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Havana GP verdict: Stars from three continents, and AIN, light up Cuba’s first global event in 50 years

A world record for Angie Palacios of Ecuador, a winning start at a new weight for Solfrid Koanda of Norway and a career-best for the remarkable Indonesian Eko Yuli Irawan were among the individual highlights of the IWF Grand Prix that ended in Havana on Sunday. As for the teams, Indonesia, the United States and Ecuador all excelled, while the one dressed entirely in grey also had a successful championships. The weightlifting team of Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN), including the lifters with Belarussian passport, had four winners. Three AIN lifters moved straight into the top 10 of the Paris rankings, Petr Asayonak and Yauheni Tsikhantsou at 89kg and 102kg respectively, and Siuzanna Valodzka at 71kg, while others have made it into the top 20. This was their first international competition since December 2021. The team of Individual Neutral Athletes “We are back home, back in the family... I can’t describe how good it feels,” said Vitaliy Kreidich, vice-president of the Belarus Weightlifting Federation and part of the team who managed 13 lifters, eight men and five women, in Havana. Mohamed Jalood, the IWF president, said, “We saw here that weightlifting is a sport for all. The team respected the conditions they signed up to, they came as neutrals and everybody respected them on the platform, on the podium, everywhere.” Kreidich said, “It has been very good here in Cuba, good organisation, accommodation, training facilities. “All the teams have been happy to see us, we were welcomed back on to the platform. There were no bad vibes, no pressure, everything seemed ideal. “It is too early to say who did what in terms of Olympic qualifying here, because there are still four competitions to come” said Kreidich. “We trained well, but we can do better.” Yauheni Tsikhantsou (AIN) Belarus will have a chance to repay Cuba for its hospitality, and will not have to compete in grey in August when it hosts the multi-sport CIS Games for former Soviet states and others. Cuba will be there, one of 10 nations in weightlifting and one of 20 across a range of sports, said Kreidich. The Havana Grand Prix – the first global weightlifting competition hosted by Cuba for 50 years – was the last chance for weightlifters from Russia and Belarus to enter Olympic qualifying as neutral individuals. Russia declined because they did not agree with the “unacceptable” conditions imposed by the IWF, which was following recommendations drawn up by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after it suspended both nations because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Our president (Aleksandr Lukashenko) was not happy that there was no flag, no anthem, no national uniform but he agreed to the conditions because he understands how hard it is for athletes when they cannot compete,” said Kreidich. Sourcing a completely new outfit for the team, which had to be grey with no national emblems, was not easy. By the time Kreidich had bought the material everything was a rush. He had to drive to a national clothing factory 500 kilometres from Minsk, the capital, and arrived after midnight. Everything was finally ready at 5pm the day before departure for Cuba. The average age of the five women in Cuba was just under 21, compared with 24.5 for the men. “We have a good mix in our team who are trying for the Olympic Games - young athletes with potential, and older, experienced athletes,” said Kreidich. Angie Palacios (ECU) Palacios, from Ecuador, was the only world record breaker in Cuba, with a snatch of 121kg at 71kg. She is part of the remarkable family that has produced Olympic and continental champions, including her sister Neisi, who won at 81kg in Havana. Koanda overcame cramp to win in her first competition at 81kg, and Irawan is on course for a record fifth Olympic medal. He posted career-high numbers after going up to 67kg, and his team-mates Ricko Saputra and Rahmat Erwin won at 61kg and 81kg. Solfrid Koanda (NOR) The quality of the women’s 81kg session in Havana is evident in the updated ranking lists for Paris 2024. Four of the top 10 at that weight made their best total in Havana. Across all weight categories for men and women, totals made in Havana feature 16 times in the top 10. There were good results for the United States, most notably by Hampton Morris at 61kg, Wes Kitts at 102kg and Taylor Wilkins at 59kg. Arley Calderon moved into the Paris top 10 at 61kg after finishing third, a performance that helped Cuba to finish top of the men’s team classification. By Brian Oliver, Inside the Games Complete coverage: Havana, Final Day: Late starter “Coach Mary” so close to catching her USA Olympic medallist team-mate – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) Havana, Day 10: Double for Asia and more progress by Chilean mother Valdes – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) Havana, Day 9: Norway’s Koanda overcomes cramp to win a classic and take third place in Paris rankings – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) Havana, Day 8: 2012 weightlifting champion Valentin sets out for fifth Olympic Games – aged 38 – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) Havana, Day 7: World record for Palacios continues stunning success for weightlifting’s special family – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) Havana, Day 6: Unstoppable Erwin so close to another world record – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) Havana, Day 5: US weightlifters battle in Paris rankings while former team-mate Sasser shines – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) Havana, Day 4: Irawan hits career high at 33 and has record-breaking fifth Olympic medal in his sights – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) Havana, Day 3: Gold for Indonesia, a good day for USA – and another medal for late starter Gallant – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) Havana, Day 2: Mother-of-three Piron wins B Group gold to boost chances of fourth Olympic Games – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) Havana, Day 1: British Morrow loses 15% of her body weight to post Paris qualifying total – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) IWF Grand Prix: “It will be an unforgettable event!” – International Weightlifting Federation Cuba is ready to host its biggest weightlifting event in 50 years! – International Weightlifting Federation

