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Men’s last two categories wind up successful Youth Olympic Games

Singapore - 19 August 2010: The last two men's categories - 85kg yesterday and +85kg this morning - wound up the 1st Youth Olympic Games in Singapore: for weightlifting an entirely successful debut. Suspense and drama were both prevalent in the men's 85kg category, when Russian Alexey Kosov, after convincingly in the lead in snatch with 2kg plus bodyweight advantage over Bulgaria's Georgi Shikov finally lost to the latter in an exciting end-game. Shikov put a well-planned and impeccable six-on-six performance on stage, resulting in an Olympic gold medal for Bulgaria. Meanwhile Konstantyn Reva (UKR) did his own best earning the bronze medal. A very similar situation came about today, in the last competition, which was fought for the Youth Olympic title in the men's +85kg. In the presence of IOC President Dr. Jacques Rogge in the Toa Payoh Sports Hall, two hardly 16-year old giants were battling in a spectacular show. Gor Minasyan of Armenia was ahead of his challenger after the snatch, lifting 5kg more and enjoying (about 30kg bodyweight advantage). Yet, in the final countdown, Iran's Alireza Kazeminejad decided the outcome of the battle as early a in his second attempt at 196kg, making a 351kg total against the Armenian's 350kg finish. The host Singapore must be congratulated and thanked for putting on these inaugural Games on a much higher than expected level and justifying the IOC's initiative. Both the young participants and the officials engaged in the 1st YOG will always remember the events in Singapore, in August 2010. (Report and photos by Aniko Nemeth-Mora, IWF/World Weightlifting) 

IOC Member tells remarkable story from YOG weightlifting

Last evening I attended the weightlifting event.  It was the 85kg weight class for young men.  There was a bit of a drama at the beginning because the athlete from Pakistan, Irfan BUTT was not yet properly entered.  There had been some difficulty in finding his coach. As it turned out, the young man did not have a coach with him, or anyone to assist him at the event. Finally, his passport arrived at the venue with one minute to spare so he could be confirmed eligible for competition at the event. As they were waiting for the passport, the International Weightlifting Federation saw that he needed to have a coach with him so that he would be properly managed and led through the competition. Eventually, Thailand offered their Olympic gold medalist to coach him. Miss Pawina Thongsuk, at the same time Athlete Role Model for weightlifting, was happy to undertake the task. Butt finished in the last, 9th place, however, he successfully performed each and every one of his six attempts in competition.  Only a few of the spectators at the venue learned of this remarkable story. I feel both elated and fortunate to have been one of the few who knew what had happened as the tournament began.  It was a beautiful moment to experience as a woman from Thailand, herself an Olympic Champion, was introduced to a young athlete who then coached him through his successful competition.  She was able to keep him calm and focused on his performance at this high pressured

IOC Member tells remarkable story from YOG weightlifting

Last evening I attended the weightlifting event.  It was the 85kg weight class for young men.  There was a bit of a drama at the beginning because the athlete from Pakistan, Irfan BUTT was not yet properly entered.  There had been some difficulty in finding his coach. As it turned out, the young man did not have a coach with him, or anyone to assist him at the event. Finally, his passport arrived at the venue with one minute to spare so he could be confirmed eligible for competition at the event. As they were waiting for the passport, the International Weightlifting Federation saw that he needed to have a coach with him so that he would be properly managed and led through the competition. Eventually, Thailand offered their Olympic gold medalist to coach him. Miss Pawina Thongsuk, at the same time Athlete Role Model for weightlifting, was happy to undertake the task. Butt finished in the last, 9th place, however, he successfully performed each and every one of his six attempts in competition.  Only a few of the spectators at the venue learned of this remarkable story. I feel both elated and fortunate to have been one of the few who knew what had happened as the tournament began.  It was a beautiful moment to experience as a woman from Thailand, herself an Olympic Champion, was introduced to a young athlete who then coached him through his successful competition.  She was able to keep him calm and focused on his performance at this high pressured

Excitement and drama on Day 4 at the YOG prove that the youth is taking it seriously

Singapore - 18 August 2010: In the men's 77kg Russian Artem Okulov even had bad luck as the clock ran down for his second clean and jerk attempt, yet his overall performance displayed explosive power and he won with a very convincing 327kg over silver medallist Chatuphum Chinnawong of Thailand (311kg). Rustem Sybay (KAZ) easily managed to keep his bronze medal winning position against Papua New Guinea's (!) emerging lifter Steven Kari. Another medal contender, Ossama Khattab befell the same fate as his fellow-Egyptian before: he missed 132kg three times in the snatch and could not score in the Games. The women's +63kg category lined up 13 young ladies with bodyweights ranging from 69.21kg to 119.89kg. After the snatch, Thailand's Chitchanok Pulsabsakul was in the lead with her 115kg against Olga Zubova (RUS) whose best snatch was 112kg. In the second act, several lifters took attempts aiming at the lead, however, when Zubova opened with a very easy 135kg, such hopes seemed to fade away, except for PRK lifter Kim Kuk Hyang, who started highest, at 138kg. The tactical game heated up towards the end and when Zubova finished with 251kg, ahead of Pulsabsakul only on bodyweight, emerging Kim saved two attempts to lift 146kg and thus take the Olympic Champion title. Alas, she failed in her dramatic effort and so the Russians could rejoice over victory in the last women's category of the YOG.

Young lifters bring world-record level performance on stage at the YOG

Singapore - 17 August 2010: Should world records be officially announced at the Youth Olympic Games, on Day 3 of the YOG, Deng Wei (CHN) would have to be publicly credited 6 Youth World Records and even 1 Junior World Record to, and Zulfiya Chinshanlo (KAZ) one new Youth World Record in the women's 58kg. In a competition that was adequately of top class, these young ladies brought excellent performances on the stage of the Toa Payoh Sports Hall in Singapore and rewrote the list of Youth World records. The total Youth World Record now equals Deng Wei's winning result of 242kg. Finishing in third place was Racheal Ekoshoria of Nigeria. The next competition of the day, in the men's 69kg, culminated in a very close finish between Azerbaijan's Nijat Rahimov (who eventually became the winner with 295kg), silver medallist Gong Xingbin (CHN) anc Cuban Ediel Marquez. The women's 63kg wound up the busy day in Singapore. At the end of the snatch, Kazakhstan's Zhazira Zhapparkul stood with 4 kilos to her disadvantage behind Russian Diana Akhmetova. However, Akhmetova missing 114kg two times, with her second clean and jerk at 115kg Zhapparkul was already the Youth Olympic Champion of the category, boasting a total of 205kg. Mexico celebrated Aremi Fuentes proudly, as their Olympic bronze-medal

YOG Photo Contest

The YOG launched a photo contest on it’s Youth Olympic Games fan page on Facebook! More details at http://www.facebook.com/youtholympicgames?v=app_281587088721