01-13 oldal/2006/4 angol 2007.02.20 18:38 Page 4 Lifters of Ilin again, Chen Yanqing the Year for the first time: 2006 Best of the Year

In the last few years we athletes but rather as dictat- officials regularly participat- complained a few times ed by their hearts and ing in world events and that, despite all our efforts, national sympathy. Two representatives of the the Lifter of the Year elec- years ago, as we told you, weightlifting media. We feel tions failed to run the way the IWF’s entire communi- convinced that “The Twen- we wished they should. cation system collapsed due ty-Five” cast their votes on a We made attempts at to the thousands of ballots fair and objective basis. involving the wide world of generated in the voting pro- Altogether ten women and weightlifting into the voting cess. These were, however, eight men weightlifters process but unfortunately unable to produce a valid received votes. Among the such plans failed to bring and realistic ranking. ladies, the line of 8 Asians the desired success. It Thus, in the process of the was completed by two seemed that the title of 2006 Lifters of the Year elec- Europeans; in the men’s Lifter of the Year was wear- tions, we decided to rely on Europe produced five can- ing real value so masses did the judgement of a special didates, whereas Asia was not vote on the actual per- group of 25 experts. The represented by three lifters. formance achieved by the voters’ list included IWF In the end, the winners – as Hossein Reza Zadeh, IRI non-stop since 2002 – both defended all his titles with came from Asia. ease In addition to csting their ballots on the top three lead up to the XXIX weightlifters of 2006 in . Still a each gender, the 25 mem- junior athlete and multiple bers of the voting group World Champion, Ilin were asked to add their own appears to be the next explanations, comments. superstar of our sport. Let us quote a few herewith: Jean-Paul Bulgaridhes, IWF Sam Coffa, 1st Vice President Executive Member, President of the IWF: of the French Federation: – Ilin is one of the all time – My heart tells me to put greats. At the tender age of Dabaya in the first place, 18 years, this young athlete who brought such great keeps improving and elimi- glory to my country after 84 nating any technical faults years. Still I voted for he might have. Rybakou, because of his world record and world Matthew Curtain, champion title. Chief Executive Officer AWF: Denis Reno, USA, – Defending Olympic photographer and editor: Champion, Chen Yanqing established 5 new world – Chen Qanqing broke all records during the 2006 58kg world records at the and as such, Asian Games – her total raised the bar to unpassed topped the 63kg winning heights in the women’s total at the World Champi- 58kg category. Ilin recon- onships. Her jerk would firmed his status as favorite have won the 69kg Gold at Vencelas Dabaya, FRA was voted in 2nd place in the 94kg category in the the World Championships.

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Dr. Shimon Barak, Israel, Mohammad Reza Akhoundi, IWF Executive Board Member: Iran, journalist: – To me the most pleasant – Reza Zadeh easily gained surprise of the year was gold medal in two impor- Vencelas Dabaya of , tant competitions in 2006. who is an emerging star of Mu Shuangshuang, European weightlifting. It is although she was defeated always pleasing to see the by her Korean rival in the palette of champions WC, in she came in widening and getting more first and upset the Korean, colourful in terms of besides setting a new world nations involved. I wish record. more countries were able to come up with young cham- Jim Schmitz, USA, journalist: pions of their own talent- – Yang Lian, because she pool in the future, adding was perfect at the World to the popularity of Championships, breaking weightlifting worldwide. all the World Records in her class, but it was her only Sergey Butov, Russia, championship for the year. journalist: Anikó Németh-Móra, – Thongsuk missed the Senior Editor World Championships to World Weightlifting: get ready for the Asian Games. In Doha she – Weightlifting needs super- showed her superiority in a stars, role models for the duel with the World Cham- young and upcoming gener- pion of 2006, Quyang Xiao- ation. One of those poten- fang and also established tial greats is undoubtedly new world record in clean the still young but already and jerk. Ilin showed a bril- brilliant Ilya Ilin of Kaza- Yang Lian, CHN won the 48kg with world records in Santo liant performance in 94kg khstan. He has a becoming Domingo in all crucial events of the character and still has a lot year. to show us. It is more diffi- Lian, who has a charming cult to choose from the and all-round personality Veronica Facer, The great world record of women’s ranks as there are both on and outside the Switzerland, journalist: Jang Mi-Ran, KOR was so many outstanding ladies platform and who can be appreciated by voters: she from 48kg to plus 75kg. My a perfect image for female - My vote goes to Korean placed second favourite though is Yang weightlifting. Jang Mi-Ran. I have great respect for her determina- tion and persistence, not to mention her incredible world record total 318kg, which, I believe, is a fantas- tic result for a woman.

Lifters of the Year 2006

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Juniors at the Ilin hopes to set Senior World Record Peak interview ● interview ● interview ● interview ● interview ● interview ● interview

According to the decision Ilya ILIN, KAZ of the 25-member “Extra 24.05.1988 Commando”, in the In the year 2005 he virtual- men’s voting Ilya Ilin ly crashed the gate and defended his surprising 1st positioned himself as one place from the previous of the best in the world. year but among the Just turning 17, he proved women a new winner was to be supreme in the 85 crowned: Chen Yanqing. kilos category first at the Speaking of Ilin we should Junior, then at the Senior stop for a moment. In the World Championships. long history of the Lifters He duly deserved the title of the Year elections it “Best Lifter of 2005”. happens for the second In 2006 the young Kazakh time that a weightlifter changed categories but it should become the Best of did not break his dream the Year at the age of 18 career. Moreover, not only years, that is very much in did he capture the junior his junior age. Evidence and senior world champi- goes back to 1984 and on titles but he won hands 1985, when Naim Suley- down – in the 94kg – at the manoglu (under names as Asian Games as well. He Naim Suleymanov and made an attempt at break- Neum Shalamanov) ing Kolecki’s famous earned the title at the age 232.5kg world record, of 17 and 18 years, respec- untouchable since 2000. tively. What is more, the Ilin boasts a collection of triple Olympic champion 11 World Championship topped it all off in 1986, medals (in a matter of two when he was elected as years), of which the num- Lifter of the Year even in ber of gold is 8, silver 2 1986, i.e. for the third and one in bronze. consecutive year, and still In 2006, he was once again a junior. voted as Lifter of the Year.

Ivan Ivanov was also in his junior years when win- breaking the clean and jerk ning in 1989 and 1990, world record, either for likewise Alexei Petrov who juniors or for seniors. God deserved this prestigious knows: I tried to jerk 233kg title in 1994. twice at the Junior World Championships in . Women mature faster, Lifter of the Year 2006: Ilya Ilin, KAZ ● Are you planning to enter they say. Two of the win- three major competitions in ner ladies were just 17 2007 as well? years old when capturing Hardly did we imagine, two He was pleased to answer ● Over and above the two the Best Lifter awards: in years ago, that nearly World Weightlifting’s World Championships 1991 Sun Caiyan, and in unknown Ilya Ilin would questions, prior to the Best I would like to participate 2002 Wang Mingjuan. earn the honourable title of Lifter election: also in the Asian Champi- Further juniors who Lifter of the Year both in ● Are you satisfied with your onships, but my coaches proved to be the best of 2005 and in 2006. season in 2006? will decide whether I can, the relevant years were: Nevertheless, the distinc- ● It would be impertinence or if I have to skip one, and Guan Hong (1994), Li tion was well merited by the to answer this question which one. Hongjun (1996), Tang young star. Ever since he with ‘No’, he said. I tried my ● Besides going on winning, Weifang (1997 and 1998), popped up, he kept on win- luck in a new bodyweight in terms of kilos what are your Ding Meiyuan (1999) and ning, just winning, through category and I could win in objectives? Liu Chunhong (2003 and two senior, two junior this 94kg, too. My total is ● In total I should get at 2004). world championships plus over 400 kilos. On the other least to 410 kilos. In clean the Asian Games. hand, I was unsuccessful in and jerk I want to be a

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world record holder by all a development without tured her first gold medals means. My target is to be able injuries and lots of hard 10 years ago in Chiang Mai, to bring the same result on training. As regards injuries, , as winner of the Chen the platform that I can do in I hope that I’ll be lucky. 64kg category. One year training. It did not work There shouldn’t be any later she collected the Uni- Yanqing that way for me in 2006. problem with the training. versity World titles in ● Who do you think are your I’ll do my best to be success- Ramat Gan, Israel. In 1999, most dangerous rivals? ful at the Olympic Games. she doubled and excelled breaks ● Allow me not to say any ● What result is necessary to both as a Junior and a names. The competition is win the Games? Senior. Almost believed to a promise very strong and the field is ● It takes a prophet to tell. have retired, she made a tight. There are even One thing is sure that only sudden comeback and younger ones than me and big results and high perfor- snatched the Olympic gold and five of course the older ones are mance will earn medals in medal in 2004. A few more still around and powerful. . I must get ready to years without her on the world My coaches and I, we con- lift much. platform followed, before sider everyone as potential ● Who will be the best lifter of she returned again to the rivals who lift in Group A. 2006 in the world? Asian Games in Doha, 2006 records Better to say, remembering ● I hope that it’ll be me and stunned the world with Santo Domingo, even some again. Last year, we were all five new senior world ● interview ● interview ● interview ● in who are lifting in Group B tremendously surprised that records. deserve attention. I was chosen. I was very Olympic champion, owner ● By Sportswriter Liu Yang ● The Beijing Olympics are happy and proud. Now of 11 gold and 2 silver drawing near. How do you see I would like to re-live this medals in senior, junior Olympic champion lifter your chances? sensation. I would think and university world cham- Chen Yanqing retired last ● You cannot win medals that I have earned this hon- pionships. year and vowed never to lift with what is the best result our, having won the three Chen Yanqing started to barbells again. today. No question about it, major competitions of 2006. make world records in 1997 In the Asian Games , the 27- therefore, that I must make and until the end of 2006 year-old Chen returned to significant steps forward to CHEN Yanqing, CHN she established altogether the platform to break five realize my dream. It requires 05.04.1979 20 senior and 15 junior world records as she won She won the senior World world records, in three dif- the women's 58kg category, Best Female Lifter in 2006: Championships before win- ferent bodyweight cate- saying that her love of the Chen Yanqing, CHN ning the Juniors. She cap- gories. sport was too deep to quit. Exactly one year ago, when Chinese weightlifting offi- cials charged her with an duty in Macao, Chen said she was bored by the repetitive pumping of barbells. Alas, she reappeared in the national team in January and took a national title in April, underlining her status as the queen of the 58kg category. "I am so sorry for the announcement of my retire- ment. My love for weightlifting is endless so I decided to come back," Chen said later on. Lifters of the Year 2006