David Liti (NZL): “I want a medal at the 2024 Olympics”

Travelling half the globe to reach Havana, David Liti had no special plans for the IWF Grand Prix but had however one goal in mind: to get a total of 400kg in the men’s +109kg category. In the last final of the competition, the Neo Zealander reached his objective, bettering his previous result in the Olympic Qualification ranking. In Bogota (COL), at the IWF World Championships last December, Liti concluded the competition with a 396kg effort, 15kg below the present cut for the 10th place of the Paris 2024 classification. If not directly qualified in the group of the 10 best in the world, he will for sure earn a place through continental quota, as he is by far the best representative of Oceania in this category. After winning two medals in the Cuban capital – silver in total, behind Ali Davoudi (IRI, 441kg), and also second in the clean and jerk, with a 226kg lift – the 26-year-old was a happy man. “The medals were initially not on the plan. It became a reality a few hours before the final and in the end, everything worked fine. The most important was to improve my total in the ranking – this is also done,” he admits. David Liti (NZL) Paris 2024 will be the second Olympic experience for Liti, who was fifth at the Tokyo 2020ne Games, with a total of 414kg, his personal international best. “At the IWF World Championships in Riyadh, I definitively want to go over the 400kg and approach my best result. I aim at getting the direct qualification, by having a total amongst the best 10 of the world hierarchy. In Paris, I hope to do better than in Japan, so I will fight for a podium. The colour of the medal is not important…” reveals Liti. If he is successful in this ambitious objective, it would represent the first weightlifting podium achievement for the Kiwi nation at the Olympic level. Enjoying a very positive personal reputation in New Zealand, he considers however that the sport is still far from being recognised as it should be. “We are still at a development stage. We only brought two athletes to this competition, and it is very difficult to have our travels funded only through weightlifting. It is the reality we have and we are working hard to improve that. To come here, I had to put money from my pocket…” Liti confesses. Elected to the IWF Athletes Commission in December 2022, the star from New Zealand is optimistic about the global development of the sport. “We are fundamentally athletes. We don’t care so much about politics and decisions at the highest level. However, athletes are well represented and their voice is heard by the IWF top-level management. This is our job – to make sure athletes’ job is easier and done in better conditions. All the effort is of course positive and encouraging”.  Reflecting on the necessary “change of culture”, Liti is happy to note that “important steps were done in the right direction”. Because, as he underlines, “at the end of the day, it’s the athletes coming here and competing – of course with the help of their coaches, their entourage and of course of the IWF”. With an international career that debuted in 2014, the New Zealander had its best result at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, where he won gold in the +105kg category, in 174-229-403. His best IWF World Championships outcome was a ninth place in 2021 (176-231-407). To Cuba, he came accompanied by his teammate Xavier Tiffany, who finished 11th in the men’s 89kg category. By Pedro Adrega, IWF Communications Other stories from this Grand Prix: Cuba and the IWF Grand Prix: Hard work, emotion, and development – International Weightlifting Federation Ecuador: A true story of success! – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) Brandon Vautard (FRA): “All the eyes will be on the French athletes during the Games!” – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) Safaa Aljumaili (IRQ): “It’s a very positive return to competition!” – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) Ine Andersson (NOR): Overcoming adversity with determination – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) From Mexico with… fair-play! – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) Arley Calderon (CUB): “The Games were never so close for me…” – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) Fighting for a position in the Olympic ranking: “I will not surrender!” – International Weightlifting Federation (iwf.sport) From 1973 to 2023: The Professor’s memories – International Weightlifting Federation

Havana, Final Day: Late starter “Coach Mary” so close to catching her USA Olympic medallist team-mate

