No.140 OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF INTERNATIONAL WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING FEDERATION WEIGHTLIFTING BEST OF 2016 IWF President Dr. Tamás Aján with WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING’s Jenő Boskovics Lifter of the Year Trophy 2016” winners TANASAN Sopita, THA and ROSTAMI Kianoush, IRI IWF SZAKA, JÓZSEF PHOTO: 2016 2017 2017 WORLD RANKING LISTS YOUTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS EUROPEAN AND ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS Published by International Weightlifting Federation DR. TAMÁS AJÁN IWF President IOC Honorary Member MA WENGUANG IWF General Secretary Editor-in-Chief KORNÉL JANCSÓ Senior Editor ANIKÓ NÉMETH-MÓRA Communication Director LILLA ROZGONYI Photos JÓZSEF SZAKA Art Editor Crazy Panda Studio Graphic Design Marcell Studio (www.marcelltamas.hu) Spanish & Russian Editions DAVID COLON ARROYO MARINA SHAFIT CONTENTS No. 140 ÁGNES LUKÁCSFALVI 02-03 | Foreword Printed by TypoNova 04-07 | Lifters of the Year 2016 and 2015 (www.typonova.hu) 08-17 | 2016 World Ranking Lists All communications: [email protected] 18-29 | 2017 IWF Youth World Championships, Bangkok www.iwf.net 30-36 | 2017 European Championships, Split facebook.com/iwfnet twitter.com/iwfnet instagram.com/iwfnet 27-40 | 2017 Asian Championships, Ashgabat youtube.com/iwfmedia 41 | The 8th Women’s Category before the IOC Any articles, results or photos published in 42 | Obituary: Imre Földi WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING may be reproduces without 44-45 | Women’s Page the written consent of the IWF, however, reference should be 46-47 | Technical Corner made to this publication. ISSN 0230-3035 WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 1 › FOREWORD FOREWORD Dear Readers, Dear Friends our years have passed since the 2013 Congress the IWF offices, who work at top level and with a high in Moscow and here we are again, at the end of degree of dedication. Our Federation can boast an ef- May 2017, facing the most important manage- ficient, well-structured Secretariat whose members are rial congregation of the IWF, the election of the all professionals and experts in their own relevant jobs. senior officers of the Federation. The fact that we now have seven candidates to the Presi- FThis time, Thailand will host this prestigious event in dent’s and six to the General Secretary’s position and Bangkok. We have just been there, a short while ago, altogether 119 candidates are running in the race for the to celebrate the annual edition of the IWF Youth World different officers’ posts demonstrates the wide recogni- Championships and we shall now return to the same tion of the sport. It is natural for people that they like to place. That is, however, by no mere chance: the Thai be where everything works well. To give you an example: Amateur Weightlifting Association (TAWA) is one of the nobody wants to be the captain on a sinking boat; but world’s most active national federations conducted by it is good to work on a luxury ship cruising the world, two persons none less important than IWF Vice Presi- which is lavishly outfitted, boasts an efficient system and dent Major General Intarat Yodbangtoey and his wife, the up-to-the standard facilities. President of TAWA, Mrs. Boossaba Yodbangtoey. This couple has done an amazing job in Thailand’s weightlift- ing. Thanks to them, the country boasts Olympic and world champions and a huge talent pool in all age groups. Madam Boossaba is like a mother to all weight- lifters and has an attachment to each of them. I am glad that Bangkok will host our Electoral Congress and I am glad that two people like them are main contributors to our sport. Now, let us speak of the elections! The IWF has come a long way, it has covered a remarkable path in the last thirty-forty years. We started from an awfully low level and have reached today’s top notch standard. Huge progress has been recorded and I have been lucky to be part of this change. The IWF today is one of the most recognised organisations of international sport and the Olympic Movement. Not only is weightlifting a core sport on the Olympic Games’ program, but the IWF activities are universally praised as exemplary from the points of view of good governance, management, finances, anti- doping control, administration and a number of other aspects. In these achievements a significant role has been assigned to my immediate colleagues, the staff at Dr. Tamás Aján with Mrs. and Mr. Yodbangtoey 2 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING IWF Executive Board That is how I could describe the IWF today: a well- IWF. I have submitted my candidature because I want to organised, efficient Federation – and we made it like keep on serving the Federation and