News

Buenos Aires 2018 launches official emblem

With just over three years to go, Buenos Aires 2018 has proudly unveiled its emblem for the third Summer Youth Olympic Games. To reflect the diversity of Buenos Aires, the emblem is inspired by the city’s vibrant colours, eclectic culture, iconic architecture and the many neighbourhoods that make up the Argentinian capital. Watch the short video that gives a taste of the famous landmarks and style of the city that went into the creation of the design; from the Space Tower in the heart of the Youth Olympic Village to the iconic Floralis Generica sculpture, this emblem gives a small glimpse of the many facets of Buenos Aires. Source:

Pan Am Games weightlifting ended in Toronto

The Weightlifting competitions at the 2015 Pan American Games held in Toronto, CAN come to end. From the 6 countries winning Gold medal and 10 countries won medal, Colombia was the most successful with 8 Gold and 13 medals all together. They were followed by Venezuela winning 7 and Cuba 5. Impressive strength was shown by almost all 118 competing athletes while men broke 14 and women broke 15 Pan Am Games records! Women setting records: KING Morghan Whitney USA PIRON CANDELARIO Beatriz DOM VASQUEZ HERNANDEZ Candida DOM SEGURA SEGURA Ana Iris COL VASQUEZ HERNANDEZ Candida DOM VILLAR BARBOZA Rusmeris COL SOLIS ARBOLEDA Leidy Yessenia Men setting records: DE LAS SALAS DE LA ROSA Habib COL MOSQUERA LOZANO Luis J. COL NUÑEZ Yadier CUB HERNANDEZ Yoelmis CUB REIS Fernando BRA Check out the RESULT BOOK here. Insidethegames story here. Toronto 2015 news

Lennart Blomberg of ELEIKO passes away

Weightlifters – athletes and amateurs alike – all over the world are shocked by the sad news of Lennart Blomberg passing away. Former CEO of the Swedish ELEIKO Company, Lennart guided one of the world’s oldest barbell manufacturing companies since the Blomberg Family took it over in 1990. ELEIKO was the first manufacturer officially approved by the IWF (in 1969), a regular supplier of the Olympic barbell and a reliable partner for several decades. In 2007 Lennart Blomberg was elected in the Weightlifting Hall of Fame representing a sponsor with invaluable services to the sport. In 2012 Lennart passed on the baton to his son, Eric but continued to live an active and healthy life. What a shock to have lost him now in an unexpected heart attack! The IWF, its President, Executive Board and the whole membership mourn with his family, the Company and

Updated info from the Pacific Games in Port Moresby

Port Moresby, PNG is organizing the Pacific Games for the 3rd time. 28 sports (both Olympic and non-Olympic sports) are represented. From the 24 countries participating, AUS and NZL are competing for the first time only in 4 sports: Weightlifting, Rugby, Taekwondo, and Sailing. Weightlifting is the No 1 sport having the biggest participation with 21 countries and is the only sport where the event includes the Oceania Youth, Junior and senior Oceania Championships. The competition is full qualification event for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Weightlifter Dika Toua (PNG) lit the Pacific Games cauldron after HRH Prince Andrew (GBR) declared the Games open. Out of 24 countries marching in at the Opening Ceremony, 12 flag bearers are weightlifters The Oceania Weightlifting Federation had an Executive Board Meeting prior to the competitions to kick off. During the Technical Meeting, that was the OWF Congress as well, Andrew Minogue, Pacific Games Council CEO expressed their appreciation for the IWF for being represented by Dr. Tamas Ajan, President, Dato Ong Poh Eng, Vice President and Mr. Attila Adamfi, Director General and for including the Games as a Qualification Event for Rio 2016. The OWF Congress allocated the 2016 Oceania Championships to

Australia secures historic first Pacific Games gold medal as favourite Toua falters on home soil in weightlifting

Erika Yamasaki became Australia’s first-ever Pacific Games gold medallist as she claimed two 53 kilograms titles on the opening day of the weightlifting event at the PNG Power Dome here today. Yamasaki, a Commonwealth Games bronze medallist at Melbourne in 2006, delighted the vociferous Australian contingent inside the arena by topping the standings in the snatch event and finishing second place finish in the clean and jerk, good enough for the overall crown. Commonwealth Games champion and home favourite Dika Toua failed to defend her women’s overall title as she registered three unsuccessful snatch attempts, much to the disappointment of the majority of the crowd. Toua, who lit the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony last night, was considered the red-hot favourite to clinch her third straight overall Pacific Games title but she was unable to deliver in front of an expectant crowd. The 31-year-old did however manage to finish the day on a high, lifting 110kg to clinch gold in the clean and jerk. New Zealand’s Charlotte Moss also got her nation onto the medals table at the Pacific Games for the first time with a bronze medal in the overall category, despite failing to finish in the top-three finish in either the snatch or clean and jerk, Both Australia and New Zealand are making their Pacific Games debut here and they will compete in three other sports, rugby sevens, sailing and taekwondo. Papua New Guinea's Thelma Mea Toua received her three gold medals from Duke of York Prince Andrew Papua New Guinea's Thelma Mea Toua received her three Pacific Games gold medals from Prince Andrew following her dominant performance in the 48kg category ©Port Moresby 2015 It still proved to be a successful day for the host nation as they secured six gold medals to top the medal tally after the opening session of weightlifting finals. They got off to a wonderful start thanks to a superb performance from Toua’s sister Thelma Mea, who dominated the women’s 48kg category. She lifted 70kg to win the snatch crown ahead of Mary Barter, the first Australian Pacific Games medallist in the 52-year history of the event, maintaining her momentum with a lift of 90kg in the clean and jerk. Those two performances saw her comfortably take the overall honours on a total of 160kg, with Barter winning silver and Fiji's Seruwia Malani taking bronze. Manueli Tulo of Fiji produced an excellent display to win all three medals in the men's 56kg competition Fiji's Manueli Tulo won all three medals in the men's 56kg competition ©Port Moresby 2015 Fiji's Manueli Tulo replicated the performance of Thelma Mea Toua, winning the snatch, clean and jerk and overall events in the men's 56kg as lifts of 107kg and 127kg gave him a total score of 234kg. Elson Brechtefeld’s second place in the snatch helped him to overall silver, Nauru’s first medal at these Games, and the podium was rounded off by another Fijian, Poama Qaqa. Following Yamasaki’s historic success, men’s 62kg event was the last medal event of the day and Morea Baru ensured the Papua New Guinea fans went home happy, clinching two of the three medals, including the overall crown with a total of 276kg. The event also doubled up as the Oceania Weightlifting Championships, which meant each victor was awarded with a second medal, declaring them the Continental champion, as well as Pacific Games winner. Source:

Southeast Asian Weightlifting Federation (SEAWF) Elections

On June 25th, 2015 SEAWF Members voted unanimously to elect Mr. Kosit Paliwan – Executive Board Member of Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association (TAWA) – as a new President and Dr. Meechai Inwood – Advisory Board Member of TAWA – as a new General Secretary of SEAWF at the SEAWF General Congress. There were 8 national federations from ASEAN countries i.e. CAM, INA, MAS, MYA, PHI, SIN, THA and VIE. The International Weightlifting Federation was represented by Major General Intarat YODBANGTOEY and the AWF Official Representative was Mr. Mohamed JALOUD. The 1st Southeast Asian Weightlifting Championships had grand opening ceremony at Rajamangala University of Technology Suvarnabhumi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province being a world’s heritage site of