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In her first international action since the 2004 2006 BEST LIFTER VOTING Olympics, Chen astonished Asia as she broke three total MEN world records to win the 58kg class gold medal with POS. NAME NAT POINTS 1ST 2ND 3RD a final total of 251kg. 1 ILIN Ilya KAZ 111 12 3 3 "The Asian Games are the 2 DABAYA Vencelas FRA 90 7 5 4 second largest sports meet- 3 REZA ZADEH Hossein IRI 84 1 9 8 ing in the world. In my 4 RYBAKOU Andrei BLR 58 3 5 3 heart, the Olympics and the 5 DOLEGA Marcin POL 41 2 3 3 Asiad: both are very impor- 6 SAGIR Taner TUR 8 - - 2 tant. I told myself to be bril- 7 EDIEV Aslambek RUS 4 - - 1 liant in Doha, and I was QIU Le CHN 4 - - 1 succesful," she said. "When I decided to quit last WOMEN year, it was because I felt POS. NAME NAT POINTS 1ST 2ND 3RD I didn't want to spend all 1 CHEN Yanqing CHN 121 10 7 4 my best years in an isolated 2 JANG Mi-Ran KOR 87 7 6 2 training hall. I wanted to 3 YANG Lian CHN 73 5 6 2 enjoy the best time in my life 4 THONGSUK Pawina THA 30 1 3 2 before 30," Chen explained 5 CAO Lei CHN 21 1 2 1 why she chose to retire. 6 SLIVENKO Oxana RUS 20 - - 5 "Even in my retirement, 7 PODOBEDOVA Svetlana RUS 16 - - 4 I knew my love of 8 MU Shuangshuang CHN 15 1 - 2 weightlifting didn't end. 9 QIU Hongxia CHN 13 - 1 2 I thought about my future 10 QIU Hongmei CHN 4 - - 1 over and over in winter and decided to come back. "The gold medal in the Asiad is the best award for my decision." Lifters of the Year 2006 "After all, the Beijing Olympic Games is an opportunity once and for all, for which I am willing to give up my bloom years." ALL-TIME LIFTERS OF THE YEAR Chen began lifting at the age of 11 but retired in MEN WOMEN 2001 to study for weightlift- 1982 BLAGOEV Blagoi BUL ing coach at the Suzhou 1983 BLAGOEV Blagoi BUL University. But she returned 1984 SULEYMANOV Naim BUL to lifting and won a gold 1985 SHALAMANOV Neum BUL medal in the 1986 SULEYMANOV Naim BUL Olympic Games. 1987 PETROV Mikhail BUL Chen's coach Cao Xinmin 1988 SULEYMANOGLU Naim TUR once told Xinhua News 1989 IVANOV Ivan BUL Agency that Chen's short 1990 IVANOV Ivan BUL coaching experience had 1991 CHUN Byung-Kwan KOR SUN Caiyan CHN made her a better lifter. 1992 SULEYMANOGLU Naim TUR PENG Liping CHN "When she retired in 2001, 1993 PESHALOV Nikolai BUL CHEN Chu-Chih TPE she was invited to coach a 1994 PETROV Alexei RUS GUAN Hong CHN provincial team. I think that 1995 DIMAS Pyrros GRE CHEN Chu-Chih TPE experience helped her a lot 1996 SULEYMANOGLU Naim TUR LI Hongyun CHN when she was back to the 1997 CHEMERKIN Andrei RUS TANG Weifang CHN platform. She is more disci- 1998 JELIAZKOV Plamen BUL TANG Weifang CHN plined than others," Cao 1999 MUTLU Halil TUR DING Meiyuan CHN said. 2000 REZA ZADEH Hossein IRI DING Meiyuan CHN So, what is Chen’s next 2001 MUTLU Halil TUR POPOVA Valentina RUS promise? 2002 REZA ZADEH Hossein IRI WANG Mingjuan CHN 2003 REZA ZADEH Hossein IRI LIU Chunhong CHN 2004 REZA ZADEH Hossein IRI LIU Chunhong CHN 2005 ILIN Ilya KAZ THONGSUK Pawina THA 2006 ILIN Ilya KAZ CHEN Yanqing CHN

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