News

Phuket, Day 2: World records and a sensational finish as Olympic champion Hou ousts China team-mate to claim place in Paris

Hou Zhuhui earned the chance to win Olympic gold for China for a second time when she bettered her own world record in a sensational performance at the IWF World Cup. There was drama from start to finish in two sessions of the women’s 49kg. DPR Korea’s Ri Song Gum also claimed a world record on the way to victory ahead of Hou, but she is not eligible for Paris 2024 because her nation entered the qualifying programme too late. Ri Song Gum (PRK) All that mattered for Tokyo champion Hou was finishing ahead of team-mate Jiang Huihua, who went to the top of the rankings at the first qualifier in Colombia 16 months ago and stayed there until the last few minutes of the afternoon A Group in Phuket. Hou Zhuhui (CHN) Four times Jiang had beaten Hou in a Paris qualifier. This time Jiang missed three of her attempts, including the last two, and Hou made a swing of 6kg to overtake her. Jiang made 94-114-208, which was 8kg down on her best effort. Even if she had made her final clean and jerk of 123kg Jiang would not have overtaken Hou. That would have put both lifters on 217kg, leaving Hou top of the rankings because she got there first. Hou made a career-best 97-120-217, which was 7kg more than her winning total in Tokyo. Ri won on 97-124-221, bettering her own world record on total with her fifth attempt and failing on 126kg as she went for the clean and jerk record too. Jiang Huihua (CHN) China was one of seven nations with athletes going head-to-head in Phuket, the final Olympic qualifying opportunity. No country can send more than one athlete in any weight category, so team-mates were up against each other in the race to be ranked in the top 10. There were tears of heartbreak and of joy on the platform, in the warm-up room and even in the audience. The happiest athletes were Hou, the Tokyo silver medallist Mirabai Chanu from India, Surodchana Khambao from Thailand, Rira Suzuki from Japan, Katherin Echandia from Venezuela, Fang Wan Ling from Chinese Taipei, triple Olympian Beatriz Piron from Dominican Republic, and Rosina Randafiarison from Madagascar. They all qualified. Rira Suzuki (JPN) Those whose hopes were dashed included Jiang, Thanyathon Sukcharoen from Thailand, who had to withdraw when she injured her elbow on her final snatch attempt, Dahiana Ortiz from Dominican Republic, Ana Lopez from Mexico, Lin Cheng Jing from Chinese Taipei and Giulia Imperio from Italy, who bombed out for a third time in qualifying. Rosegie Ramos from the Philippines is one place outside the top 10 but may yet make it to Paris if Nina Sterckx from Belgium, ranked at two weights, performs well at 59kg here on Wednesday. The continental place – awarded to the highest-ranked athlete from any continent not represented in the top 10 - will go to Randafiarison, who edged ahead of Dika Toua from Papua New Guinea by 1kg. Toua’s hopes of lifting at the Olympic Games for a record-breaking sixth time now rest with the Tripartite Commission, which will choose six weightlifters from 32 applicants for a Universality Place. Toua is one of them. Echandia and her coaching team provided the best celebration of the day. The Venezuelan screamed with joy when she made it into the top 10 with her fifth attempt,  but when when Fang edged past her she had to do it again. Echandia made it, finishing with a six-from-six 85-108-193, before leaping into the arms of one coach while being mobbed by others. Katherin Echandia (VEN) Piron has been suffering with a shoulder injury and sat out the competition after weighing in. Ortiz failed with two attempts to move above Piron. “I intended to compete here but I have to take care of myself. I have had the injury for four months,” Piron said. “Now I will be fine for Paris. It was tense to sit and watch my team-mate and I feel really happy and proud to qualify for the Olympics for a fourth time.” Chanu was happier than she has been for a long time despite making her lowest total since 2015 in the B Group. She made five from six for 81-103-184, down 16kg on her best qualifying total. She opened on 75kg, her lowest in 10 years. “I’m feeling great after what happened at the Asian Games,” Chanu said. “It has been very difficult to recover from that. Now I’m looking forward to going to Paris and making more.” Chanu was carried off the platform in agony last September after collapsing while making her final attempt at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. “It has taken her six months to recover, four and half months of it resting with only very light workouts,” said India’s head coach Vijay Sharma. “There was some confusion over what happened. One diagnosis was hip tendonitis, another was just overwork on the hip. “Mira didn’t go back to her home after the Asian Games, she went to the national camp and did whatever she could without forcing her hip. “She had already qualified so there was no point stretching her here. We want her to peak at the right time, and we know she can do much better now. Her best total on the stage is 205. We will come back on the same total and try to improve it a little bit.” Tokyo Olympian Lopez was in good shape after four attempts, 1kg below her best qualifying total. She failed with her last two and did not make the top 10. The Australian Brenna Kean found the task of chasing the continental place beyond her after losing 22.75% of her body weight since she lifted at 64kg in November. Kean, who had never competed lighter than 59kg before, bombed out in the snatch. The cut-off point at 10th place was on 190kg before today. Despite all the efforts of 32 athletes in this category in Phuket it moved by only 1kg to 191kg by the finish. Jourdan Delacruz from the United States and Mihaela Cambei from Romania, both assured of a place in Paris, did not compete today. Both are entered at 55kg. Men's 55kg podium PRK also won the non-Olympic men’s 55kg. Pang Un Chol failed with his fifth lift then made the last one for 118-152-270 to edge ahead of Natthawat Chomchuen from Thailand. Chomchuen, who made a great save on his final attempt, finished 119-150-269 and Lai Gia Thanh from Vietnam was third on 120-148-268. By Brian Oliver Photos by Giorgio

Phuket, Day 1: Photo Gallery

All photos by Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia [gallery size="large" ids="39857,39852,39860,39858,39853,39854,39861,39855,39856,39859,39847"]

Phuket, Day 1: Dika Toua rescues hopes of sixth Olympics, Tokyo medallist out of Paris – and three more world records for PRK

Dika Toua from Papua New Guinea kept alive her hopes of setting an Olympic record when she made her final attempt on day one of the IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand - the final qualifying opportunity for Paris 2024. Toua, who will be 40 in June, is back on course to become the first weightlifter ever to compete at six Olympic Games. While Toua was delighted, there was disappointment for the Tokyo Olympic medallist Windy Aisah from Indonesia, whose qualifying efforts have been badly hampered by injury. Aisah, one of four athletes in the 49kg C Group who were born after Toua made her Olympic debut 24 years ago, finished short of the 191kg she needed to move into the top 10 of the rankings. Dika Toua (PNG) There were three more world records for DPR Korea in the non-Olympic women’s 45kg. Won Hyon Sim, who had set snatch and total world records last month at the Asian Championships, bettered those two and also claimed the clean and jerk record in making 87-109-196. Toua made her best total since 2019 despite failing with her first two clean and jerks. Her 75-96-171 took her ahead of Rosina Randafiarison from Madagascar, the best placed athlete for the continental qualifying slot in this category who lifts in the B Group on Monday. She said: “When I went out for that last lift I was thinking this is it, you’ve got to do it. I said, ‘God help me.’ It worked.” Toua, whose career started last century and who was the first woman ever to go on the platform at the Olympic Games, competed at Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and in Tokyo three years ago. “It’s been a great journey but it’s not finished yet, whatever happens for Paris,” she said. “I’m going to Fiji in September for the Commonwealth Championships, and Fiji has the World Masters straight afterwards so I might as well try that too. “Then I want to be at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau next year. I can’t stop. Weightlifting is my life.” Toua leaves Phuket on Wednesday, arrives home on Friday and will immediately head to Goroka in the Eastern Highlands to lift on Saturday in the Papua New Guinea national championships. If Toua is overtaken by Randafiarison or the Australian Brenna Kean on Monday, she still has a chance of going to Paris via a universality place. These six “wild card” invitations from the International Olympic Committee go to nations who do not qualify many athletes, in all sports, for the Olympic Games. Toua is among the 32 weightlifting applicants from 28 countries. “I have faith that I will be in Paris,” Toua said. Kean has been through a brutal weight cut to lift at 49kg for the first time. She is ranked behind team-mate Kiana Elliott at 59kg, and weighed in at 63.25kg last November when she competed at 64kg in the Oceania Championships. Aisah is young enough, at 21, to try for Los Angeles 2028. She had injuries to both legs during qualifying and a persistent lower back problem that needs surgery, she said before the World Cup. She was able to make only five good clean and jerks in her five qualifying competitions. In 2021 and 2022 Aisah won two junior world titles and a bronze medal in Tokyo. She holds all three youth world records at 49kg. Thammy Nguyen (IRL) A few minutes before Toua’s success, Thammy Nguyen, Ireland’s best ever female lifter, made her farewell from the platform. She is looking forward to spending more time with her two young children. Nguyen retired after making 70-96-166. Her career was interrupted by motherhood, after which she became Ireland’s first female medallist at the European Championships. She was also the first woman from Ireland to lift at the IWF World Championships. “I’ve wanted to give up every day since Qatar,” said Nguyen, referring to the Grand Prix in December when she realised she would never be able to make the 190kg or more needed to qualify for Paris. “I’m happy about leaving. I won those medals that I hope will encourage younger lifters in Ireland, and now I’ll have family time that I haven’t had for three years. “I know I’m retiring as an athlete, but who knows about the future? Maybe I’ll be involved again after a few years, maybe my kids will take up weightlifting.” Won Hyon Sim (PRK) In the 45kg, Won made six from six and set world records with her third, fifth and sixth attempts. Won, who will be 22 on Tuesday, has made 11 good lifts in 12 attempts and set five world records in her only two senior competitions. She and her team-mates cannot go to Paris because PRK entered the qualifying programme too late. Siriwimon Pramongkhol from Thailand made five good lifts in a row after failing with her first snatch to finish second on 75-101-176. Khong My Phuong from Vietnam was third on 76-84-160. By Brian Oliver Photos by Giorgio

