift close to midnight on the busiest days. It was also the first time since 2016 that a World Juniors featured athletes from China, PRK and Russia, three of the strongest weightlifting nations. The 13 athletes from Russia competed as Individual Neutral Athletes, as did four from Belarus. Wei Tingna (CHN) China’s women excelled, yet again. The winners at 64kg and 55kg, Yang Liuyue and Wei Tingna, were the top two Junior performers on Sinclair points, and Wei Tingna was the best Youth points scorer when she won at 71kg. PRK’s Kim Jong Yu was another outstanding performer in winning the women’s Junior 81kg title. Russia arguably had cause to be at least as happy with its results as China and PRK. Ten of the 13 Russian neutrals were youths, and only one of them failed to win at least one medal. Two of the three juniors also won medals. All six of the Russian youth women were aged 15 or 16 and one of them, Varvara Kuzminova, looks sure to be a high achiever in the future. Kuzminova was second in the Juniors as well as winning the Youth title at 76kg, setting snatch and total world records in making 108-127-235. Varvara Kuzminova (AIN) “My congratulations to the athletes and coaches of the team on their excellent performance,” said Dmitry Vasilenko, president of the Russian Weightlifting Federation, who was happy to have his athletes back on the international stage for the first time since 2021. “I would like to thank the IWF leadership, and personally President Jalood, for their assistance in returning our athletes to the international arena. Special praise goes to the organisers of the competition, who warmly welcomed us and created a favourable atmosphere throughout our stay in Lima.” The next international outing for the young Russians will be the European Youth Championships in Madrid in July, when Kuzminova will be one of the top attractions. Charlotte Simoneau (CAN) Among other ‘firsts’ was the sight of athletes from Canada and New Zealand both standing on the podium above an athlete from China. It happened in the Junior women’s 71kg, won for the second time by Charlotte Simoneau from Canada, who continues to improve. Olivia Selemaia was second, the outstanding result of a highly successful week for New Zealand. There was a first female world champion for Brazil on day one, when Isanelly da Silva won the Youth 40kg title – and a first male champion four days later when Mattheus Pessanha won at 102kg in the Juniors. Pessanha’s total of 395kg earned more Sinclair points, 450, than any other athlete at the Championships. Matheus Pessanha (BRA) Albania and Fiji also had their first world champions, both Youths, when Enkileda Carja won the women’s 64kg from the B Group and Nehemiah Elder won at 89kg, scoring more than 400 Sinclair points a few weeks after his 16th birthday. With Fiji, New Zealand, Samoa and Nauru all on the podium, it was a successful Championships for Oceania. The Philippines, Venezuela, Moldova, Egypt and Iran were other teams with cause to celebrate, with plenty of medals as well as athletes at or near the top of the individual rankings.   Nehemiah Elder (FIJ) The Junior champions Albert Delos Santos at 67kg and Alireza Nasiri from Iran at 109kg both declared their intent to lift at the 2028 Olympic Games after impressive performances. Danu Secrieru from Moldova was near the top of the rankings after winning the Youths 55kg, a few weeks after he finished second in the European seniors in Chisinau, his home capital city. Moldova won many medals in both Chisinau and Lima. Danu Secrieru (MDA) Tomari Kotaro from Japan set world records in winning the Junior men’s 55kg. Egypt had the top men’s Sinclair scorer in the Youths, 73kg champion Hussein Abdelrahman. The best athlete who did not win was arguably Angel Rodriguez from Venezuela, who weighed in nearly 5kg light in the Junior 89kg and was beaten by 1kg on a total of 359kg. By Brian Oliver Photos by Giorgio

