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Deadline Reminder – 2012 IWF Youth World Championships Kosice

The deadline for the Preliminary Entry Forms for the 2012 IWF Youth World Championships Kosice, Slovakia expired on July 1st. We invite all National Federations to send their Preliminary Entry Forms promptly to the Slovakian Weightlifting Federation ([email protected], [email protected]) and to the IWF

‘Look of the Games’ Preparations Move into Top Gear with Installation of Tower Bridge Olympic Rings

With exactly a month to go until the start of the Olympic Games on July 27, promotion of London as the host city moved into top gear with the positioning of a set of giant aluminium Olympic rings suspended from the landmark Tower Bridge above the River Thames. The rings, costing £312,817 ($488,042) to produce and install, are part of ‘Mayor of London Presents’, a city-wide ‘Look and Celebration’ programme by the city’s mayor Boris Johnson, designed to “show the world the very best the city has to offer.” The rings project was managed by Innovision, the event and brand experience agency, and will be brought to life with the help of a lighting system enabling Tower Bridge’s lights to change in colour and intensity. Sebastian Coe, chair of the London 2012 organising committee, said: “The Olympic Rings are an iconic symbol, inspiring athletes and uniting people around the world. To athletes they represent the culmination of thousands of hours of training and reaching the highest level in sport. With one month to go to the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony these spectacular Rings on one of London’s most famous landmarks will excite and inspire residents and visitors in the capital.” Source:

STATUS OF QUALIFICATION – LONDON 2012

The 5 Continental Qualification events ended and the IWF has concluded the Qualification process including Individual Qualifications, Tripartite Commission Invitation places (wild cards) and Reallocations. As the result of the implementation of the Qualification Regulation, 84 NOCs from all the 5 Continents obtained quota. Please click here to find the chart containing the up-to-date

Azerbaijan has hosted the European Masters Weightlifting Championships

The 22nd Men and 20th Women European Masters Weightlifting Championships were held from 2 to 9 June 2012 at the Olympic Sport Complex in Lankaran, Azerbaijan. Nearly 300 athletes out of 25 countries competed at the event. The Azerbaijan National Team was represented by 4 female and 33 male athletes. In the Men’s Team Classification, Germany ended up first, followed by Azerbaijan with 14 gold, 9 silver and 3 bronze medals while third place went to Russia. In Women’s Team Classification, first place went to Denmark and second place went to Russia. Taghiyev Zafar, member of the Azerbaijan National Team won the title of absolute champion in M-1 age group. The 39 year old our athlete performed 112 kg in the Snatch, 145 kg in the Clean and Jerk, which means a Total of 257 kg. He achieved 332,05 Sinclair points, and 373,55 Malone-Meltzer points. These Malone-Meltzer points were the best result among participating weightlifters in M-1 age group. Laurence Mcconnell won the title of absolute champion of Men European Masters Championships. Master from Ireland left behind all competitors in Sinclair and Malone-Meltzer classification. The 67 years old athlete, who participated in M-7 age group, performed 104 kg in the Snatch and 130 kg in the Clean & Jerk. With a total of 234 kg getting 263.51 Sinclair points, 452.97 Malone-Meltzer points he set 4 European and 3 Master World Records. Among Women Marga Jorgensen from Denmark achieved great success. The results of the 56 year old athlete is as follows: 44 kg in the Snatch, 57 kg in the Clean & Jerk, 101 kg in the Total; it means - 149.42 Sinclair points, 211.73 Malone-Meltzer points. The oldest athlete of the competition was the 84 year old Kurt Rosenberger from Germany. He performed 38 kg in the Snatch and 51 kg in the Clean & Jerk. 36 new Records were set (18 World and 18 European Records) during the 22nd Men and 20th Women European Masters Weightlifting Championships. Women athletes established 3 (1 World and 2 European) Records. All the 3 records were broken by Marga Jorgensen from Denmark. by Isgandar Asgarov Executive Director Azerbaijan Weightlifting

Last IWF Technical Visit coincides with Day 1 operations in ExCel by LOCOG

From 18th to 20th June, Attila Adamfi, Technical Delegate and Aniko Nemeth-Mora, IWF Director paid the last in the line of Technical Visits to London. During their meetings all departments and groups of the Games Organising Committee gave updates and preparations for welcoming Weightlifting in London were fine-tuned. The visit to ExCel, the Olympic venue of weightlifting took place on the first day when LOCOG took ownership of the building. Construction of the competition and training venues and other functional areas had already commenced and are now in full progress. LOCOG Weightlifting and Paralympic Manager Matthew Curtain and his Team are doing their best and awaiting the Weightlifting Family to the 2012 Games in

UAE to send woman weightlifter to London

Weightlifter Khadija Mohammad on Thursday became only the second woman to be chosen for the United Arab Emirates Olympic team. The athlete, who will compete in the 75kg category in London, was named after the country's women's weightlifters secured one place at the London Games by finishing fifth in the Asian Championships in South Korea last month. "We are proud to belong to this historic moment when we see one of our women athletes qualify to an Olympic Games," Mohammad Al Kamali, General Secretary of the UAE National Olympic Committee (UAE NOC), told UAE newspaper Gulf News. The only other woman to compete for the UAE since it began participating in the Olympics in 1984 was Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in Beijing four years ago. The daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister and Vice-President of the UAE, she took part in the women's under-67 kg taekwondo. Only Brunei, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have yet to have female athletes participate in an Olympic Games, although Brunei and Qatar are expected to send women to take part in London. Six London-bound athletes across four sports were named in a ceremony at Dubai Aquarium on Thursday. They will form part of an expected contingent of 32 from seven sports, the country's largest-ever representation at an Olympic Games, a UAE NOC press release said. Three of the athletes named were from the sport of shooting with two, Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum and Sheikh Juma Bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, from Dubai's ruling family, together with Dhaher Al Eryani. Sheikh Saeed will compete in the skeet, Sheikh Juma in the double trap and Al Eryani in the trap. Shooting is the only event the UAE has won an Olympic medal in, with another member of Dubai's ruling family, Sheikh Ahmad bin Mohammad bin Hasher Al Maktoum, claiming gold in the double trap in Athens in 2004. Also named on Thursday were swimmer Mubarak Salem Al Besher and Humaid Al Derei from judo, selected after the UAE received wildcard invitations to take part. The sports still to name their athletes from the UAE are sailing, athletics and men's football. The soccer squad, which will make up the majority of the UAE contingent, won a place at the Olympics for the first time and will face hosts Great Britain, Senegal and Uruguay. The Games officially open on July 27 and run until August 12, although the football tournament begins on July 25. Source: