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IWF120y/42 – 1992: Hall of Fame honours the ‘best of the best’

The ‘Hall of Fame’ concept first appeared in 1936, when the US Baseball League created its Pantheon to honour and celebrate the feats of its biggest stars. Other sports quickly adopted the idea (both on a national and international level), but weightlifting waited until 1992 to implement its Hall of Fame. The project was launched by renowned French sports journalist Alain Lunzenfichter, who was for many years the President of the AIPS (International Sport Press Association) weightlifting commission and deputy editor-in-chief of L’Équipe newspaper. Since then, a Board of Trustees (formed by IWF top officials) may nominate a maximum of 10 new members each year. Nominees may be athletes, coaches, officials, journalists, or sponsors. However, certain conditions must be fulfilled: Athletes must have retired for at least 5 years; Coaches and Officials must have worked for weightlifting for at least 25 years; other individuals are eligible provided they “have significantly assisted the sport of weightlifting”. Since the first induction in 1992, many Olympic and world champions have been on the list and are accompanied by several other protagonists in the life of our International Federation. The most recent inductees in the IWF Hall of Fame are Karl Rimböck (GER) and David Montero (BRA – left in the photo, holding his certificate), distinguished IWF official, honoured at the 2024 IWF Congress, held last December in Manama (BRN).

IWF120y/41 – 2016: Lasha Talakhadze ascends to stardom

He is the most titled Olympic athlete in the history of Georgia and one of the very few lifters with three gold medals at the Games: Lasha Talakhadze is presently the brightest star of our Sport! His successful trajectory starts with his first world title, in 2015, in Houston (USA). Since that initial success, the Georgian ace (born in 1993) will never lose any major international competition in which he takes part. At the Rio 2016 Olympics, he gets his first title in the super-heavyweight category, with a 215-258-473 performance. At the Tokyo 2020ne rendezvous, he claims his best result so far at Olympic level, clinching gold in 223-265-488. Finally, in Paris 2024, his victory was achieved after a 215-255-470 outcome. In parallel, at the World Championships, he earned seven consecutive gold medals between 2015 and 2023, having skipped the 2024 edition in Manama (BRN). His best performance at the IWF showcase was achieved in 2021 in Tashkent (UZB), with 225-267-492, the current World Records in the heaviest category. These are also the best-ever results achieved in history (regardless of the changes in the bodyweight categories) for the Snatch, Clean & Jerk, and Total. At the continental level, he is also the absolute master between 2016 and 2023, with seven European titles. Throughout his amazing career, he has established 26 World Records so far. In his national team, Talakhadze is trained by Giorgi Asanidze, the only other lifter who won gold at Olympic level for Georgia (at the 2004 Games in Athens, in the 85kg

IWF120y/40 – 1973: Olympic weightlifting at the core of the IWF activities

Throughout its history, the International Weightlifting Federation has incorporated many activities that have since then gained their independence in the sports scene. It starts from the very beginning: in 1905, the “Amateur Athletes World Union” also comprised wrestling, a sport that was dissociated from our Federation in 1920. But in 1950, at the Paris Congress, the delegates approved the inclusion of the “movement of physical culture” (bodybuilding) to the activities of the Federation, dictating also the change of name from FIH to FIHC (translating from the French acronyms: the International Weightlifting Federation became International Federation of Weightlifting and Bodybuilding). This move was certainly dictated by the more intense activity of bodybuilders around the world, some in a professional manner (something not allowed then in the Olympic sphere). It’s not a coincidence that the present International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation indicates 1946 as the official year of its foundation. Anyway, the scope of bodybuilding activities within our Federation remains vague and even the rules to implement the “Nicest Athlete of the World Contest” were difficult to implement. In 1968, at the Mexico City Congress, a joint proposal from Great Britain, Germany, and Mexico to remove “bodybuilding” from the rule book was accepted. But at the same gathering, a majority of votes decided on the inclusion of “powerlifting” (Squat, Bench Press, and Dead Lift) in our Constitution. This novelty lasted even shorter, as in November 1972, the founding meeting of the International Powerlifting Federation took place in the USA, the country also hosting the initial World Championships of this sport in 1973. From then to date, the IWF concentrated its efforts on developing and creating the best possible competitive frame for Olympic

IWF120y/39 – 2023: A day to be remembered by the weightlifting family – October 16