IWF Congress approves the first-ever IWF anthem

“An anthem should reflect an identity. This is normally the case with a country, as we are used to national anthems. But it should also happen with all types of organisations, namely in the sports world. That is what I tried to apply for the IWF”. Antonio Urso, the International Weightlifting Federation General Secretary, was obviously happy today, after the IWF Congress approved the melody of the first-ever IWF anthem. His melody, as Urso is also a musician and is the author of the music that will from now on represent the IWF at all protocolar moments.  Antonio Urso, IWF General Secretary - Photo by Giorgio Scala/Deepblumedia “I wanted something joyful, something that could represent the happy moments in our beloved sport, the satisfaction of a good performance, the importance of being together, of competing in a spirit of fair-play and camaraderie, of enjoying each and every moment we lift a bar. I had to ‘condense’ that in a 1m30s melody that would resonate in a nice harmony for all those listening to the IWF anthem,” adds the IWF General Secretary. “I am too biased to say it, but I believe everyone in the weightlifting family will like our anthem,” he continues. THE IWF ANTHEM [audio mp3="https://iwf.sport/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IWF-ANTHEM.mp3"][/audio]  “It all started last November, when we were in Guadalajara for the IWF World Junior Championships. After listening to the Mexican anthem at the opening ceremony, our IWF Communications manager approached me and said: ‘We need an IWF anthem. You could be the person doing it’. I immediately liked the concept and many ideas started to flow in my head. But, one day in December, the melody came naturally. In no more than 30 minutes, I had it written down,” Urso admits. “Uniting two of my biggest passions in life, weightlifting and music, in this project was obviously a very exciting mission. I take it also as a kind of legacy to the sport that gave me so much,” the IWF General Secretary confesses.    If the melody was relatively easy to find, subsequent work was then needed to make the necessary musical arrangements and find the appropriate instruments to play the anthem. This task was given to Aidan Zammit, a renowned Maltese musician (living in Italy since 1995), who has worked with many national and international artists.   “When Antonio gave me the written melody, the first thing I did was to work out a reharmonised sketch at the piano. I immediately knew what kind of atmosphere and sound I wanted. I needed a combination of positivity, power, and triumph. I decided to take a cinematic approach, inspired by the soundtracks of great action movies, combining traditional orchestration with contemporary electronic elements. The anthem was created initially using virtual instruments and synthesisers in my personal studio. After that, we added a number of real instruments and mixed the recording at Studio 8 in Rome, with the contribution of sound engineer Pino Iodice” Zammit recalls. “I would say that the combination of the orchestra and the electronic sounds brings out the best of both worlds and hope that the result will appeal to different generations of listeners,” he explains.  Aidan Zammit Asked about the ideal characteristics of such a short musical piece, but with such institutional importance, Zammit is clear: “The melody is obviously the most important element, and Antonio Urso did a great job with that. You need an aura of positivity and adventure with a dose of reality. In such a short time it is important to make things very clear, at the same time keeping everything as interesting and exciting as possible. It is like a very fast trip that quickly takes you through different emotions”.   Zammit’s Maltese roots played an important role in finding the right tone and sonority. “I also grew up on an island where local church brass bands play a big part in social life, so at the back of my mind I always had the sound of the bands playing marches in the streets. They weren’t usually in tune, but they conveyed an air of happiness and power, and were very captivating”.   After writing some music for documentaries about sports, this was the first time Zammit was involved in the creation of an anthem. “It was great fun, and definitely different from other projects I work on. Each situation in my line of work has very different requirements, and you need to take a new approach to almost every job. That’s one of the things I love about making music. Never a dull moment! I don’t know much about weightlifting, but I will be following it now that I have been introduced to this sport,” he concludes.  Other highlights The Congress also ratified the IWF 2023 Audited Financial Report and the ones received from the various IWF committees: Technical, Medical, Coaching and Research, and Athletes. As with the Executive Board meeting on Friday, an update was also given on the Paris 2024 Games, the Olympic qualification system, and the IWF Refugee Team and Sustainability projects.  Photo by Giorgio Scalat/Deepbluemedia The IWF gathering also was the occasion to be briefed on the preparation status of upcoming IWF events, namely: the 2024 IWF World Youth Championships in Lima (PER), the 2024 IWF World Junior Championships in Leon (ESP), the 2024 IWF World Championships in Manama (BRN) and the 2025 IWF World Championships in Forde (NOR). Moreover, the recently-awarded 2026 IWF World Youth Championships in Buenos Aires (ARG) and 2027 IWF World Championships in Yerevan (ARM) were also introduced to the delegates by the respective Organising Committees.  IWF President Mohammed Jalood chairing the Congress - Photo by Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia After the presentations from the IWF licensed barbell companies (Eleiko, Uesaka, and ZKC), and from the most recent IWF sponsor (SBD), the delegates approved the status of Associate Member for the Federation of Faroe Islands (FRO).   By Pedro Adrega, IWF

IWF allocates its World Championships in 2027 to Armenia and in 2028 to Venezuela

