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WUC participants looking into Biomechanical Research

The 2018 World University Championships offered a unique opportunity for athletes and coaches to get a look into the biomechanical research program at the host Biala Podlaska University of Physical Education. The research is conducted by 2018 FISU WUC OC Executive Director Dr. Paulina SZYSZKA, who wrote her Ph.D. thesis on the subject how biomechanical research can help weightlifters improve their performance, a work that received the Polish Award for Best Ph.D. thesis in Biomechanics . Dr.SZYSZKA held a symposium with demonstration in her university laboratory in which over 30 WUC participants were

Colourful medal allocations on Day 2 of University Worlds

Poland celebrated their first gold medal and USA surged forward in the women's 58kg. The snatch was dominated by home favourite DZIENIS Monika, but in the second part BRAMWELL Kaija drew away from her opponents and scored a very convincing victory in clean and jerk and total. We saw the same pattern in the men's 69kg category; i.e. Poland's ROTNICKI Szymon was supreme in the snatch taking gold, yet his 6kg advantage over Chinese Taipei HUANG Ding-Chieh was not enough to keep the lead until the end. HUANG overwhelmed with 155kg and won overall. The bronzes were picked up by Canada's DUMAS Alexandre. Women's 63kg: CHARRON Maude, CAN, 2017 WWC snatch silver medallist and Commonwealth champion took the snatch gold medal and continued dominating in clean and jerk. After all athletes had finished their act - including snatch bomber GANZORIG Anuujin, MGL taking the C&J silver, and Australian ELLIOTT Kiana, silver in total - she appeared for 120-124-127kg in a one-woman show and collected al honours. The Canadian's result is 24kg more than the next best's. Men's 77kg: In a big fight and suspenseful competition, Serbian competitor ROZSNYIK Ervin emerged as the winner of the snatch (139kg). In clean and jerk with steady lifting and superb tactics he managed to keep his advantage of 6 kilograms until the moment when two lifts were left for Japanese HARA Yuki to beat ROZSNYIK. Eventually, both of HARA's efforts remained unsuccessful landing him in the silver medallist position while VACHON Nicolas, Canada took the

Japan swipes gold medals on the first day of FISU World Championships

What a good day to start the competitions at the 6th edition of the FISU World University Weightlifting Championships than yesterday in Biala Podlaska, Poland! 20th September was declared by UNESCO as the International Day of University Sport (IDUS) and the academic students gathered for their World Championships from 27 countries of the 5 continents celebrated it by starting to compete yesterday. The World Championships are hosted in the campus of the Physical Education Faculty of the J. Pilsudski University in Biala Podlaska, East Poland and offer ideal conditions for the participants. The first day of the WUC ran the first two women's and the first two men's categories. Japan was the absolute winner of the day having swept the women's 48kg, the men's 56kg and 62kg categories. In the women's 53kg first France celebrated a winner in snatch: RIGAUD Garance. In the clean and jerk, however, she faced a strong challenge from Mexico, USA and Great Britain. In the close fight, the ultimate winner was FUENTES ZAVALA Susana from Mexico. — Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube

National Championships of the Republic of Belarus in memory of Alexander Kurlovich

It has become a tradition to hold the National Championships of the Republic of Belarus in Grodno, the hometown of Alexander Kurlovich. After the tragic passing away of the two-times Olympic Champion, four-times World Champion, two-times European Champion and Member of the IWF Technical Committee, this event was held in commemoration of his memory. The IWF was represented by Eva Balogh, Office Manager and Kornel Jancso, Editor-in-Chief of World Weightlifting Magazine. At the opening ceremony on behalf of Dr. Tamas Ajan, IWF President the delegation expressed their heartfelt condolences to the widow, Olga Kurlovich, the Belarus Weightlifting Union and the leaders of Grodno. The IWF representatives, accompanied by Siarhei Samuseu, BWU General Secretary and Vitaliy Kreidich, Executive Secretary visited the training hall where Alexander Kurlovich used to train for several years, the monument of Olympic Champions initiated by Mr. Kurlovich. They laid a wreath on his grave. The Belarus Weightlifting Family and the sport authorities of Grodno greatly honour the memory of their weightlifting legend, they plan to hold international competitions in memoriam of Alexander Kurlovich each year in his hometown. They - alongside with the widow – continue his work of educating young athletes in all fields of sport and spreading the spirit of Olympism. — Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter

Watch the FISU University World Championships LIVE!

