NEW PRESIDENT FOR THE AUSTRALIAN WEIGHTLIFTING FEDERATION
The IWF would like to congratulate Professor Robert Mitchell who has been appointed as the new Australian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) President. The announcement was made at the AWF Special Board of Directors Meeting, held in Sydney, Australia on Saturday 28 May 2011.
Robert Mitchell has over four decades of involvement as a player, coach, administrator and coach educator in the sport industry. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Sydney and is a Registered Specialist in the State of New South Wales and the ACT. As an athlete Robert has been engaged Weightlifting, he was an Australian representative at the World Masters Weightlifting Championships in 2002, 2003 and 2006.
"It is indeed a humbling experience and a great honor to become the newly appointed President of the AWF and take hold of the reins held by former President Robert Kabbas, who has worked so effectively and tirelessly in leading the Federation since 2008" said Robert Mitchell.
SWEDEN HAS ELECTED A NEW PRESIDENT
After 14 year as President of the Swedish Weightlifting Federation (SWF), Benny Johansson retired. He was celebrated as one of the greatest Presidents and was elected as President of Honor within the Swedish Federation.
Jonny Kärkkäinen, former Member of the SWF Executive Board, was elected unanimously. Mr.Kärkkäinen is 52 years old and lives in the northern part of Sweden in a small town called Vilhelmina.
NEW GENERAL SECRETARY FOR THE HUNGARIAN WEIGHTLIFTING FEDERATION
Ms. Mária Takács became the new General Secretary of the Hungarian Weightlifting Federation. She was appointed on 28 May 2011. She entered the IWF Weightlifting Hall of Fame in 2006 to “eternity” by being one of weightlifting’s most successful female lifters. Having participated in 12 women’s World Championships, she captured 33 out of the maximum 36 medals.
COURSE FOR COACHES IN PUERTO RICO
During the last week of May, 2011, Dr. Kyle Pierce, Member of the IWF Coaching & Research Committee, offered a two day course for coaches in Puerto Rico. More than 30 weightlifting coaches along with physical education teachers in charge of the weightlifting program in the Island, enjoyed the talks based on the recent publication of the IWF Coaching & Research Committee titled: ”The IWF Club Coach Manual” where Dr. Pierce co-authors with Lyn Jones and Michael Keelan.
The talks by Dr. Pierce were complemented by a two hour lecture on “Latest Modifications in International Refereeing”, by David Colón Arroyo, General Secretary of the PRWF and Category 1 International Referee.
The amount of questions and discussion generated by these talks provides proof of the success of this series of lectures expected to be supported by the IWF Development Program in association with the Olympic Solidarity funds.
MASASHI OUCHI PASSED AWAY
The International Weightlifting Federation has been informed with deep sorrow about the death of Mr. Masashi OUCHI, 4 times Senior World Champion who passed away on 6 June 2011 at the age of 67.
Ouchi was born on 28 September 1943 in Koriyama City, Fukushima Japan. He started weightlifting in Fukushima then improved his career through Hosei University in Tokyo and Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.
He participated in the Olympic Games two times and got a Bronze Medal at the TokyoGames in1964and a Silver Medal in Mexico City at the 1968 Olympic Games.
In 1969 in Moscow, Russia Ouchi became World Champion in the Light-Heavy Category. Two times Gold Medallist at theAsian Games in 1966 and 1970, he set 10 world records. After he retired from competitions, he became the head coach of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and worked in the Japanese Weightlifting Association as an Executive Board Member.
The Weightlifting Family expresses its deepest condolences to the Japanese Weightlifting Association and to Mr. Masashi OUCHI’s relatives.
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