Mary Theisen Lappen came desperately close to overtaking her United States team-mate Sarah Robles, who has won two Olympic medals, in an exciting women’s super-heavyweight session here in Havana. The US also had a good result in the men’s super-heavyweights, the final session at the IWF Grand Prix, when Aaron Williams made a total of 390kg on his international debut, in only his sixth weightlifting meet. Like Theisen Lappen, Williams is a late starter who moved across from another sport. This is the third of seven possible qualifying opportunities for Paris 2024 and two Americans may go head-to-head in the remaining four before a “winner” emerges. It is close in all the women’s Olympic weight categories, where USA has two contenders and only the one with the bigger total can qualify for Paris. Mary Theisen Lappen (USA) Theisen Lappen, known as “Coach Mary” because of her background as a successful athletics coach before she came to weightlifting, thought she could make her final clean and jerk of 164kg and wanted to do it not just to move 1kg ahead of Robles in the rankings. “It sounds silly but I was thinking ‘This would be a really good thing for Father’s Day’. My dad and mum were watching back home and texting me. “They’ll be happy regardless. This was a personal record for me on total and it would have been a huge PR if I’d made that last lift. “I was thinking ‘I can really make this’ – but then I didn’t make the jerk. I should probably have waited one more second before I jerked it. Maybe next time, it’s OK.” “Coach Mary” completed the lift but it got three red lights and a challenge failed when the jury agreed with the referees that there was movement in both arms. She was very happy with an improved snatch performance. “It was good especially in terms of technique. In the past eight weeks I’ve felt like I’m becoming a good snatcher. I’m feeling now that I can get close-ish to the others in snatch and then lift more in clean and jerk.” This was only the fourth international competition for Theisen Lappen, 33, and the first time she has competed against athletes from beyond the Americas. Because she has Norwegian heritage she was keen to meet Solfrid Koanda, Norway’s 81kg winner here. “We talked for quite a time about the next week. Solfrid is going hiking in the mountains, I’m going home to spend some time with mum and dad. “Everybody will be having a fun week before starting to prepare for the Worlds.” Sarah Robles (USA) Theisen Lappen, who made 119-158-277, finished ahead of Robles but is 5kg behind her in the long list rankings. Robles, who won bronze in Rio and Tokyo, made 126-150-276 in second place and Lisseth Ayovi from Ecuador was third on 116-150-266. In the men’s event the Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Ali Davoudi from Iran won by a wide margin on 203-238-441, and it would have been wider had he not failed with his final two attempts at 251kg and 252kg. Ali Davoudi (IRI) Second-placed David Liti from New Zealand made all three clean and jerks to move up the rankings on 174-226-400, an improvement of 4kg on his best in qualifying. Tamas Kajdoci from Serbia was third on 175-216-391. Williams, 28, went straight into the Paris rankings at 16th with his remarkable performance but will not be able to qualify because he arrived so late on the scene he was not entered for the World Championships, a compulsory event, at the preliminary stage. Before today Williams, who played college football for the University of Central Oklahoma, had competed in three local meets and two at national level. His total exceeded the 389kg needed to get a stipend from USA Weightlifting but there may have to be some negotiating, because the payments are not available to anyone who is ineligible for Paris qualifying. “I started weightlifting about a year and a half ago, and I’m really enjoying it,” Williams said. “I’m lucky that the owner of my gym is an Olympic weightlifting coach who said he’d teach me after he saw my cleans. I always enjoyed being in the weight room as a football player.” Aaron Williams (USA) Williams made 175-215-390 for fourth place, outperforming his team-mate Alejandro Medina, who failed with all three clean and jerks as he tried to improve on his best qualifying total of 385kg. Eduard Ziaziulin, who had an entry total of 440kg, declined all his remaining lifts after making 181kg with his first snatch. He has been suffering from a back problem and hopes to be fit for the World Championships in September. Ziaziulin, 24, made 447kg on total at his last competition for Belarus when he finished fourth at the 2021 IWF World Championships. By Brian Oliver, Inside the

IWF IN MOURNING – Ben Helfgott (GBR)

It is with great regret that the IWF learnt about the recent loss of Sir Ben Helfgott (GBR), an Olympian lifter in 1956 and 1960, at the age of 93. Mr Helfgott was an example of courage, determination, and resilience, as he was one of the very few athletes capable of competing at the Games after having survived the II World War Holocaust. Born in Poland in 1929 in a Jewish family, he was deported to a concentration camp and released in 1944, at the age of 15. After that, he pursued a successful career in weightlifting, having finished 13th at the Games in Australia and 18th in the Olympic celebration in Italy, both in the lightweight category. He was also a bronze medallist at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. Following his retirement from sports, he was deeply involved with Holocaust education and remembrance initiatives. For his strong and valuable commitment to this area, he was knighted by the Queen in 2018. In this moment of grief, the IWF presents its heartfelt condolences to Mr Helfgott's family and friends as well as to the entire British weightlifting community.  

