Last day to vote for your favourites!
We are nearing the finish of the 2011 Best Lifter voting. If you want to help your favourites in 2011 to win the Jeno Boskovics Lifter of the Year Trophy tis is your last chance to submit your ballot
My son made me proud
Moment of the Year by Horacio Reis Four years ago, the Pan American Games were held on home soil, in Rio de Janeiro. Fernando Reis was just 17 and participated in an experiment to become a real athlete. Well, we knew that to continue we have to change everything, namely the trainer and the system of trainings. We had a completely different way to run. It was a crucial moment in our lives, a real challenge. We lived every day as prepared to battle. Then Fernando went to train with Luis Fernando Lopez in Ecuador for 40 days, at an altitude of 2,700 meters. They worked hard seven hours per day. After this intense period, Fernando had his trainings in Chile. It was a tough year. In 2010 Fernando began his studies at the University in the USA. He participated in his first South American Games in Medellin (Colombia) getting a silver medal. This medal reinforced that we were on the right track. The results began to appear and Fernando collected bronze medal at the Junior World Championship in Sofia (Bulgaria). A World Championships medal for Brazil, neither in soccer or judo, nor in volleyball or swimming but in weightlifting! At the National College Championships and American Open Fernando performed very well, winning them all. The next task of 2011 was a really big challenge: Pan American Games, in Guadalajara (Mexico). Fernando locked the enrollment at the university in order to devote himself to hard preparation in Brazil for a period of six months with an intense training. Embarked on a mission to Guadalajara, hardest of our lives, bringing a medal for Brazil. Fernando competed as never before. He was almost perfect. It was gold. As team leader and Fernando’s father I was so proud of his devotion and achievement as he could reach this level. No doubt this was the most memorable moment of 2011, for me. HORACIO REIS Diretor do Depto.de Lev. de Peso do ECP Vice-Presidente da Conf. Brasileira Send your Most Memorable Moment of 2011 to Dezso Dobor, IWF Media Officer ([email protected]) or the IWF Secretariat in order to be
The IWF and weightlifting mourns the loss of Dr.Asghar Shahabi
After a lengthy and serious illness, Dr. Asghar Shahabi died yesterday, a month before his 70th birthday, in his home town, Tabriz, Iran. A Member of the IWF Medical Committee since 1988, as an orthopaedic surgeon, Head of his clinic, Dr. Shahabi was a renowned and enthusiastic expert; Iran's team and Olympic Committee doctor; a doctor on duty at Olympic and Asian Games, World and Asian Championships and an array of other events. As a Chairman of the AWF Medical Committee and an expect in weightifting, he served the sport in many courses and events. Dr. Shahabi was not only a central figure of the sport but as a kind, gentle and helpful person he also made himself indispensable and a great friend of many people all over the world. He got suddenly hospitalized while working at an Asian event in Thailand and was later transported to Iran but practically he has been in serious condition ever since until he finally deceased last night. He leaves a great void in the sport and in our hearts. The IWF offers its condolences to the Family, the Iranian Federation and Olympic
World Weightlifting’s new issue has appeared
In the 2011/3 edition readers can find a special Report on the 2011 IWF World Championships Paris, France. The Spanish version is also out! You can subscribe to World Weightlifting by contacting the
Attending the 2011 IWF World Championships
Moment of the Year by Kulsoom Abdullah People asked me what the experience was like? My weightlifting journey started by myself, I was determined to build strength. I did what I could do on my own, finding information on the Internet, such as resources for women’s weightlifting without a traditional commercial gym bias. I could not go heavy, drop weights, or use chalk, let alone, learn how to clean and jerk. Completing my graduate studies, I needed to find a gym outside of my university. I ultimately did find a gym (Crossfit Atlanta) that had weightlifters teaching the Olympic lifts, so I gained support, no longer alone in my efforts. It took over 2 years of training and encouragement from my trainers, because I thought I was not good or strong enough, till I finally had the confidence to compete. My next personal struggle, after achieving a qualifying total, was attending national meets in religious covering. After the IWF ruling and attending national qualifying meets, I learned more about the sport and met other weightlifters in the USA. This led to my memorable experience: attending the 2011 World Weightlifting Championships. There I observed and experienced the different facets of the sport. It is not just about who lifts the most and wins, though the medalists are to be commended for their time, efforts and success. I felt the energy of the audience cheering for the athletes, from their home country or their competitors, who vicariously felt their success and disappointments. Meeting people from so many countries was a great experience. Though a competition, everyone was friendly and encouraging - coaches, athletes, officials and spectators. People from different countries/teams interacted like old friends. People asked me what the experience was like? How much do the other ladies lift? Everyone is surprised and very few realize the magnitude achieved. Many have a stereotype of a weightlifter’s appearance. Brute strength is not only involved - skill, speed and power is also required to defy gravity on the platform. I hope to continue relaying the spirit of sporting competition to others, encouraging them that when one puts time and effort, regardless of who you are, what you can do is beyond expectations. Kulsoom Abdullah Kulsoom Abdullah is a Pakistani-American computer engineer (she finished her PhD in Electrical/Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta), who has been training weightlifting for three years. Kulsoom first attended World Championships in Paris in 2011. Send your Most Memorable Moment of 2011 to Dezso Dobor, IWF Media Officer ([email protected]) or the IWF Secretariat in order to be
Membership Fee Reminder
According to the IWF Constitution, the Annual Membership Fee of the IWF is due by the end of January 2012. Please make sure that your National Federation transfers the amount to the IWF otherwise your lifters will not be allowed to participate in upcoming IWF competitions including Continental Qualification
