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Weightlifting competitions around the world

The last month saw many great weightlifting competitions from the Pacific Mini Games + Oceania Senior Championships in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands to the XIX Bolivarian Games in Valledupar, Colombia and 19th Mediterranean Games in Oran, Algeria. Among some highlights from the month’s events were the five days of competition with daily awards and various broken records taking place at the Bolivarian Games. Here Colombia was the country that won the most medals in weightlifting. The medal table podium for weightlifting was completed by Ecuador and Venezuela. Speaking about the Mediterranean Games, Dr. Milan Mihajlovic, Technical Delegate for the Weightlifting Competition at Oran 2022 Games and EWF General Secretary said, “I would like to thank the International Committee of Mediterranean Games, the host country, and the Organizing Committee for their dedication to the growth of our sport. Initially we had a limited competitive capacity, but with hard work we helped increase the competition from only two men’s and two women’s body weight categories with two competition days to a four-day event with five competition categories for both men and women”. The Weightlifting competition of the XIX Mediterranean Games Oran 2022 will include the following events: Men: 61 Kg,73 kg, 89 Kg, 102 Kg, +102 Kg Women: 49 Kg,59 kg, 71 Kg, 81 Kg, +81 Kg The widespread weightlifting championships that continue to be held around the world are a strong indication that our sport is growing. And not only growing in one particular demographic but in fact growing in new countries and regions around the world – making for a complete international and representative

Renewal confirmed at IWF Congress

The election of the new IWF President Mr. Mohammed Jaloud, Executive Board as well as Commissions and Committees, demonstrates the strong wish of the IWF member federations for a renewal and change within the organisation.  President Jaloud brings extensive experience within the sport; having been a weightlifting athlete for 13 years, working within the administration for 26 years and spending the last five as IWF General Secretary. His goals for the future focus on uniting the weightlifting federation and promoting the new philosophy for the organisation going forward. While it was essential for some experienced leaders to remain, a total of 12 new members have now join the Board – making for a 66% change in the leadership team. In addition, the female representation was substantially increased above the quota. Furthermore, three dedicated athlete representative positions are now an integral part of the Board (with full voting rights). In relation to the IWF Athletes’ Commission, since the election of the Vice Chairwoman Hiromi Miyake (JPN) to the IWF Executive Board, her position within the IWF AC was left vacant. Due to this activity, the IWF Athletes’ Commission officially elected Dora Tchakounte (FRA) to take over this position. Tchakounte is an Olympian, recently competing in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where she placed 4th in the 59kg category. She will now join Forrester Osei on the IWF Executive Board as an IWF Athlete Representative. The new IWF President Mohammed Jaloud commented on his new role and the new direction of the IWF, “I am looking forward to getting started with my new team. We have been given the confidence and trust of our members to bring positive change and this is something that I am dedicated to doing. There is a renewed energy within our organisation, I have already had the chance to discuss with my team and we are ready to work and start delivering good things for our sport. We have a lot of new members and a lot of good experience within the newly elected Executive Board. We have a much stronger female and athlete representation than ever before and we are all focused on the future of weightlifting and ensuring that we work with our Olympic

A new chapter begins for IWF

The new Executive Board of the International Weightlifting Federation met at the IWF Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. Coming together for the first time since their election, there was a packed agenda set for the new leadership. Among the most important topics were weightlifting’s Olympic status as well as the foundation and future of the sport. At the recent Executive Board meeting discussions focused on the core principles of the IWF, including reviewing the past culture versus the new philosophy of the organisation and next steps in continuing to clean up the sport. Each member of the Executive Board committed to supporting the good governance initiatives already implemented and to the continued improvement of transparency and integrity within the sport. Furthermore, concrete steps were agreed. These included: commissioning the International Testing Agency (ITA) to increase the number of out-of-competition tests and enhance transparency, appointing an international auditing firm to perform a detailed financial, governance and operational due diligence of the IWF covering the past ten year, review the IWF constitution to identify any needs for adjusting operational regulations, and lastly, an adjustment will be made to the current financial management regulations and procedures to ensure a clear link between costs and obtained results. Additional points discussed also included the upcoming events for this year and next year, the support of athletes and member federations, the improvement of sponsorship and ways in which to promote the sport of weightlifting throughout the world. IWF General Secretary Antonio Urso said, “We had some great discussions and made some important decisions for weightlifting; we are looking forward to sharing more on next steps with our members and partners in the coming weeks and months ahead. But we can already promise that transparency will be at the core of everything that the IWF does from now on.” While in Lausanne, the IWF President Mohammed Jaloud, the General Secretary Antonio Urso and the First Vice President Ursula Papandrea were invited to the IOC for a meeting aimed at establishing the path forward for the IWF regarding further improve governance. The meeting was very fruitful, and many points were highlighted by the IWF leadership as to the initial steps taken by the IWF towards positive change for the future of Olympic weightlifting. Continuing on the path forward, the IWF also welcomed ASOIF’s fourth Review on IF Governance this past month. In this report by ASOIF, the IWF is proud to report back to all members that the organization had increased it’s score to secure a strong place in Group B (Group B sits in the middle of the five-group system – A1, A2, B, AT and C). Following a self-assessment questionnaire and independent evaluation conducted by ASOIF and independent experts, the IWF achieved four (4) Top 10 results in the assed indicators. This marks a significant improvement for the organisation and demonstrates the dedication of the leadership to foster transparency, modernisation and

The official slogan for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024: Games Wide Open

The President of Paris 2024 Tony Estanguet explains the slogan "Games wide open", which was released on Monday 25 July 2022, as part of the 2 years to go to Paris 2024 Olympic games celebrations. "Games Wide Open. This is the shared slogan for both the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, unveiled by Paris 2024 on the occasion of the 2 years to go anniversary. Above all, since the beginning of this adventure, it is the ambition that drives us and inspires each of our actions. It is an invitation to the world to come and experience new emotions together. Our Games are the commitments of new experiences and big thrills. New disciplines, outdoor competitions in the heart of Paris, a unique Opening Ceremony on the Seine, the Marathon for All so that everyone can run this iconic Olympic event like the athletes... Let’s open the emotions of sport It’s a power. The power to open our hearts and minds, to stop seeing differences as obstacles. Between the non-disabled athletes and Para athletes: there is only one French team. Between the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games: there is only one emblem and one slogan. Between men and women: our Olympic Games will be those of perfect parity. The power to write the greatest collective story of a whole generation, through everyone's contribution, by giving room for everyone: all the territories, the expertise, and all those who wish to join us. Let's open the Games to all energies It is also a dream, a dream shared by everyone who is building these Games. A Games, to reinforce the place of sport in our lives; to support the transformation of the territories, particularly in Seine-Saint-Denis. Ground-breaking Games, which imagine the world of tomorrow, testing, inventing, creating, and shaping solutions that will genuinely serve society. And which place youth at the heart of their action. Let’s open our eyes to the current challenges It is a collective ambition, to open the Games, to showcase to the world the best of France especially its boldness, its creativity and innovative spirit that makes up our country's identity. To deliver inspiring Games that will help take the Olympic and Paralympic Movement into a new era. Bold and creative Games that dare to take a step outside the box, to challenge the current models, our ways of seeing things, our paradigms; to give us the opportunity to come together, to be proud together, to experience together. Quite simply a Games wide open." Source:

Event Schedule – Paris 2024 Olympic Games

The event schedule of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has been announced yesterday. Please see the complete schedule

Paris 2024 Olympic Games events schedule announced 2 Years before the Games – see you there!

Paris 2024 has published its events competition schedule, along with new information on ticket pricing. A chance to look forward, two years before the Games begin. The countdown continues! With the first medals being awarded the day after the Opening Ceremony, a packed middle weekend, the swimming and athletics finals in the evening, placing women in the spotlight, the calendar was designed to let fans live the full experience of the Games! With two years to go before the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on 26 July 2024, Paris 2024 has released its events competition schedule, marking a key milestone in the Paris 2024 project. Drawn up in close cooperation with all the International Federations, the IOC and OBS (which will produce the TV coverage of the Games), the schedule provides a detailed breakdown of the sports programme of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. So close your eyes for a few moments and cast your mind forward to… Team sports taking centre stage from 24 July 2024, when the eight opening matches of the men’s football tournament will be played at venues all over France, while the Stade deFrance hosts the thrills and spills of the first 12 rugby sevens matches; The men’s and women’s 100m freestyle swimming finals, and the silence of the Paris La Défense Arena crowd as they await the start of the race: at 8.30pm on 31 July; The electric atmosphere at the 110m and 100m hurdles finals in athletics at the Stade de France: from 7pm on 8 August for the men and 7pm on 10 August for the women; The handball finals in front of 27,000 frenzied spectators at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille: from 3pm on 10 August for the women and 1.30pm the following day for the men; The first ever breaking finals in Olympic Games history, at the foot of the Concorde obelisk: 8pm on 9 August for the B-Girls and the same time the next evening for the B-Boys; The Eventing cross-country Equestrian event, in the majestic setting of the gardens of the Château de Versailles: 28 July, from 10.30 am The new kitesurfing events in sailing, in the magnificent Marseille Marina: from 11am on 8 August; The men’s and women’s surfing quarters, semi-finals and finals on the mythical Teahupo’o wave in Tahiti: from 7am local time (7pm Paris time) on 30 July; The men’s individual archery final on the Esplanade des Invalides, starting at 1pm on 4 August; The very last Olympic gold medal to be decided (before the Paralympic Games begin two weeks later) at the women’s basketball final at the Bercy Arena, starting at 3.30pm on 11 August It’s official! The 32 sports on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games programme now know their events schedule, with 329 events spread across 18 days of competition from Wednesday 24 July to Sunday 11 August. (...) Source: