News

Men’s 105 kg: the great challenge for world champion Aramnau

2005 world champion Dmitriy Klokov (RUS)  is favored to win. The 25-year-old has performed quite consistently for the past few years, grabbing a gold at the 2005 WC and bronze at both the 2006 and 2007 World Championships. Twenty-year-old Andrei Aramnau (BLR) is another possible winner. The young man lifted 423kg in the 2007 World Championships to claim the gold at the age of 19. If he wins he'll bring Belarus' their first ever Olympic weightlifting gold. 2006 world champion Marcin Dołęga (POL) comes to the Games with a favorable 430kg entry total weight, and is one of the medal-worthy finalists. Dołęga also holds the world record of 199kg in the snatch.   Other medal candidates include 2006 World Championships silver medalist Dmitry Lapikov (RUS), previous world cahmpion,  2005 World Championships bronze medalist Martin Tešovič (SVK) and Athens silver medalist Igor Razoronov (UKR).

Men’s 94 kg: Press conference quotes

Ilya Ilin (KAZ), gold medallist:   "In my second snatch I hurt my elbow and the doctor tried to fix it. I was worried that I could not compete, but my coach helped me and gave me confidence. He helped me stand up psychologically. In the clean and jerk I got 226kg. I began to congratulate myself because I had done my best. If others had lifted more than me, they are good boys. I would have been happy for them."   Szymon Kolecki (POL), silver medallist:   "I should have won by 6 good attempts, but I was able just for 5."     Khadzhimurat Akkaev (RUS), bronze medallist: (after his competition was over in group B):  "I think my 402 kg should be enough for winning the gold medal. I came just for gold and not for silver or bronze."   (after the competition was over in group A):  "It was my coach's greatest mistake he ever did by stopping me to start together with the highest quality of athletes in this class."

Men’s 94 kg: Kazakhstan’s first Beijing gold and at the same time the country’s first ever Olympic weightlifting gold medal

Ilya Ilin (KAZ), winner of the 2006 WC was among the favorites to win the gold, along with Szymon Kołecki (POL), world record holder in clean and jerkl and Nizami Pashayev (AZE), the world champion in 2005. Pashayev did best among the lifters in the snatch, reaching 181kg after three attempts. Ilin gave up his third attempt after lifting 180kg to reserve some energy. Kołecki lifted 179kg. The 2008 Asian champion, Asghar Ebrahimi of Iran, also lifted 180kg.They were so close to each other nothing was sure about the final outcome. The real battle came in the clean and jerk. Pashayev surprisingly failed his first two attempts at 215kg. He eventually succeeded with his last trial, but his chance of winning had slipped away. On the other hand, world recorder holder Kołecki only lifted a conservative 217kg with his first attempt. Pashayev AZE Ilin directly tried for 223kg with his first attempt but failed. His strategy forced Kołecki to increase his second attempt to 224kg. Both succeeded in their second attempts and tied at 403kg, but Ilin's 0.09kg less body weight put him in first place. Under huge pressure, Kołecki changed his weight for the last attempt and let Ilin lift first. Ilin completed 226kg successfully, then Kołecki asked for 228kg, 4kg less then his world record, but he failed. Khadzhimurat Akkaev (RUS) started in group B only snatched176kg, but an excellent 223kg helped him handed him the bronze medal. Kolecki POL Akkaev RUS

IWF President welcomed LOCOG 2012 officials

IWF President welcomed LOCOG 2012 officials, Ms. Deborah Jevans, Director of Sport and Mr. David Luckes, Head of Sports Competition for a meeting on the London

85 countries on spot

85 countries' athletes take part at the Games as Indian lifter, Ms. Laishram Monika Devi (69kg) was withdrawn from the competition by the Indian Olympic Association. Mubarak Musoke Kivumbi (56kg) from Uganda could not participate as he could not make his bodyweight at the weigh-in. Jaber Saeed Salem (+105kg) will miss the Games as well because of an injury - reported by the Qatar NOC.

Men’s 94 kg: An opened field

Szymon Kolecki (POL) Roman Konstantinov (RUS) Out of the six medalists who won in the last two Olympic Games, only the silver winners, Szymon Kolecki (POL) and Khadzhimurat Akkaev (RUS), are participating in this year's competition. Kolecki also clinched third place in the 2007 WC held in Chiangmai, and second place in the 2006 WC in Santo Domingo. Akkaev has to start in group B. It would not be a surprise if he could manage from group B to come through for a medal. The two are highly expected to claim honors again for their countries. Roman Konstantinov (RUS) is also a competitive weightlifter in this category. He ranked first in both the snatch and total weight at the 2007 WC, and in the 2006 WC he lifted the largest weight in the snatch for a third place finish in the total. The 25-year-old also won the 2007 European Championship in. Yoandry Hernandez(CUB) Also expected to perform well is Yoandry Hernandez(CUB), who clinched first place in the clean and jerk and second in total weight at the 2007 WC.