Islamic Solidarity Games: World records for Younes, landmark women’s gold for Qatar and a classic super-heavyweight showdown
Abdelrahman ‘Abdo’ Younes from Egypt claimed two world records and Qatar had its first major win by a female athlete at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. African and European lifters won nine of the 16 medal events, thanks largely to the efforts of strong teams from Turkiye, Egypt and Nigeria. They finished first, second and fourth in the medals table, with Uzbekistan third. Abdelrahman ‘Abdo’ Younes (EGY) Arguably the best session in a high-quality competition was the concluding men’s super-heavyweights, in which Gor Minasyan returned to form to hold off a strong challenge from the Iraqi Ali Ammar Yusur, who is 10 years younger at 21. The numbers for both men were very impressive. Minasyan, Bahrain’s second winner after Ingrid Vanesa Segura’s victory at 69kg, had made only two good lifts when finishing a distant second to Varazdat Lalayan at the World Championships in Norway last month. In Riyadh he made five from six, winning with his final attempt on 213-247-460, which was 13kg better than his Norway total. Gor Minasyan (BRN) Ali Ammar, also five from six, pushed Minasyan all the way on 212-246-458, his best total yet and a big improvement in snatch. He was sixth at the Paris Olympic Games, then set all three junior world records at the World Championships in Bahrain last December, becoming the youngest athlete to break the 450kg barrier. Ali Ammar said in Paris that he would win gold at Los Angeles 2028, and his confidence will not have dipped after his performance in Riyadh, his only competition in 2025. Besides Ali Ammar, the main contenders for Los Angeles 2028 this far out are Lalayan, Minasyan and two Iranians, Ali Davoudi and Alireza Yousefi, who is recovering from a serious injury. None of those four made a 458kg total at such a young age as Ali Ammar – nor did the triple Olympic champion Lasha Talakhadze. Ali Ammar (IRQ) Ali Ammar, who is coached by his father, the former athlete Ammar Yasser, passed his high school exams this year to earn a place at the University of Baghdad, College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences. He has strong support from the Iraq National Olympic Committee. As well as giving him financial backing, the NOC appointed Mustafa Salih – who is a member of the IWF Technical Committee – to supervise Ali Ammar's training plans and preparations. “The team supervising Ali's training is working on developing his strength and emotional stability by regulating loads and preventing injuries,” said Salih. “His participation next year will be limited to championships qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Games. “We are working hard to compete for an Olympic medal because we believe that Ali is one of the outstanding champions in weightlifting.” Younes, who was 21 last week, took 79kg world records in snatch and total when he made five from six and finished 17kg clear on 166-196-362. That was an improvement on his third-place finish behind Rizki Juniansyah at the World Championships, when he made only two good lifts. Ravin Almammadov from Azerbaijan and the double junior world champion Yedige Yemberdi from Kazakhstan were second and third on 345kg and 343kg. The 110kg world champion Akbar Djuraev from Uzbekistan was not far short of his own world records in snatch and total when he made 193-227-420. He declined his final attempt but still finished 29kg clear of the silver and bronze medallists Dadash Dadashbayli from Azerbaijan and Ali Alkhazal from Saudi Arabia, who both totalled 391kg. Djuraev’s team-mate Sarvarbek Zafarjonov overcame two snatch failures to win at 88kg on 161-202-363, ahead of the Iranian teenager Iliya Salehipour on 162-197-359. Iran also took second place at 94kg when the snatch world record holder Alireza Moeini failed twice in that discipline. Moeini finished on 171-203-374 behind Nurgissa Adiletuly from Kazakhstan, who made 175-210-385. Muhammed Furkan Ozbek (TUR) Turkiye had two men’s champions. Muhammed Furkan Ozbek, the world record holder on total, won at 65kg on 140-170-310 from three good lifts and declined his final attempt. Yusuf Fehmi Genc missed two snatches and was 5kg behind Edidiong Umoafia from Nigeria at halfway. But Genc pulled clear with three from three in clean and jerk, winning on 146-190-336. Turkiye also had three women’s winners, including the twins Cansel and Aysel Ozkan. Gamze Altun was 19kg clear on 72-100-172 at 48kg and Cansel Ozkan won by 14kg at 53kg on 88-100-188. It was much tougher for Aysel Ozkan at 63kg, where she was pushed hard by Ruth Ayodele from Nigeria and 17-year-old Enkileda Carja from Albania. Ayodele failed with her final attempt on 120kg, which would have given her the lead. She finished third on 212kg while Carja, who holds two youth world records, was second on 213kg. Ozkan won on 98-118-216. Rafiatu Lawal (NGR) Nigeria won six gold medals, three of them by Rafiatu Lawal at 58kg on 98-122-220. Lawal, a silver medallist at the World Championships, made five good lifts. Islamiyat Yusuf was favourite for victory at 69kg after finishing 4kg ahead in snatch, but she bombed out with three clean and jerk failures on 130kg. Segura, third at halfway, won on 106-128-234 for Bahrain despite a wrist injury. Sara Samir from Egypt was behind the Nigerian Sarah Matthew at halfway but won by 15kg on 115-145-260. Her victory would have been even more emphatic if she had not missed her final attempt on 150kg. Rahma Ahmed was 17kg lower on total than her team-mate Samir, but 116-127-243 was enough for victory at 86kg. Ouisal Ikhlef (QAT) Ouisal Ikhlef had a landmark win for Qatar in the super-heavyweights on 117-160-277. Yousef Al Mana, first vice-president of the Qatar Olympic Committee, president of the Asian Weightlifting Federation and IWF vice-president, presented the medals. Al Mana hailed Ikhlef’s “historic achievement,” and said it was a sign of the sport’s progress in Qatar. “I dedicate these medals to everyone who stood by me, and I promise the Qatari public that I will continue working to raise the national flag high in future championships,” Ikhlef said. Two IF Presidents visit weightlifting competition in Riyadh Two of the most distinguished spectators of the weightlifting competition in Riyadh were the presidents of the International Table Tennis Federation Petra Sörling and of World Boxing Boris van der Vorst. From left to right: World Boxing President Boris van der Vorst, EWF President and IWF Vice-President Dr. Astrit Hasani, and ITTF President Petra Sörling Invited by the EWF President (and IWF Vice-President) Dr. Astrit Hasani, the two leaders had the opportunity to visit the warm-up area, where they could witness how lifters get ready before going to the competition platform. The tour also allowed the two IF Presidents to have fruitful discussions with the IWF President Mohammed Jalood, and IWF Vice-Presidents Mohammed Al-Harbi, Yousef Al Mana and Khaled Mehalhel. “It was definitively a proud moment to showcase the spirit and dedication behind the sport! I believe it is important to express our appreciation to the ITTF and World Boxing Presidents for their presence at our event. It was a remarkable and truly unexpected honour. Their participation added significant value to the occasion and stands as a testament to the growing recognition and importance of our events,” considered Dr. Hasani, President of the European Weightlifting Federation. USA at the top of the medal table in Mexico The United States won 15 gold medals and 37 all round at the Pan American Youth Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Colombia won 11 golds, and the host nation had 39 medals altogether, nine of them gold. Carter Sing was the USA’s top performer, winning at 79kg on 131-164-295, which put him second in the individual rankings behind Jose Mantilla from Mexico, who was the only athlete to set Pan American records. Mantilla’s 140-175-315 at 88kg gave him continental youth records in clean and jerk and total. Beatriz Santos from Brazil topped the women’s rankings after making 76-97-173 at