Update on IWF Bodyweight Categories

The IWF sent on May 7, 2025 the following communication to all its Member Federations: Following the recent decision of the IOC to include five (5) Women's and five (5) Men's Bodyweight Categories for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028, the Men's 98kg BW Category has been adjusted to 94kg. This change is intended to prevent significant gaps between the (soon to be selected) five (5) Olympic Men's Bodyweight Categories. With this adjustment, the five (5) categories will be more evenly distributed, ensuring a fairer and safer qualification for all athletes for LA28. Please note that the proposal has been endorsed by the IWF Executive Board, IWF Technical Committee and the IWF Athletes' Commission. The Women's Bodyweight categories remain as previously announced. Based on the above, the IWF bodyweight categories are as follows: SENIOR / JUNIOR WOMEN (8) / 48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, 69kg, 77kg, 86kg, +86kg MEN (8) / 60kg, 65kg, 71kg, 79kg, 88kg, 94kg, 110kg, +110kg YOUTH WOMEN (8) / 44kg, 48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, 69kg, 77kg, +77kg MEN (8) / 56kg, 60kg, 65kg, 71kg, 79kg, 88kg, 94kg, +94kg The new bodyweight categories will enter into force on June 1, 2025.

IWF120y/86 – 2024: History in the making for Karlos Nasar (BUL)

It is not frequent to report on a 20-year-old athlete, still active and necessarily at the beginning of his career, in a series of historical milestones of an international federation. Karlos Nasar, from Bulgaria, has 1/6 of the IWF age, but the indicators and results so far indicate that we are writing about a lifter who will surely be part of the history books. Issued from a nation with a great tradition in weightlifting, Nasar is a prodigy in our Sport, having already won one Olympic, two world, and three European titles. In Paris, at last year’s Olympics, the Bulgarian ace was clearly above the rest of the field in the men’s 89kg! On his way to a 14kg-difference comfortable victory, he lifted 180kg in the Snatch, 224kg in the Clean & Jerk (a new World Record), and 404kg in Total (also a new best global mark). His performance was only 2kg lower than the winner in the 102kg… Besides the Olympic gold medal, he was also the champion in the 2021 and 2024 editions of the IWF World Championships, and climbed on another three occasions to the highest march of the podium at the European level (2023, 2024, and 2025). His major career hiccup until now is the performance at the 2022 Worlds, where he bombed out in the Snatch, but still found enough motivation to set a new WR in the C&J (220kg). Born in Paris in May 2004 to a Bulgarian mother and Lebanese father, Nasar is the current holder of 15 World Records (five in each of the age groups – senior, junior, and youth).

IWF120y/85 – 1952: John Davis (USA) completes a 14-year winning streak with second Olympic gold

He was one of the weightlifting heroes in the years following World War II: US legend John Davis. Born in January 1921 in Brooklyn (New York), he was only 17 when he won in 1938 his first world title in Vienna (AUT). Statistically, he remained unbeaten until 1952, but his career had to be halted during the world conflict, when he served in the US Army between 1941-1945, being mobilised on the Pacific front. If the Olympics and World Championships had not been cancelled during the period 1939-1945, his roll of honour would have been even more impressive. Despite the adverse circumstances, Davis kept his good shape and strong motivation to win, and appeared stronger than ever at the 1946 Worlds, where he was again the best. He repeated the achievement in 1947 and arrived in London for his first Olympic appearance. In the +82.5kg, his performances went unmatched, as he clinched the gold in 137.5-137.5-177.5-452.5. In subsequent years, he got three more victories at the IWF showcase, in 1949, 1950 and 1951. Arrived at the 1952 Games in Helsinki as the favourite to triumph in the +90kg category, he confirmed his supremacy, winning in 150-145-165-460, a new Olympic record. After two Olympic and six World Championships gold medals, Davis entered the 1953 global showcase in Stockholm, but due to a thigh injury he had to be content with silver. It was the end of a 14-year winning streak that consecrated Davis as one of the greatest lifters in history. After establishing 16 World Records (two in Press, seven in Snatch, four in Clean & Jerk, and three in Total) throughout this impressive career, he definitively left the platforms in 1956, after suffering a serious leg injury at the Olympic Trials for the Melbourne Games. John Davis died in July 1984, aged 63.