The FISU University World Championships kicks off today in Biała Podlaska, Poland and will last until Sunday (September 23). All the events will take place at the facilities of the Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education. A total of 144 athletes of 27 countries will compete at the sixth edition of the Championships. You can find out more on the official website of the event here. Live Stream is also available! — Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter

Get to know… Fernando Reis

Name: Fernando Reis D.O.B.: 10 March 1990 Nationality: Brazilian Bodyweight category: +105kg Major medals (Total): 2010 South American Games (Medellin, Colombia) - Silver 2011 Pan American Games (Guadalajara, Mexico) - Gold 2014 South American Games (Santiago, Chile) - Gold 2015 Pan American Games (Toronto, Canada) - Gold Personal Bests:  Snatch: 201kg Clean and Jerk: 242kg Total: 440kg [caption id="attachment_24023" align="aligncenter" width="563"] Fernando Reis[/caption] -- BUSINESS   1 Snatch or clean & jerk? It depends of the training cycle. At times I would rather do the snatch and other times the clean & jerk. Snatch is a technical exercise, whereas the clean and jerk… it requires more strength and more courage!   2. What do you like to listen to when training?  For me, the music doesn't really matter. I like to listen to hip-hop, but I think I listen to music so I don't get distracted by outside conversations.   3. How many hours a week do you spend in the gym?  I do 2 sessions on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. I do 1 session on Thursday and Saturday. Each session lasts 2 hours.   4. What's your favourite aspect of training?  My favourite aspect of training is preparing for competition. The prime of the prime. I like to compete well, so I must prepare myself like a savage.   5. Which aspect of training do you hate the most?  I hate the injuries. In fact, now I'm dealing with a big injury that brings a lot of uncertainty throughout the process. But I like to use injuries as an opportunity to work on something else, something I wouldn't normally do in a training session.   6. If there was one thing you could improve about your technique, what would it be?  Something I would improve about my technique would be for sure my second pull - where I could use more legs instead of my back. By doing that I would be able to keep the barbell closer to my centre of gravity, therefore I would finish the pull more vertically.   7. What is your most memorable lift? I think lifting at home in the Olympics in 2016 was a memorable moment. Thousands and thousands of people cheering my name – it was very cool. Watch our intimate interview with Fernando before the Rio Olympic Games.   8. What achievements will allow you to retire happy?  I will retire after I get my World Championships medal and Olympic medal. After that I will be happy. That means I have to work a lot to achieve those goals.   9. Knowing what you know now, what one thing would you change in your first training routines?  Knowing what I know now I would change my patience. When I was younger I used to kill myself in training. Now I know that I have to prepare myself for war and don't get killed in the process!   10. Who is the greatest weightlifter of all time?   Fernando Reis. I have to believe in myself more than anything. I respect the other lifters and have more respect for those who lift more than myself. I have admiration for Evgeny Chigishev, Khadzhimurat Akkayev, Pyrros Dimas. I like lifters who represent more than just lifting heavy weights.   11. What is the most important thing needed to be an Olympic weightlifter?  Be crazy, but have control. Know that the process takes a long time.   [caption id="attachment_24015" align="aligncenter" width="567"] Fernando at the 2017 IWF World Championships[/caption] -- PERSONAL    1 Describe yourself in 3 words Determined. Resilient. Kind.   2. What other sports do you like to play?  I like to shoot guns. I like automobiles - anything that involves speed.   3. What is your favourite meal?  Steak and fries.   4. If you could only eat one type of one cuisine for the rest of your life, what would it be?  Brazilian steakhouse.   5. Describe your perfect day off.  PR snatch and PR clean & jerk. Sauna and then the beach in Miami. That’s a good day.   6. Which person, alive or dead, would you like to have a conversation with? The Brazilian racing driver Ayrton Senna.   7. Name one skill you would like to learn  I would like to learn how to invest money in stocks.   8. Where is the one place you would like to visit?  Bora Bora.   9. What's the best piece of advice you've ever received? Do the best you can with what you have. Be kind and treat others with respect – everyone is the same unless they give you a reason to treat them differently. Family first.   Watch Fernando takeover @iwfnet Instagram Stories next Wednesday 26 September, as he trains for the 2018 IWF World Championships in Ashgabat. — Follow IWF: Facebook Instagram Twitter