After some years of uncertainty concerning the Olympic future of our Sport, the IOC held its Session in Mumbai (IND) in 2023, and among its many decisions, one was particularly celebrated by the IWF: weightlifting was confirmed in the programme of the 2028 Los Angeles Games. On the same day of that important milestone – October 16 – the IWF President Mohammed Jalood expressed his joy and satisfaction. Present in Mumbai, the IWF leader considered: “My first thoughts today are for our global weightlifting community – and especially the athletes – for whom this news will be both a great relief and a cause for rejoicing. It is thanks to everyone’s collective efforts that we are here today, and we thank the members of the International Olympic Committee for recognising our unity, commitment to change, and the great progress we are making as a sport. Today is a moment for weightlifting to celebrate, but it should not be seen as an end. We must – and will – continue, in line with our strategic priorities, towards a new future for weightlifting as a healthy, modern, and athlete-centred sport.” The importance of this decision and the way it reflected the positive evolution of weightlifting’s reputation within the Olympic Movement, prompted the IWF to establish the creation of an annual World Weightlifting Day (WWD), precisely on October 16 – the first WWD was celebrated in 2024 by lifters and national federations in the five continents.

IWF congratulates new IOC President-elect Kirsty Coventry

Following the announcement of the election of Mrs Kirsty Coventry at the IOC Session in Olympia (GRE), the IWF sent today a congratulatory letter to the new President-elect. Signed by the IWF President Mohammed Jalood (also present in Greece) and by the IWF General Secretary Antonio Urso, the message highlights the importance and symbolism of this success. “This achievement assumes a special importance, as for the first time in its history, the IOC will be led by a woman, and simultaneously, by a president coming from the African continent. This is an outstanding milestone and a further proof that the principles defended within the Olympic Movement are also put in place for the election of its most prestigious representative,” the letter said. IOC President-elect Mrs Kirsty Coventry and IWF President Mr Mohammed Jalood at the IOC Session in Olympia “Your extraordinary career as a swimmer and your engagement within the IOC in recent years are a testimony of your passion and commitment for Sport. Your footprint at the IOC presidency will certainly emphasise this determination,” also wrote Mr Jalood and Mr Urso. Coventry, representing Zimbabwe during her competitive career, has been a remarkable swimmer, winning seven Olympic medals (including two gold) and being on the podium on 13 occasions at World Championships. Aged 41, she is presently Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation in her country and will take the office as IOC President on June 24, 2025. “We are thrilled to working closely with you and the IOC to strengthen weightlifting’s standing in the Olympic Movement and ensure that, as one of the founding Olympic sports, it continues to make a valuable contribution to engaging people around the world in the Olympic values”, we can also read in the IWF letter. “After the enormous success of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, both for the entirety of the Olympic Movement and for the Weightlifting family, we are actively preparing the 2028 edition in Los Angeles. Under your guidance, we are sure that the IWF will continue providing a great contribution to the Olympic programme,” concluded the IWF message. IWF

IWF120y/38 – 1968: Mohammad Nassiri shines at the highest level for Iran

Iran has a solid tradition of success at the Olympic Games, with a total of 88 medals won so far. Two sports have particularly shone and lead the medal chart: wrestling, with 55 podium presences, followed by weightlifting, with 20. One legend has earned three of them (being the best lifter so far in Iranian history): Mohammad Nassiri. Born in 1945, he first took part in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, where he finished 15th. The three subsequent editions were far more successful for the Iranian lifter: in reality, he then collected a full set of medals, starting with gold at the 1968 Mexico City Games (56kg category: 112.5-105-150-367.5), then silver in Munich 1972 (56kg: 127.5-100-142.5-370), and finally bronze at the Montreal 1976 rendezvous (52kg: 100-135-235). At the World Championships level, he added four titles to his amazing harvest, after victories in 1969, 1970, 1973, and 1974. In 1966 and 1971, he was a bronze medallist at the IWF showcase. Finally, he also shone at the Asian Games, getting three consecutive gold medals in 1966, 1970, and 1974. Nassiri was also prolific in establishing new World Records: over his career, he improved 15 global marks. On a single day, on September 15, 1973, at the Worlds in Havana (CUB), he set four WRs (two in Clean & Jerk and two in Total). His personal bests in international events are: 105kg (Snatch), 128.5kg (Press, WR), 150kg (C&J, WR), 370kg (Total, with 3 events), and 240kg (Total, with 2 events, WR). If Nassiri was the first Olympic champion in weightlifting for his nation, he was not the first lifter with a medal at the Games: this honour belonged to Jafar Salmasi, in 1948, who was the first Iranian (all sports included) on an Olympic podium (bronze in 60kg category).