Cuba and the IWF Grand Prix: Hard work, emotion, and development

Jorge Luis Barcelan likes to talk with passion about the causes he cherishes. His eyes get wet when he recalls all the hurdles and difficulties until the staging of the IWF Grand Prix, here in Havana (CUB). President of the Cuban Weightlifting Federation since 2014, Barcelan was a dedicated host to the nations and athletes that decided to come to the Caribbean island and compete in an event that is also qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris (FRA). The Cuban leader is proud of this achievement and hopes that more opportunities will arise in the future. “It all started two years ago. The IWF, recognising the tradition and history of our country in the sport, decided that we were worth staging a world event of this magnitude. It seemed a dream then, as the last, and only, world competition ever hosted in Cuba were the IWF World Championships, in the already distant year of 1973,” recalls Barcelan. “The International Federation decided that this could be a good occasion to revive and develop the sport on the island. Once we knew that the IWF and the Pan American Federation strongly supported the project, we knocked at the door of the Ministry of Sport and even the leadership of our country. And they were seduced by the idea!” he continues. Jorge Luis Barcelan welcoming the IWF Executive Board in Cuba However, this determination was somehow refrained by the general situation in the country, subject to an economic embargo for six decades now. With tears in his eyes, the Cuban Weightlifting Federation President explains: “We are living and imposing very drastic measures on our people, as we are subject to a very challenging environment. This creates obvious difficulties, not only in the daily lives of our citizens but in all the projects that may involve a huge investment. This was the case at this Grand Prix. Fortunately, all the concerned national authorities understood the importance of this event and immediately offered their help and financial support”. Barcelan gives a very concrete example of the challenges that the organisation of the event underwent in the weeks before the Grand Prix. “Due to bad weather, the ship that was supposed to bring from China some of the material necessary to the competition couldn’t arrive in Cuba on time. Other countries, such as Mexico, Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Venezuela immediately sent their help and we could have all the necessary conditions to welcome in the best possible way all the participating delegations. However, this represented an additional financial effort on our part… But I would like to underline and thank the international solidarity received from these nations from the American continent,” he recalls. Jorge Luis Barcelan on a podium ceremony (far right) A few hours before this interview, the IWF President Mohammed Jalood had been received by the President of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel, who thanked the IWF leader for his support in bringing such an important event to the island. “There is a clear will from the Cuban government to enhance the sport in Cuba: this includes the support to our athletes and respective federations, but also by attracting prestigious and international sports events to the country”. Known for the hospitality of its people, the IWF Family felt very well received in Havana. “Our people are always grateful to those who strongly support our development, in this case in the sportive area. We will never forget the opportunity that was given to us, and we are already studying future opportunities to bring IWF events to our country”. In fact, during the Grand Prix, Barcelan had the opportunity to take the IWF President and the Pan American Federation leader Jose Quiñones to Varadero, where an international centre is also available to stage events of this magnitude. “They were impressed with the facilities we have there. I am sure that with the positive dynamic created by this Grand Prix, continental or world events can be staged in Varadero. We are seriously considering bidding for the IWF World Junior Championships in the years to come,” he confesses. Barcelan (second from the right) is happy to have the weightlifting family in Havana On a more national perspective, Barcelan considers that the competition that concludes this Sunday in Havana, allows Cuban athletes to “compete at home with many Olympic and world medallists in weightlifting”, thus providing them with a “precious international experience”. When asked about the expectation of the Cuban Federation concerning the Games’ participation next year in Paris, Barcelan is optimistic: “Our plan is to take from two to four athletes, if possible an equal number of men and women. Once there, our objective is to get results in the first six of the ranking. That would be a good outcome for us”. Before the last competition day in Havana, Cuban male lifters won three medals (based on total results) – one gold, one silver, and one bronze – while among women two podium positions were achieved – one second and one third place. Given the situation, the Cuban weightlifting leader is obliged to concede that the men’s team is presently stronger than the women’s group. “Yes, this is true. And this is basically due to the gap between the start of the men’s programme in the country, in 1965, and the women’s one, from 2006. There was a misconception concerning weightlifting as a harmful sport for women. We did many studies – physiological and biomechanical – and we of course came to the conclusion that this sport is perfectly suited for women. Since then, I can proudly say that there is a gender balance between men and women in the sport – both in terms of athletes, but also officials, coaches, and administrators. For example, we have already 46 certified female coaches around the country. Things are evolving in a very positive way”.   The next immediate competitive rendezvous for the Cuba team are the Central American and Caribbean Games, taking place a few days after the conclusion of this Grand Prix, from June 23-28 in San Salvador (ESA). Seven male and five female lifters will represent the nation and Barcelan expects good results. “It’s basically the same team that was here in Havana. Those Games will be an opportunity to show our strength in the continent and are of course a priority for us. After that, the main IWF competition is of course the World Championships in Riyadh”. The IWF Grand Prix in Havana was also marked by the participation of a delegation, under the designation of Individual Neutral Athletes. Following the decisions of the IWF on this matter, this possibility had been open to athletes and support personnel with Russian or Belarussian passport. Only the latter agreed with the IWF policy and were present in Cuba. “We strongly believe in unity through sport. These are nations with a strong tradition in weightlifting and we are happy that at least athletes from Belarus could attend the event. They had to fulfil some conditions, which we consider appropriate. Our beloved sport of weightlifting, besides being a healthy and clean sport, needs to be a sport for all, without exceptions,” Barcelan concludes. By Pedro Adrega, IWF

