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National Championship in Sri Lanka: Chinthana adjudged best weightlifter

The Olympian, Chinthana Vidanage emerged the best lifter at the National Weightlifting Championships which saw three weight lifters lowering national records at the Kelaniya University Gymnasium. The championship was worked off on Dec. 17 and 18. Vidanage was adjudged the best lifter of the Championship as he lowered the former Sri Lanka record when he lifted a weight of 166 kgs in clean and jerk. Performing in 69 kgs category, Vidanage broke his own record of 165 kgs which he lifted at the Beijing Olympics. However, his attempt to establish a new record in the total weight in his weight category proved futile as he totaled a weight of 289 kgs which was four kgs lower than his Olympic performance. Kamala Bandara established two records in 56kg category. Bandara's lift of 136kgs in clean jerk and his total of 231 kgs lifted in his weight category became national records. He shattered the records held by G.C.M. Gamage of Polonnaruwa. In the over 105 kg category, Manjula Wijeratne lifted a weight of 137 kgs in snatch (broke his own record 134kgs) and totaled a weight of 300 kgs to establish new national record and that helped shatter the record held by Ransilu

New job for Rezazadeh

Former world and Olympic champion Hossein Rezazadeh has been officially introduced as the caretaker of Iran's Weightlifting Federation. Rezazadeh, who replaced Bahram Afsharzadeh, will be caretaker until a new president is elected for the federation. The new appointment comes a few days after Afsharzadeh decided to suspend Iran's national team, coached by Rezazadeh. The 2000 and 2004 Olympics champion was appointed as the manager and head coach of Iran's national weightlifting team a few months after he ended his weightlifting career due to an injury in July 2008. However, the world and Olympic record holder's term as the national team's manager was marred by several doping cases among Iranian weightlifters. Iran's anti-doping institution confirmed in June the use of illegal drugs by weightlifters Mohsen Davoudi and Rashid Sharifi. (Davoudi claimed the gold medal in the +94kg category in the Asian Junior Championships and Sharifi won three gold medals in the +105kg Asian Championships.) Rezazadeh came under more pressure when the Iranian national team had its weakest performance in the 2009 World Championships. Darab Riyahi became Vice President and Parviz Jalayer as General Secretary is assisting

Nigeria: Ndanusa Promises Glorious Delhi 2010

The Minister and Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Engr. Sani Ndanusa has said that arrangements are being put in place to ensure that the country does well in the 2010 India Commonwealth Games. Ndanusa was speaking in Abuja while giving the itinerary of the Queen's Baton Relay Team expected to arrive Nigeria on December 18, 2009 and will stay be in Abuja and Lagos till December 20. Nigeria will be participating in Athletics, Boxing, Wrestling, Weightlifting, Table Tennis and Elite Athletes for Disabled. (allAfrica.com)

Ousted Indian WF secretary to contest polls

Squadron Leader Baldev Raj Gulati, the ousted secretary-general of the Indian Weightlifting Federation, may have had to resign last month under pressure from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) over the issue of doping, but he is not giving up yet.Gulati resigned from his post along with all other office bearers. But Gulati, who has often been blamed for the rampant doping in the country, is hoping to be again among the new set of office-bearers that will take charge after the IOA conducts elections on December 27. "I am not contesting for the post of secretary-general but for one of the other positions," Gulati told DNA, adding that he hoped India would be able to participate in next year's Commonwealth Games. "Once the final dope test results are out and the penalty is paid (by the IWF or the IOA), the lifters will get a go-ahead for the Commonwealth Games, for which they are currently attending a camp at the Army Sports Institute in Pune," he said. "The penalty has not been announced officially. However, if found guilty we stand to lose half-a-million dollars. But the Sports Authority of India (SAI) is to be blamed for this," Gulati said. India have been banned twice in the past -- in 2004 and 2006 -- apart from escaping with a heavy fine on one other occasion. (by DNA)

IRFU Fitness Workshops Well Received

The November and December IRFU Fitness Workshops proved hugely successful with fitness coaches from across Ireland. World-renowned Professor Dietmar Schmidtbleicher and Olympic medallist Martin Zawieja presented two interesting modules as part of the workshops. The December Fitness Workshop was presented by Martin Zawieja who is an elite weightlifting coach and also an Olympic medallist in the super heavyweight division. School and club coaches who attended the workshop were given an introduction to weightlifting. Martin was also assisted by Colin Buckley from the Irish Amateur Weightlifting Association and Des Ryan (IRFU Fitness Education Manager). Des Ryan (IRFU Fitness Education Manager)