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What Happened at the 2017 IWF World Championships?

Lasha Talakhadze conquered his rivals with a phenomenal world record-breaking performance to wrap up an enthralling IWF World Championships at the Anaheim Convention Center in the United States. In an event marked by the success of emerging weightlifting nations from Latin America and Africa – as well the end of a 23-year wait for a World Championships gold medal for the host country – a mesmerising display by Talakhadze provided a fitting conclusion on the final day of competition. FINAL-DAY DRAMA The Georgian was unstoppable in the snatch, adding 3kg to his previous world record with a lift of 220kg in the +105kg category, and produced six good lifts in the clean and jerk to set a new world record benchmark of 477kg for his total lift – some 23kg above his nearest challenger, Iran’s Saeid Alihosseini. [caption id="attachment_20903" align="alignleft" width="255"] Georgia's Lasha Talakhadze[/caption] [caption id="attachment_20899" align="alignright" width="244"] Iran's Alihosseini[/caption] Also on a final day packed full of drama, Sarah Robles won the USA’s first gold medal at the World Championships since 1994 by sweeping to victory in the snatch, clean and jerk, and total score in the +90kg division. After sending the partisan Anaheim crowd into a frenzy with a perfect six-for-six session, Robles told USAWeightlifting.org: “I felt really strong and I was so happy to do this in front of my mom, my team-mates and my country.” Meanwhile Georgia’s Anastasiia Hotfrid made history by winning the first ever World Championships gold medal in the 90kg division and Spain’s Lidia Valentín followed up her third European Championships gold earlier this year with a first world title in the 75kg competition. In the men’s 94kg category, Iran’s Sohrab Moradi followed up his Olympic gold in Rio with new world records in the clean and jerk (233kg) and in the total score (417kg) to register a whopping 29kg ahead of his nearest rival in the final standings. However, there was a much tighter contest with Iran’s other gold medal at the World Championships, with just 5kg separating the top three on the podium in the men’s 105kg division. Ali Hashemi eventually prevailed with a total score of 404kg, holding off the challenges of Latvia’s Artūrs Plēsnieks (402kg) and Uzbekistan’s Ivan Efremov (399kg). [caption id="attachment_20884" align="alignleft" width="251"] USA's Sarah Robles[/caption] [caption id="attachment_20863" align="alignright" width="246"] Iran's Ali Hashemi[/caption] FUTURE CONTENDERS Emerging weightlifting nations came to the fore in a variety of the competitions in Anaheim, setting the foundations for further success on the global stage.  Arley Méndez secured Chile’s first ever medal at the World Championships by sweeping the board in the men’s 85kg category with clear victories in the snatch and clean and jerk. Mohamed Ihab became Africa’s first world champion in a World Championships men’s event since 1984 with a dominant display in the 77kg division – a competition that also saw Harrison Maurus end a 20-year medal drought for the USA at the World Championships with a bronze in the snatch. In the men’s 62kg, Francisco Mosquera claimed Colombia’s second ever gold at the World Championships, following in the footsteps of legend Oscar Figueroa, who retired after winning gold in the same division at the Rio Olympics last year.  RECORD BREAKERS For the first time in a decade, three different women won golds in the 69kg division. Romela Begaj emerged victorious in the snatch, becoming Albania’s first ever women’s world champion in weightlifting. -- Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Twitter

5th Qatar Cup postponed

The Qatar Weightlifting Federation as the Organizing Committee of the Qatar Cup informed the IWF that the 5th Qatar Cup originally scheduled for 13-16 December was

M+105kg TALAKHADZE Lasha (GEO)

IWF Welcomes Opportunity to Show Further Progress In Fight Against Doping

The IOC Executive Board today confirmed that weightlifting will be expected to continue demonstrating progress in the fight against doping before the sport’s place on the programme of the  Paris 2024 Olympic Games is confirmed. The decision followed the IOC’s review of the International Weightlifting Federation’s (IWF’s) comprehensive actions to improve anti-doping across the sport, together with the reports and recommendations of the independent Clean Sport and Sport Programme Commissions. The IWF has put in place structural changes to the way weightlifting is run to ensure it addresses the historical incidence of doping in the sport, including a doubling of testing, the creation of an independent Anti-Doping Commission and the suspension of nine member federations found to be culturally vulnerable to doping. At its Executive Board meeting last week in Anaheim, USA, the IWF also unanimously approved a series of reforms proposed by the Commissions, which will further enhance the IWF’s anti-doping work. The Clean Sport Commission will be retained for four years to review the implementation of the reforms, and suggest further work where appropriate. The Report was submitted by the IWF to the IOC Executive Board for review at its meeting in Lausanne on 5-6 December, accompanied by support documents that included a WADA letter that noted “The IWF has made significant enhancements to its anti-doping program over the years and in particular since 2014.” Speaking after the announcement, IWF President Tamas Ajan said: “The IWF is completely committed to addressing the incidence of doping in weightlifting. We have started a new chapter in weightlifting’s history and there is no looking back. In the period between now and the IOC Executive Board meeting in July 2018 and beyond, the IWF will continue to introduce every possible measure to protect clean weightlifters. We welcome the comments made by IOC President Thomas Bach today on the need for WADA’s continued engagement with the high-risk countries that have historically featured a disproportionately high incidence of doping. We have already put in place measures in these countries and will continue to work with all stakeholders at both international and Member Federation level to ensure clean sport. “The IWF would like to thank the members of the Commissions and the IOC, WADA and National Anti-Doping Organisations for their efforts and for their continued hard work. We have made great progress but we know there is a lot of work ahead as we implement the Clean Sport Commission’s comprehensive recommendations. I have no doubt that together by maintaining our positive momentum, we will also retain our place as the “fortius” of the Olympic

Rio 2016 Olympic Champion TALAKHADZE is the superheavyweight World Champion

Impressive lifts from the Rio 2016 Olympic Champion in the Snatch. TALAKHADZE Lasha (GEO) added 3kg to his previous World Record setting the new one to 220kg. TALAKHADZE is now only two world titles shy of the record for a lifter representing Georgia, as ASANIDZE Georgi (GEO) won five world titles in the 77kg and 85kg from 1998 to 2002. No other athlete representing Georgia has won five world titles in any other Olympic sport. The 2015 World Champion and 2016, 2017 European Champion TALAKHADZE became the second man to win the +105kg world title in the Total one year after winning Olympic gold, after REZA ZADEH Hossein in 2005. Lasha was unstoppable in the Clean and Jerk and with his third good attempt (6 good lifts), he also broke his own World Record in the Total setting it to 477kg. SALIMIKORDASIABI Behdad (IRI) started at 205kg and went to 211kg in the Snatch. The London 2012 Olympic Champion missed his last attempt and started the Clean and Jerk at 241kg. He missed his first lift but had a perfectly controlled second one at 242kg. His third lift at 252kg – first good – was reversed by the jury. SALIMIKORDASIABI Behdad (IRI) has won nine medals in the +105kg at the World Championships (G4-S4-B1) and needed three more to equal SALEM Saeed (12) in second place behind only REZA ZADEH (14) in this category. He did two here in Anaheim – a Silver in the Snatch and a Bronze in the Total. Bronze Medal in the Snatch and in the Clean and Jerk went to ALIHOSSEINI Saeid (IRI). Lifting 454kg he also took the Silver medal in the Total. SEIM Mart (EST) Silver Medallist at the 2015 World Championships behind TALAKHADZE and 7th at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games won a Silver in the Clean and Jerk lifting

W+90kg ROBLES Sarah Elizabeth (USA)