Havana, Day 10: Double for Asia and more progress by Chilean mother Valdes

It was a good day for Asia when athletes from Korea and Chinese Taipei were winners on day 10 of the IWF Grand Prix here in Havana. Jin Yunseong from Korea weighed in only marginally higher than 102kg, in which he is ranked second for Paris, before winning at 109kg. Jin Yunseong (KOR) In the women’s 87kg Lo Ying-Yuan – the eighth and last member of Chinese Taipei’s team entered here – made her last lift after two failures to move ahead of Dayana Mina from Ecuador. That was Asia’s first win in a women’s contest here, whereas the men have won four times. Lo made 106-129-235, Mina 103-130-233 and third-placed Elizabeth Reyes from Cuba 101-128-229. Lo Ying-Yuan (TPE) Although she was out of the medals, fourth-placed Maria Valdes from Chile is making steady progress in her comeback after injury and motherhood. She cut her weight by 10kg in three months between competitions but still posted a better total than last time. Valdes competed at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games and missed Tokyo when a serious shoulder injury required surgery. She is aiming to lift at Paris 2024 but the big target this year is the Pan American Games, which Chile will host in October. The Pan American Championships in March was Valdes’ first competition in two years, and came 10 months after she gave birth to a daughter, Rafaela, who “loves being in the gym and has no problems with noise”. Maria Valdes (CHI) Valdes competed in the super-heavyweights in Argentina three months ago when she weighed more than 94kg. Here she weighed in at 84.65kg – not too far away from the Olympic category of 81kg which is her target. She failed with her final attempts in snatch and clean and jerk, but 100-120-220 was up 10kg on her previous total. “I can truly say that being an athlete is completely compatible with being a mother,” she said before starting out on her quest. “It is super important that athletes know that pregnancy is beneficial and not contradictory, since women generate a little more strength and resistance.” Getting back to the gym after giving birth also improved her mental health, said Valdes, 31. In the men’s event Jin, who was sixth in Tokyo at 109kg, appeared to suffer a twinge from the knee injury that left him in pain at the Asian Championships in his home nation last month. He finished second at 102kg there, posting a 398kg total. Jin, 27, made 165 in the snatch before declining his final attempt. He seemed to be feeling his injury when he missed his second clean and jerk but came out to make 196kg for a total of 361kg. He is the second man in the top 10 of the 102kg to have lifted at all three Paris qualifying events so far, the other being Wes Kitts of the United States. Jin Yunseong (KOR) “It was a bit difficult,” said Jin, who said his aim was to repeat his 109kg numbers, which include two totals of 400kg, at the lower weight. Juan Columbie from Cuba was second on 160-195-355 and Hernan Vierra from Peru third on 145-200-345. Oscar Garces was the latest Colombian to withdraw after weighing in here. The reason for the large number of withdrawals is that Colombia wants to finish top of the medals table in the Central American and Caribbean Games starting on Friday in El Salvador. By Brian Oliver, Inside the