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IWF Youth World Championships successfully concluded

The 2019 edition of the IWF Youth World Championships finished with double success for the host nation USA, showing the strength of next-generation US Weightlifting. This is the first time that both the male and female teams won the team classification. However, it was not only on the platform that Las Vegas proved to be the lucky charm for Team USA: the already experienced squad under the leadership of Ursula Papandrea, President and Phil Andrews, CEO made sure all the 175 athletes representing 42 countries went home satisfied and with a feeling of a successful event. Las Vegas 2019 marked several “firsts”. This is the first time that USA Weightlifting simultaneously carried out three major events under one roof. The YWC, although the highest ranked, was almost dwarfed in terms of turnout against the Las Vegas International Open and the USA University & U25 Competitions, which rounded up the participants to nearly 800 lifters and took place on three platforms at the same time. The favourable results of the IWF’s serious Anti-Doping program and Education, providing a level playing field for all, were clearly visible at this Championships: the medals were shared by 26 countries of which 15 took gold. Countries with little or no previous medal record stepped forward with their youth lifters, such as Belgium, Brazil, Mongolia, Czech Republic and Saudi Arabia (!) On this occasion, IWF tested an exceptionally high ratio of athletes (65%). Among the technical innovations introduced at this Youth World Championships the most significant was the Video Playback Technology (VPT). The teams quickly picked up the new possibility and several challenges were requested. The winners of the Best Lifters Trophies of IWF were FAYZULLAEVA Kumushkhon, who set two world records in the women’s 64kg bodyweight category and TAISUYEV Saikhan, for his outstanding performance in the men’s 67kg category, and Clean and Jerk world record. In total, 9 new world records were set in the course of the 2019 Youth World

Czech lifter won gold on last day of IWF Youth World Championships

On the last competition day of the 2019 IWF Youth Championships, the highest men and woman bodyweight categories competed in Las Vegas. In the woman's +81kg, Spanish BLANCO TARELA Irene proved to be the best. She secured 3 gold medals with a 91kg Snatch and a 112kg Clean and Jerk (203kg Total). The silver and bronze medals both stayed in home soil, YUN Julia finished second with a 199kg Total, while the other American, WALKER Nia Lielani lifted 196kg, earning the bronze. In the men's superheavyweight, we celebrated a Czech Youth World Champion ORACKO Dominik. First, he grabbed the gold medal in the Snatch with three good lifts, 144kg at highest. Azerbaijan's KAZIMOV Rahman stole the Clean and Jerk gold from ORACKO, both performing the same result, 174kg, but KAZIMOV was first to finish the attempt. Turkmen DAYIYEV Atajan was the second runner up in the +102kg category, with a Total of 315kg. After finishing second in the Snatch (143kg), he made an attempt to rise to the overall gold with his last Clean and Jerk attempt at 176kg but failed to complete it, which put him back to the fourth place (172kg) of this lift and second place overall. ALALI Ahmad (SYR) swiped three bronze medals totalling at 309kg.

Teaming Up For Clean Sport At The IWF Youth World Championships

Educating the next generation of elite weightlifters on the importance of clean sport and the workings of the anti-doping process has been a key feature of the ongoing 2019 IWF Youth World Championships in Las Vegas. To bring the event’s educational programme to life and ensure its robust future, the IWF has teamed up with leading players in the anti-doping system, including the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and the International Testing Agency (ITA). On 12 March, the IWF organized the second education seminar for competitors, their parents, coaches and support staff. The first part of the seminar, presented by USADA Education Manager Tammy Hanson, focused on Anti-Doping fundamentals. This included the prohibited list, the sample collection process, therapuetic use exemptions and Whereabouts. Many of these also form part of the #iLiftClean E-learning platform. USA Weightlifting Senior Director of Engagement Kevin Farley provided information and insights on the relationship between social media and weightlifting in the second part of the seminar, with social media understood to play a vital role among behavioural influences on young athletes. All together 370 athletes visited the IWF anti-doping outreach booth, a part of the WADA Legacy Outreach Programme at the Youth World Championships (and Las Vegas International Open). These outreach and educational programmes were also organised in conjunction with USADA, which aims to increase awareness and understanding of clean sport. All these partnerships are further clear examples of the IWF’s own commitment to promoting a culture of clean sport, and to protecting clean athletes by educating young athletes, coaches and spectators. Alarna Nightingale, Anti-Doping Coordinator of the International Testing Agency (ITA) participated in the event as part of the Transfer of Knowledge partnership between the IWF and the ITA. This Transfer of Knowledge work has enabled the ITA to get more familiar with the specificity of the IWF's advanced in-competition testing and education efforts, in order to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities from the IWF's anti-doping activities to the ITA. “Protecting clean athletes and promoting clean sport takes a huge team effort,” said IWF President Tamas Ajan. “The IWF is grateful to have a great team of strong players alongside us as, we all work together for the future of weightlifters and

Clean Sweeps on day six of YWC

Once again two athletes claimed triple gold in their bodyweight categories on day six of the IWF Youth World Championships in Las Vegas. Turkey's NARIN Dilara secured a golden hat-trick in the women's 76-kilogram category and then Bulgaria's HRISTOV Stefcho Dimitrov managed the same feat in the men's 102kg. Seventeen-year-old HRISTOV gained his first gold in the snatch with a lift of 145kg, which saw him beat Georgia's TAKTAKISHVILI Lasha by a full 15kg. Azerbaijan’s SHUKURLU Ali, who turns 16 this year, claimed the Snatch bronze with a lift of 125kg. As it turned out the top three remained the same for the Clean and Jerk and therefore the overall competition as well. In the Clean and Jerk, HRISTOV lifted 170kg for gold, this time 10kg more than TAKTAKISHVILI, while SHUKURLU managed 155kg for his second bronze. Added together that meant HRISTOV also claimed overall gold with total lifts of 315kg. Taktakishvili seized silver with lifts totalling 290kg, while 280kg was enough to give SHUKURLU his third bronze by 20kg. In the women's 76kg category, NARIN gained her first gold with a snatch of 96kg just four days shy of her 17th birthday. That saw her top the field by 4kg, before she went on the win the Clean and Jerk title by 13kg with a lift of 129kg. That effort saw her break her own youth world record. Combined, those two lifts gave her the overall gold as well, by 17kg in front of Armenia's GYURJYAN Liana. As in the men's 102kg event, the top three was the same for the Snatch, Clean and Jerk and overall events. GYURJYAN's lifts of 92kg in the Snatch and 116kg in the Clean in Jerk gave her three silvers, while Ecuador's PAREDES ARREAGA Bella Nancy, the only athlete in the field to have already turned 17, came third three times with respective lifts of 90kg and 110kg. medals were also decided in the women's 81kg and men's 96kg categories. In the men's event, BEKBOLAT Rakhat from Kazakhstan won the overall and Clean and Jerk titles but came second in the Snatch to Turkey's DEMIRCI Onur. While DEMIRCI won his gold with a lift of 145kg, BEKBOLAT took the overall title by 8kg in front of Demirci with lifts totalling 323kg. The Kazakh's impressive Clean and Jerk of 179kg ensured that. Overall bronze went to MIRZABAEV Mirkhosil from Uzbekistan with a combined 311kg. He finished third in both the Snatch and Clean and Jerk as well. In the women's 81kg event another Kazakh, PASTUKHOVA Olga, took the overall title by just 1kg over Uzbekistan's JABBOROVA Tursunoy. The Kazakh managed lifts totalling 215kg, also winning gold in the Clean and Jerk where she lifted 123kg. That lift saw her beat JABBOROVA by 5kg, though she was second in the snatch by 4kg after the Uzbek managed a lift of 96kg. Coming third overall was Japan's NAKAJIMA Motoka, who also finished third in the Snatch and Clean and Jerk. She managed lifts of 86kg and 109kg for a total of

Uzbekistan and Mexico took triple gold in Las Vegas

Uzbek FAYZULLAEVA Kumushkhon lifted 215kg Total, winning all 3 gold medals in the women's 64kg bodyweight category. She stepped on the Snatch first place with 93kg and the Clean and Jerk with 122kg. ROJAS GONZALEZ Queysi Julissa (MEX) finished at second place with an 88kg Snatch and a 107kg Clean and Jerk performance, totalling at 195kg, and 5kg behind her, Romanian ILIE Mihaela(190kg). The event hall was filled with loud cheering when ALOTHMAN Ali Yousef A (KSA), 2018 Youth Olympic Games bronze medallist successfully finished his last lift at 171kg, stealing the overall gold from Armenian KARAPETYAN Garik, after the two of them competed head-to-head all along, KARAPETYAN winning the Snatch (137kg) and ALOTHMAN taking the lead in Clean and Jerk. They had the final result of 305kg and 307kg respectively. Other Armenian GHAHRAMANYAN Gevorg captured the bronze medal not far behind the top two lifters, with a 304kg Total. Mexican VELAZQUEZ ROMERO Emmy Lizette collected a big victory in woman's 71kg bodyweight category with a 214kg Total, a 20kg advantage over second runner up, USA's REEVES Olivia Lynn. The Snatch gold was secured with 93kg and Clean and Jerk on 121kg. REEVES collected three silver medals on home soil, lifting 84kg in the Snatch and 110kg in the Clean and Jerk for a combined 194kg. SALDARRIAGA DIOSES Estrella Belen won overall bronze with 185kg, helped by a Snatch third place on

SAPI shined on day 4 of IWF Youth World Championships

In the men's 73kg bodyweight category, Bulgarian NASAR Karlos May Hasan and 2018 Asian Youth Championships bronze medallist, NARIMANOV Asadbek (UZB) had eyes on the gold medal. The Uzbek had 3kg advantage in the Snatch over NASAR(133kg). Both successfully lifted 154kg in the Clean and Jerk and proceeded to attempt 161kg, which proved to be too much for NARIMANOV. The gold medal went to the Bulgarian with a Total of 291kg, while the silver medallist registered at 287kg. Considerably behind the other two, MISAKIAN Amagiak (GRE) finished third (272kg). Egyptian SAID Neama Said Fahmi won three gold medals in the women's 59kg bodyweight category with a Total result of 195kg. We have seen her talent shine not too long ago, on the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, where she finished second. Two Mexican lifters were fighting for the bronze and silver medals head to head. GUILLEN VAZQUEZ Daphne could lift one kilogram more in the Snatch than her compatriot (82kg), while this favor was on GARCIA GOMEZ Mariana's side in the Clean and Jerk (107kg). Both had the final result of 188kg, but GUILLEN was first to successfully finish the lift, pocketing the silver medal. The three top lifters in the men's 81kg had a steady performance, the rankings stayed the same all along the competition. Kazakh SAPI Yessenkeldi undoubtedly stood out with his outstanding lifting, not missing a single attempt. He easily took the gold medal with a total of 299kg. The second runner up was USA's athlete, STANLEY Dade Lawson, whose result was close to SAPI's in the Snatch (133kg) but was outlifted by a whopping 20kg in the Clean and Jerk, totalling 288kg. Peruvian ATENCIA PRIOU Amel Karim, bronze medallist at the 2018 Pan-American Youth Championships totalled 274kg, which landed him on the third place of the bodyweight