weightlifting. I have that. It is perfectly humane and normal to have the a lot of ideas and projects that I could and would like ambition to get promoted to a higher level, be part of to realize – with your support – in every field of activity. the decision-making process. On the other hand, it is For instance in management, governance, financial less acceptable if someone wants to fill a position ‘per support to the sport. The doping controls, the fight for a se’, just for the rank itself, and is not attracted by the clean weightlifting must be continued but it is impor- task, the job concerned. I believe in work and I support tant to realize that what happened was not by fault of anyone wanting to get a higher position while being the IWF! In the anti-doping battle the IWF is a good ready to do the hard work that comes with it. example, referred to as such by WADA, IOC. I want to Nowadays sport is a gigantic industry where large pursue the battle on the same grounds at an ever-in- monies are at stake. At the same time, it is a huge at- creasing standard. There are many other opportunities traction and demands more and more skilled profes- for development, e.g. in the World Cup or Grand Prix sionals. From this aspect the IWF – if only on its mod- series. We need a more concentrated ‘star-producing’ est scale – keeps the pace, but new challenges keep program, because the sport does arising and not exist without stars and we must help promoting you must be ready to meet them not year by year but them. I hope I shall be surrounded by colleagues in day by day, hour by hour. The fact that we have been the leading bodies who are ready to support the ideas ranked in a higher, more favourable group regarding needed to further elevate weightlifting. the Olympic revenues is the feedback that we are able Finally, I would like to say thanks to the IWF Executive to fulfil these very tough conditions as well. The elec- Board, to the Committees but most importantly to the tion is a challenge, too. It is a challenge for all and for Member Federations for your support, because without me as well. But I am convinced that one must take it in your support we could not have come to where we are a fair way. I want to underline: this is not a war –certain now. candidates see it that way – but a fair competition. I am a sportsman and keep Fair Play on my mind as a DR. TAMÁS AJÁN Dr. Tamás Aján with Mrs. and Mr. Yodbangtoey priority – while my level of adrenalin is naturally also IWF PRESIDENT rising. I confirm that I am running for President of the WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING / 3 › 2016 LIFTERS OF THE YEAR TEXT: KORNÉL JANCSÓ & ANIKÓ NÉMETH-MÓRA 2016 LIFTERS OF THE YEAR TANASAN AND ROSTAMI VOTED TO RECEIVE THE ‘JENŐ BOSKOVICS’ TROPHY n unprecedented number of ballots – nearly 38,000(!) – was cast on the IWF website in the traditional annual voting for the ‘2016 Lifter of the Year’ titles in both genders. WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING – since the inauguration of the election of the Lifter of the Year in 1982 for men and 1991 for women – has never seen such interest. Thank you! For both genders Olympic champions were elected. AAmong the ladies TANASAN Sopita (Thailand) became the winner with a good 1,200 votes ahead of the second best DENG Wei (China) and 2015 best HSU SHU-Ching (Chinese Taipei). A mere 55 votes decided between the latter two. As Best Lifter in 2016 among men the most ballots were cast on ROSTAMI Kianoush (Iran) who drew an overwhelming 20,000 plus votes, three times more than runner up TALAKHADZE Lasha (Georgia). In third place RAHIMOV Nijat (Kazakhstan) landed with significantly less votes. Sopita Tanasan, Kianoush Rostami with WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING Editor-in-Chief Kornél Jancsó 4 / WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING › INTERVIEW BEST WOMAN LIFTER OF 2016: SOPITA TANASAN, THAILAND • Born: 23 December 1994 • 2011 to 2015 she participated in 53kg, at the 2016 Olympic Games in 48kg • Asian junior champion: 2012, 2013, 2014 • Junior World Championships medals: 2012 silver, 2013 bronze, 2014 silver • World Championships: 2013 silver medal, 2014 and 2014 4th place • Olympic Games: 2016 Rio gold medal in 48kg – 200kg (92, 108) WW: How do you feel about being voted the best female Lifter of WW: What is your next competition? What about Tokyo 2020? Can the Year 2016? How was it to receive this Award? you defend your title? ST: I’m so proud of being voted and really much thankful for every ST: It will be up to my federation and the coaches to decide about vote sent for me. I feel all my hard work being rewarded with this any future competitions. My task is to train and be ready anyhow. amazing award. So, I don’t know and Tokyo is too far ahead for me to think about it.