Yerevan and Caracas (subject to WADA confirmation) will be the respective hosts of the 2027 and 2028 editions of the IWF World Championships, after the decision of the IWF Executive Board (EB), meeting today in Phuket (THA). The Armenian capital successfully hosted the 2023 European Championships, while the Venezuelan metropolis staged the recent Pan-American showcase. In addition to the two senior competitions, the EB also awarded the organisation of the 2026 IWF World Youth Championships to Buenos Aires, in Argentina. “We had two very interesting and professional candidates for our World Championships, so we naturally opted for this double award. This also brings further stability to our calendar and allows more time to prepare and successfully deliver two great competitions. After Ningbo, in China, we travel to Europe in 2027 and to Americas in 2028 – three successive World Championships in three different continents,” underlined the IWF President Mohammed Jalood after the vote of the IWF Executive Board. The IWF Executive Board in Phuket If the allocation of the IWF showcase was the highlight of the meeting, other important topics were discussed, namely: The approval of the first-ever IWF anthem (to be ratified by the IWF Congress, taking place this Saturday); The approval of the IWF Technical Committee’s proposal to reduce from 10 to eight the bodyweight categories for both men and women; The approval of the audited 2023 IWF Financial Report; The acknowledgment of an updated report on the final preparation for the 2024 Olympic Games, presented by Jacqueline White, Weightlifting Sport Manager of the competition. The EB was informed that “everything is perfectly on track” for a smooth running of the event in the French capital; The presentation of updated reports on the IWF Anti-Doping Programme, IWF Refugee Team, and the IWF Sustainability Project. Partnership with SBDThe EB also ratified the partnership with British company SBD. Based in Sheffield, and specialised in the design and manufacture of apparel products for strength sports, SBD will be in Phuket during the IWF World Cup (starting on March 31), distributing free knee sleeves and T-shirts to participants in the event. A dedicated booth will be available in the training area of the competition in order to interact with athletes and coaches, and to further promote SBD products. Present already in 50 countries, the company is also sponsoring 20 powerlifting national teams around the globe. “We are delighted to have recently entered into a partnership with the IWF and to have a presence at the IWF World Cup, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. We look forward to developing a collaborative long term relationship with the IWF to support the continued growth of weightlifting. We also wish the very best of luck to all athletes competing over the next few days,” considered Benjamin Banks, CEO of SBD. The IWF Athletes Commission representatives at the IWF Executive Board: Forrester Osei, Hidilyn Diaz and Luisa Peters The IWF World Cup will be staged from March 31 to April 11 in Phuket (THA) and constitutes the last qualifying event leading to the Paris 2024 Olympics. Moreover, it is also the second mandatory competition (after the 2023 IWF World Championships) for all those aspiring at being in the French capital this summer. IWF Communications Photos by Giorgio

Phuket preview: Olympic champions among dozens desperate to take last chance for Paris

Hundreds of weightlifters from around the world will be going all-out in Thailand over the next two weeks as they make one final attempt to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. At the end of the IWF World Cup in Phuket, about three-quarters of the 466 entries will head home in disappointment, some to plan ahead for the 2028 Games, others to retire. Olympic champions and world record holders are likely to be among those who do not qualify. Four gold medallists from the Tokyo Games are not currently ranked high enough, which means the top 10 in their weight category. Three are from China, sitting behind a team-mate in the rankings – Hou Zhihui, Wang Zhouyu and Chen Lijun. Neisi Dajomes is in a similar position, needing more kilos to overtake the Tokyo silver medallist Tamara Salazar, her Ecuador team-mate. A fifth Olympic champion, Hidilyn Diaz from the Philippines, could drop out of the 59kg top 10 if she has a bad day in Thailand. “I expect to be not just 100 per cent, maybe 110 per cent or more,” Diaz said as she looked ahead to the World Cup. Hidilyn Diaz (PHI) Besides these five, at least 10 silver and bronze medallists from Tokyo have a lot of work to do, including Julio Mayora from Venezuela and Mirko Zanni from Italy. While injuries and loss of form are factors, the cut in quota places from 196 in Tokyo to 120 Paris, and in weight categories from 14 to 10, is the main reason why so many of the sport’s big names face such a challenge in Phuket. “It’s going to be brutal in Thailand,” was the most popular prediction from athletes, coaches and federation officials during the penultimate round of qualifying, the 2024 continental championships held throughout February. They all agree that the World Cup will be like no other international competition as everyone aims for career-high numbers and a better ranking position. A good example of how “brutal” it will be comes in the first two Olympic weight categories at the World Cup. Julio Mayora (VEN) In the men’s 61kg only the top three in the simplified ranking list – one athlete per nation – have totalled 300kg or more. The entire A Group of 14 lifters in Phuket, including two each from China, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, have entries of at least 300kg. One of them, Seyitjan Mirzayev from Turkmenistan, needs to improve his best ranking effort by 23kg to match his entry. All five athletes placed ninth to 13th go in the ultra-competitive B Group - Ivan Dimov from Bulgaria, Trinh Van Vin from Vietnam, Arley Calderon from Cuba, Simon Brandhuber from Germany and Shin Rok from Korea. That should be a session worth watching, not least because it will add more spice to the A Group. In the women’s 49kg only the top four in the rankings have hit the 200kg mark, yet twice as many have entered on 200kg or more. Chiaki Ajira from Japan, 23rd in the long list (two or more per nation), has never bettered 182kg. Good luck. Every day of competition in Phuket, from March 31 until April 11, will be highly competitive. Some sessions will be unmissable. Li Dayin (CHN) China decided not to send a team to the Asian Championships in Uzbekistan in February, preferring to focus on the World Cup. Double Olympic champion Shi Zhiyong’s contest against Rahmat Erwin, the multiple world record holder from Indonesia, at 73kg will be one of the highlights. Li Dayin from China and Karlos Nasar from Bulgaria are separated by 1kg at the top of the 89kg rankings. The presence of Keydomar Vallenilla from Venezuela, Yeison Lopez from Colombia, Mir Mostafa from Iran and Nino Pizzolato from Italy adds to the allure of what could be the most exciting competition of all. Or it might be the 102kg A Group. The 96kg Olympic champion Meso Hassona is up against Liu Huanhua from China, 96kg snatch world record holder Lesman Paredes from Bahrain, Jang Yeonhak from Korea, Yauheni Tsikhantsou from Belarus, competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete, and two closely matched Armenians, Samvel Gasparyan and Garik Karapetyan. All of them could go higher than 400kg. In this category no athlete has ever made the world standards, set in 2018, of 191-231-412. Perhaps a world record holder will emerge in Phuket. China is expected to dominate the women’s events, although DPR Korea will no doubt provide strong opposition even if its athletes are ineligible for Paris, having entered the qualifying programme too late. Olivia Reeves (USA) The rankings leaders in all five women’s weight categories are Chinese. Olivia Reeves, the improving 20-year-old from the United States, will be aiming to close the 11kg gap behind Liao Guifang at 71kg. There are many questions to be answered in Phuket. Will super-heavyweight Lasha Talakhadze be fit enough to compete after sitting out the Qatar Grand Prix? Will Italy have two athletes in Paris, or if they avoid bombouts might it be as many as six? Will Mexico have none, or three? Will any from France make the top 10? Will those Individual Neutral Athletes from Belarus state their claim as medal contenders in Paris? Who might scare off China in the women’s categories? The final ranking lists will be published soon after the competition ends on April 11. The top 10 in the 10 Olympic weight categories are eligible for Paris. Nations who qualify more than the maximum three men and three women will have to notify the IWF of their selections by May 6. If China or the United States, for example, decline a place in any weight category because they have better medal chances elsewhere, a lucky athlete placed 11th will move into the top 10. There will still be hope for some athletes lower down the lists, because 10 places are allocated to continental qualifiers, six to universality invitations, and a maximum of four for France as host nation. The complete rules and deadlines are available here. It will be brutal, there will be bombouts, but the IWF World Cup is a competition not to be missed. By Brian Oliver Photos by Giorgio