New web site for Lithuanian WF
Lithuanian Weightlifting Federation has launched its new website. The website address is
‘Bronze Medalist’ Has Charms of Sports Drama
Pushing limits, celebrating team spirit and savoring that delicious victory _ or honorable loss _ the classic sports drama is programmed to grip viewers with an adrenaline rush. ``Bronze Medalist,'' featuring weightlifting teenage girls, offers everything you expect from such a film, but also more. South Korea is a country obsessed with first prizes, and Olympic silver and bronze medalists often hang their heads in shame for ``letting down'' fans. Last year's ``Forever the Moment'' spotlighted the women's handball team's memorable silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and ``Bronze'' is about another relatively unpopular sport, weightlifting, which was virtually ignored until the 2008 Beijing Olympics catapulted Jang Mi-ran to superstardom with a gold medal and three world records. ``Bronze'' is not a biography on Jang, but it could well have been. It is based on the true story behind the 81st National Sports Festival in 2000, when four of five girls from the same weightlifting team swept 14 golds and one silver out of 15 competitions. This record remains unbeaten to this day, and the girls, who practiced with bamboo poles because they couldn't afford real weights, went on to become national athletes like Jang. Behind such an impressive team, of course, was a passionate coach. Lee Beom-su, whose stardom has just begun to catch up with his hardball acting (``More Than Blue''), stars as retired weightlifter Lee Ji-bong. The movie takes viewers back to the 1988 Seoul Olympics, when Ji-bong snaps his elbow in the snatch _ just like Hungary's Janos Baranyai during the Beijing Games. He wins a bronze medal, but is forced to retire due to a hitherto unknown heart condition. He reluctantly accepts a coaching position at a provincial girls' middle school, where he is more interested in fishing than initiating the zealous youngsters into his bitter world of ``only pain and no gain.'' Nevertheless, it is difficult for him, or the viewer, not to become fond of the improbable team members: Yeong-ja (``Muoi'' screen beauty Jo An who gained seven kilograms for the role), a poor girl whose physical stamina is her only asset; shy and chubby Hyeon-jeong (Jeon Bo-mi) who nurses a crush on the most popular boy in town; book smart Su-ok (Lee Seul-bi) who wants to boost her extracurricular activity list so she can enter Harvard law school and become an FBI agent; tomboyish Yeo-sun (Choi Mun-gyeong) who wishes to succeed in order to support her ill mother; high-spirited Bo-yeong, a born weightlifter; and eccentrically fashionable Min-heui (Lee Yun-heui), who joins the team because she fancies the uniform. Of course, it's only by chance that Ji-bong discovers the teacher in him. He catches Yeong-ja drinking milk out of the trash, and realizes that a meal plan via the team could benefit her. The school principal suggests that funding from the local administration may be possible, but they must first master the art of persuasion. Ji-bong and the girls' efforts to feign an enthusiastic but under-equipped team provides some generic but endearing slapstick for the next few reels. The ``special'' team spirit yields not only a meal service and training camp of their own, but also genuine enthusiasm for weightlifting, for both coach and trainees. Their camp becomes a haven for the lost girls, who pump up muscles and sisterhood, and for Ji-bong, who can finally come to terms with himself. Middle school, however, does not last forever, nor would Ji-bong's stubborn insistence to ignore his chest pains. Recently, ``U and Me'' by Jeon Gye-su, released as part of the omnibus ``If You Were Me 4,'' spotlighted how difficult it could be for a budding young woman to deal with being macho. Compared to the short film, ``Bronze'' remains within the realm of mainstream superficiality and Disneyesque political correctness, but it stands apart from typical Hollywood sport movies with dramatic counterpoints and humor that are distinctively Korean. In addition to Lee, Jo and the group of newcomer actresses, the movie features a supporting cast of A-list veteran actors and cameos by real athletes who give the movie that extra kick and dimension. In theaters from July 1. 120 minutes. All ages admitted. Distributed by N.E.W. (by Lee
Sri Lankan bronze at Japan's Weightlfting Senior Championships
69th & 21st JAPAN WEIGHTLIFTING MAN AND WOMAN CHAMPIONSHIPS51 woman and 72 men competed in Memorial Gymnasium on Saitama (04-05.07.2009). , 12 Japan senior and 2 juniors (U20) records were broken. (By Marek Drzewowski) ResultsOne Sri Lankan male athlete competed in 69kg category and got bronze medal.He is living in Japan because he got married with a Japanese girl. He met her when he participated in 2008 Asian Championships in Kanazawa City, Japan. They got married in March 2009. The last year's Asian Championships the first visit to Japan for him. - Name; PEIRIS Sudesh- Nationality; (still) Sri Lankan- DOB; 3 Feb 1985- Results (all are in 69kg category)08 Asian Champs (S 110, C&J 156, T 266) 16th place09 National Champs of Japan (S120, C&J 159, T 279) 3rd placePersonal best in SRI; S 123, C&J 161 < Interview > - Where do you live and where do you train now?I live in Kanazawa City and I do training at Kanazawa Gakuin University. (Two of 6 Japanese 2008 Olympic lifters are working for this university.)- What is the first impression of Japan?Japan is cold because it was in April and the temperature was 20 degrees less than in Sri Lanka (10C / 30C).- How do you feel since you live in Japan?My home sick is storng but I feel happy in Japan. As a result of good quality food I gained some extra bodyweight. Before coming to Japan it was 64kg but now I have 70kg. Japanese people are friendly and I am satisfied with my training circumstance with my coaches, Mr. OBATAKE Naoyuki and Mr. KIKUTA Miyoji (Both of them are the coaches of Japanese Olympians, SAITO Rika and SHINTANI Yoshito. Mr.Kikuta is ex-national coach.)- How do you feel after this competition?Although I was sick a week before the competition and my results were lower than my personal best, the Bronze medal is really fine.- What is your future plan in weightlifting?I am aiming at 2010 Commonwealth Games and I am going to retire after the Games.- What is your goal in life?To be happy with my wife. (by Reiko Chinen)
Sri Lankan bronze at Japan’s Weightlfting Senior Championships
69th & 21st JAPAN WEIGHTLIFTING MAN AND WOMAN CHAMPIONSHIPS51 woman and 72 men competed in Memorial Gymnasium on Saitama (04-05.07.2009). , 12 Japan senior and 2 juniors (U20) records were broken. (By Marek Drzewowski) ResultsOne Sri Lankan male athlete competed in 69kg category and got bronze medal.He is living in Japan because he got married with a Japanese girl. He met her when he participated in 2008 Asian Championships in Kanazawa City, Japan. They got married in March 2009. The last year's Asian Championships the first visit to Japan for him. - Name; PEIRIS Sudesh- Nationality; (still) Sri Lankan- DOB; 3 Feb 1985- Results (all are in 69kg category)08 Asian Champs (S 110, C&J 156, T 266) 16th place09 National Champs of Japan (S120, C&J 159, T 279) 3rd placePersonal best in SRI; S 123, C&J 161 < Interview > - Where do you live and where do you train now?I live in Kanazawa City and I do training at Kanazawa Gakuin University. (Two of 6 Japanese 2008 Olympic lifters are working for this university.)- What is the first impression of Japan?Japan is cold because it was in April and the temperature was 20 degrees less than in Sri Lanka (10C / 30C).- How do you feel since you live in Japan?My home sick is storng but I feel happy in Japan. As a result of good quality food I gained some extra bodyweight. Before coming to Japan it was 64kg but now I have 70kg. Japanese people are friendly and I am satisfied with my training circumstance with my coaches, Mr. OBATAKE Naoyuki and Mr. KIKUTA Miyoji (Both of them are the coaches of Japanese Olympians, SAITO Rika and SHINTANI Yoshito. Mr.Kikuta is ex-national coach.)- How do you feel after this competition?Although I was sick a week before the competition and my results were lower than my personal best, the Bronze medal is really fine.- What is your future plan in weightlifting?I am aiming at 2010 Commonwealth Games and I am going to retire after the Games.- What is your goal in life?To be happy with my wife. (by Reiko Chinen)
Successful "100 year anniversary of the athletics club Rorschach"
Daniel Tschan, the President of the Swiss Weightlifting Association summed up the 100 years long his story of the club. In 1909 the foundation of this club was a landmark is the development of weightlifting in the whole country. Rorschach was not only very successful but also had a role model within the association. Mayor Thomas Mueller brought the congratulations of the City Council. He mentioned how the name "Rorschach" was a well known ambassador of Weightlifting in Switzerland. The Swiss Weightlifting clubs brought their friendly wishes and gifts. Club president Raphael Graber was very pleased with the great success of the event and he said this anniversary celebration was courage and motivation to continue working on all levels. The Athletic club Rorschach Successes: 29-times Swiss champion team, about 70 individual Swiss championships, 9 cup winner. For the 100 years celebration of the AS Rorschach the Swiss club invited the lifters of Baden-Württemberg (GER).AS Rorschach won the the friendly meeting 13:11.The three best lifters of the anniversary event "100 Years of AS Rorschach" on 4 July 2009 in the tent of Rorschach are: winner with 320.8 points Yannick Sautebin before David Waldraff with 307.3 points and Oliver Kling with 299.5 points. Resultsby Conny Högg & Martin Graber Image: Urs
Successful “100 year anniversary of the athletics club Rorschach”
Daniel Tschan, the President of the Swiss Weightlifting Association summed up the 100 years long his story of the club. In 1909 the foundation of this club was a landmark is the development of weightlifting in the whole country. Rorschach was not only very successful but also had a role model within the association. Mayor Thomas Mueller brought the congratulations of the City Council. He mentioned how the name "Rorschach" was a well known ambassador of Weightlifting in Switzerland. The Swiss Weightlifting clubs brought their friendly wishes and gifts. Club president Raphael Graber was very pleased with the great success of the event and he said this anniversary celebration was courage and motivation to continue working on all levels. The Athletic club Rorschach Successes: 29-times Swiss champion team, about 70 individual Swiss championships, 9 cup winner. For the 100 years celebration of the AS Rorschach the Swiss club invited the lifters of Baden-Württemberg (GER).AS Rorschach won the the friendly meeting 13:11.The three best lifters of the anniversary event "100 Years of AS Rorschach" on 4 July 2009 in the tent of Rorschach are: winner with 320.8 points Yannick Sautebin before David Waldraff with 307.3 points and Oliver Kling with 299.5 points. Resultsby Conny Högg & Martin Graber Image: Urs
