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First competition day results at East Asian Games

W 48 kg   1 CHN YANG Lian 1 90 2 112 202.0 2 TPE CHEN Wei-ling 3 79 1 113 192.0 3 PRK RYANG Chun Hwa 2 84 3 108 192.0   M 56 kg   1 CHN LONG Qingquan 1 125 1 155 280.0 2 TPE YANG Chin-yi 2 105 2 135 240.0 3 MGL ENKHJARGAL Munkhdul 3 95 3 120 215.0   M 62 kg   1 PRK KIM Un Guk 1 140 1 170 310.0 GR 2 TPE YANG Sheng-hsiung 4 132 2 164 296.0 3 PRK CHA Kum Chol 2 140 4 155 295.0 4 KOR JI Hunmin 3 133 3 160 293.0   GR - Games

Turkey Paid Bulgaria USD 7 M for Weightlifting Legend

Turkey is reported to have paid USD 7 M to Bulgaria's communist government led by Todor Zhivkov for the Bulgarian-Turkish World and Olympic Champion in weightlifting Naim Suleimanov (Naim Süleymanoğlu). The former Deputy Turkish PM, Ekrem Pakdemirli, told the ‘Bulturk' newspaper that ex Turkish PM and President and Turgut Ozal had personally told him to pay over the USD 7 M to Bulgaria. The sum had previously been reported to be USD 1 M. Pakdemirli is quoted as saying that Zhivkov's government asked for the huge sum and that the Turkish PM Ozal had paid it before the 1988 Seoul Olympics to allow Süleymanoğlu to compete for Turkey. He added that at the time that amount of money could have built a water supply system for at least 100 villages. Süleymanoğlu, formerly known as Suleimanov, was born in Ptichar, Bulgaria in 1967. He won three Olympic Championships, seven World Championships and six European Championships and earned 46 world records. Born in Bulgaria of Turkish descent, he was nicknamed "The Pocket Hercules" due to his small stature (1,47 meters). He is the second of only seven lifters to clean and jerk three times their bodyweight. Suleimanov set his first world record at the age 16 but missed his first chance at Olympic success in 1984 when Bulgaria joined the Soviet boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Soon afterwards the Communist regime in Bulgaria forced its Turkish minority to adopt Bulgarian names and he became known internationally as Naum Shalamanov. While on a trip to the World Cup Final in Melbourne in 1986, Suleimanov defected. He resurfaced in Turkey and applied for citizenship. He also changed his name from the Bulgarian Suleimanov/Shalamanov to the Turkish Süleymanoğlu. After the fall of Communism in Bulgaria, his family was able to join him in

Indian Weightlifting Federation executive body to be reconstituted on Dec 27

A new executive body of the Indian Weightlifting Federation, the members of which resigned en masse last month, will be constituted by the Indian Weightlifting Federation General Body in its special meeting here on December 27. The Indian Olympic Association, which exerted pressure following a a series of dope flunks by the Indian lifters in October led to the resignation, on December 5 issued a notification for convening a special GBM on December 27. The IOA had said that nobody from the earlier executive body would be allowed in the new committee as they could not stop doping by lifters due to which India now face ban by the international

Charles Mifsud’s Award

William Chetcuti (clay shooter) continued to enrich his already-impressive array of honours yesterday when he was named as the only Maltese sports personality to receive the Platinum Award in the eighth Maltese Olympic Committee Sports Awards. The presentations night, held at the Excelsior Hotel, was attended by various distinguished personalities including Parliamentary Secretary for Sport Clyde Puli, Giancarlo Antognoni, the former Italy midfielder who won the World Cup for the Azzurri in 1982, and delegates from the Commonwealth Games. They are currently here to accompany the Queen's Baton which is touring the island as part of the trans-continental relay ahead of next year's Games in Delhi. Hall of Fame There were six new Hall of Fame inductees as well. Among themCharles Mifsud, the founder of the Malta Weightlifting Federation and an inspiration to the sport in Malta. Charles Mifsud was founder of the Malta Weightlifting Federation and President for 25 years. Took up weightlifting at the age of 12 years in Australia. In 1963 he won the gold medal in the Senior Australian championships in New South Wales and between 1962 and 1970, took part in the Australian championships, finishing runner up in 1968, 1969 and 1970. Between 1962 and 1990, he represented Malta as an athlete and a coach in the Commonwealth Games. In 1975 he founded Olympic weightlifting in Malta. In 1983 he was voted as Official of the Year and finished runner up in 1990 and in third place in 2004. In 1981, 1990 and 1995 Mifsud organised the European tournament for Small Nations, in 1990 the European Junior championships and in 2003 the Commonwealth championships. Category One referee between

Chicken pox dashes medal hopes of Diaz (PHI)

After Olympian weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz was barred from joining the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Laos this week due to a bout with chicken pox, she has also been barred from competing in the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Dubai to be held right after the SEA Games. Diaz, the 18-year-old weightlifter who brought pride to the country by being the first woman representative and youngest weightlifting bet to the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a wild card entry, was diagnosed with chicken pox last Friday and was barred from joining the SEA Games team. She was advised by RP team doctors to rest for two weeks. The weightlifting team is all set to fly to Dubai right after the SEA Games to compete in the Asian event, where Diaz brought home two gold medals and a silver medal last year. The weightlifters set to compete in Dubai include world champion Patricia Llena, Nestor Colonia, and neophyte Jeffrey Garcia. Llena, 15, reaped three gold medals in the 2009 Sub Junior Powerlifting Championship last September in Sao Paolo, Brazil, while Colonia won two silver medals and a bronze in last year's Asian Youth meet. Garcia is a new recruit from Zamboanga City.(By Trina

Commonwealth Games 2010: 300 days to go

Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi sustained its process of engaging the citizens of Delhi by launching the Delhi United, a programme aimed at recruiting 30,000 volunteers to be held in various areas during the Games next year, at its headquarters on Friday, the eve of the International Volunteer Day. Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi Chairman Mr. Suresh Kalmadi, MP, who launched Delhi United along with Ms. Sindhushree Khullar, Secretary, Ministry of Sports, said the army of selfless and dedicated volunteers would be the real face of the Games next year. "In fact, the volunteers will be the backbone of the Games, we depend on you" he