News

Sofia to host Junior World Weightlifting Championships in June

Up till now 52 countries have sent their entry forms to the 36th Men’s and 16th Women’s Junior World Weightlifting Championships. The event will be held in the Universiade Sports Hall in Sofia, Bulgaria 11-20 June 2010. We would like to call your attention to the deadline of the submission of entry, wich is May 28, 2010.Please find underneath some useful information:Members of the Bulgarian Organising Commitee:Svilen Nejkov - Honorary ChairmanAnton Kodjabashev- President of OCTenio Tenev – Executive Secretary Sevdalin Marinov – Competition DirectorNorair Nurikian – VIP CoordinatorNikola Mollov- International Relations SecretaryAsen Zlatev- Technical Commissioner Ljubomir Vasilev – MPES Coordinator (Ministry of Physical Education and Sport)Press Chief of JWC: Georgi BanevAccommodation: Park Hotel Moskva www.parkhotelmoskva.netHotel Pliska (1113 Sofia, 87 Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd )Accreditation will take place at the Park Hotel Moskva.Address of the Bulgarian Organising Commitee:1040 Sofia75, Vasil Levski Blvd,Ministry of Psysical Education and SportTel, fax: +359  2 981 0506e-mail: [email protected]: www.bwf.dir.bg For regulation and detailed program please click here.

New IWF Referee Scarf for Women available!

A newly designed Referee scarf is now available as a compulsory piece of the women's referee uniform outfit.The scarf is made of pure silk and the price is USD30.00 per piece. Contact the IWF Secretariat [email protected] regarding the purchase.The scarfs will be on sale at the upcoming Junior World Championships in Sofia, at the Antalya Worlds and other major IWF events.

Olympic Flame plans revealed

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games announced that the Olympic Flame will arrive in the UK on Friday 18 May 2012 and will travel around the UK for 70 days, arriving in London the weekend before the 2012 Games begin.•    Olympic Flame to arrive in UK on 18 May 2012•    70 day Torch Relay around the UK•    8,000 Torchbearers•    95% of the UK population to be within a one hour journey time of the Torch Relay •    Presenting Partners – Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and SamsungIn line with the bid promise to inspire and connect a new generation to the Olympic Movement, 8,000 torch bearers will be selected with over half of the places expected to go to young people. There will be a torchbearer nomination process, expected to be announced in May 2011, giving people across the UK the chance to be involved in this historic countdown to the start of the London 2012 Games.Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: “The Olympic Torch Relay heralds the start of the London 2012 Games, bringing people across the UK together to celebrate the spirit of the Games. The London 2012 Torch Relay will connect people and places; young people to sport and the UK to the rest of the world. ”As the Torch Relay travels around the UK, visiting different communities and cultures it will connect people to the Olympic Games, its heroes and its spirit. With 95% of the British population to be within a one hour journey time of the route, the Olympic Torch Relay will bring the 2012 Games to people’s doorsteps and showcase the best of the UK from dynamic urban areas to places of outstanding natural beauty and sporting and cultural landmarks. Hugh Robertson, Sports and Olympics Minister, said: “The Torch Relay will bring the spirit of London 2012 to every corner of the country and give everybody the chance to experience first-hand the excitement of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.  I also hope that it will inspire a new generation of people, and particularly young people, to take up sport.”The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "The Olympic Flame is the most recognisable symbol of the modern Games and has an awesome history tracing back to ancient Greece. Its arrival on our shores in May 2012 marks not only the start of the London Torch Relay, but arguably the start of the most important three months in the capital's recent history. “Representing peace and unity, the Torch Relay is yet another 'once in a lifetime' opportunity in 2012 for ordinary Londoners and visitors to come together and celebrate this historic and exciting moment."Source:

Armenian weightlifting coach dies at 51

Head Coach of Armenian Weightlifting National Team Ashot Mkhitaryan, 51, died of a heart attack in Zvartnots International Airport (Yerevan, Armenia) on May 23, when welcoming the youth weightlifting team returning from Valencia after the European Championships. Mkhitaryan had trained the national team since 2006. Under his guidance, Armenia won 6 bronze medals at Olympic Games in Beijing, as well as many medals at European and World Championships. The International Weightlifting Federation expresses its deep condolences to his family and

5 weeks to go to the ZKC Email Tournament

Paul Coffa, General Secretary of the Oceania Weightlifting Federation (OWF) announces: Within 5 weeks the 2010 ZKC Email International Club Weightlifting Tournament is scheduled to take place on June 24 - 27. This tournament which is organized by the Oceania Weightlifting Federation, last year attracted a record entry of 144 clubs worldwide, from 25 countries representing the 5 continents, with 662 lifters taking part. This year we would like to break this record and make this tournament the biggest single event worldwide in weightlifting in numbers of participants. This Email International Club tournament, although held within the weightlifting clubs in each country, gives the opportunity to lifters and clubs to compete against each other at an international level without any expenses whatsoever. If you have any queries regarding this tournament, please do not hesitate to contact the OWF on [email protected] or [email protected]. The OWF website is www.oceaniaweightlifting.com. Download the competition regulations

The coach behind the world’s strongest man

Matthew Curtain, the LOCOG Weightlifting & IPC Powerlifting Manager posted the following article on the London 2010 blog: With the paint literally still wet at the newly completed extension of ExCeL, Frank Mantek, Germany’s national weightlifting coach, described the 2012 Olympic Games Weightlifting competition and training venue as ‘perfect’.Kind words indeed from a man widely considered to be one of the world’s best and most experienced weightlifting trainers.Since 1990, Frank has managed the German national team and has personally coached two gold, four silver and three bronze medallists at the Olympic Games. Not a bad effort! A modest man, Frank was also a decorated lifter himself, winning a bronze medal at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow.Frank was so keen to share his enthusiasm at the newly completed venue, he insisted on being credited as the Weightlifting competition’s first spectator at ExCeL!  For those who remember the magic of Beijing 2008 – you’ll recall the unforgettable moment when German superstar Matthias Steiner won gold in the men’s super-heavy category.While we didn’t know it until the victory ceremony, Matthias had dedicated his performance to his (then) recently deceased wife. A touching tribute.Naturally all the glory went to the German champion – but at the same time, Steiner credited his victory to his coach!Perhaps Frank Mantek’s name sounds more familiar now?The visit of the German weightlifting delegation, comprising of Frank Mantek and Michael Vater (national under-23 coach) was hosted by British Weightlifting, and specifically by Chris Freebury.In addition to visiting ExCeL, the Germans received a status report from LOCOG about the Olympic Village, the Weightlifting competition venue, training facilities, a Test Event, sports equipment, timing, scoring and results, sports-specific volunteers and other related areas. All in all, our German friends were genuinely impressed with our progress and are planning to return to London later this year to conduct the first of many pre-training camps in the host city.