IWF and EWF Presidents Mohammed Jalood and Antonio Conflitti, accompanied by the EWF General Secretary, Dr. Milan Mihajlovic, EWF Treasurer, Dr. Astrit Hasani and EB Member, Alexandru Padure, paid, on Monday, 21 October, 2024, an important visit to the village of the champions of “Shtërmen” in Cërrik Municipality, at the invitation of the mayor and former weightlifter Andis Salla and the National Weightlifting Federation’s President, Elez Gjoza.
World Weightlifting medalists Briken Calja and Ertjan Kofsha were also present during this meeting, who have made history together with the “Shtërmeni” Weightlifting Team, a team which has so far collected 93 medals in international competitions. The mayor of Cerrik thanked the most important leaders of the European and International weightlifting bodies for the official visit they made to the Cerrik Municipality and to the Sports Weightlifting Club “Shtërmeni”.
“This team, for several decades, represents this Municipality with dignity as in national and international competitions where it has won dozens of medals as well as several titles of European champion and world champion. It is a pleasure and appreciation for all of us that the personalities of the highest management levels of weightlifting come for the first time to the municipality of Shtërmen of Cerrik”, stated the mayor.
The President of the International Weightlifting Federation, Mohammed Jalood, expressed his surprise at the successes achieved by the athletes of the “Shtërmen” team of the Municipality of Cerrik.
“I knew and I met athletes of “Shtërmen” before, but now I am glad to see from near, here in Shtërmen, your weightlifters, their coach Leonard Toska and the conditions where they train. I came from China and I have visited five quite big cities. China invests a lot on sports and this is very visible even in weightlifting.
This is also the key of important achievements. Without proper training conditions, it is very difficult to get important results. I am very happy for the good performances and successes of Albania and here I am now in a small village in Albania that has big names in the sport of weightlifting, European and world champions. I am convinced that Briken Calja and Ertjan Kofsha will win other championships’ titles in international competitions. I am glad that Albania has made a honorable appearance in the European and world championships in weightlifting. We will focus on Albania in the future and continue to give our support.”
IWF President Jalood also spoke about the need to keep weightlifting away from any form of problem related to doping and to ensure the future of all athletes, emphasizing that a sport, like ours, which was present, along with several other sports disciplines, at the first edition of the modern Olympic Games, cannot but continue to be in the program of the supreme competition. “Weightlifting should be and remain a clean sport. Weightlifting is a well-followed sport and currently the situation in the World Weightlifting movement is quite good. I hope that in the Olympic Games of 2028 there will be athletes from “Shtërmen” of Cërrik. I believe that Ertjan Kofsha will be an undisputed champion. I wish all the best to the weightlifters of Cërrik.”
The President of the European Weightlifting Federation, Antonio Conflitti, also commented the good activity of the weightlifting in Cërrik: “Next year, one of the European Weightlifting Championships will take place in Albania and I’m glad that our sport is so present and supported locally. During these years, Albania has produced great champions at European and world level. Perhaps, you have a special way that such a small country has produced so many champions and that in the future you claim to have even more. Well done Albania and compliments to Shtërmen of Cërrik and for the athletes who have made a name for themselves everywhere with excellent results.”
“We are in the vanguard and we aim for even better results”, stated Elez Gjoza, President of FSHP and at the same time new elected President of the Balkan Weightlifting Federation. “It is a historic visit, the visit of the leaders of the European and International Federation to Albania. This village was not chosen by chance to be visited by our weightlifting leader. This municipality has produced great athletes and coaches as well, such as Briken Calja and Ertjan Kofsha. The town of Cërrik and Albania will always produce weightlifting champions. We are on the right track and we will work to get very good results in all competitions.”
Even Leonard Toska, the coach of the “Shtërmeni” weightlifting team and of the National Team, described the visit to Cërrik and Shtërmen as one of the most important events for local and national sports movement:
“Having of the most important personalities of world weightlifting, is is a clear indication of the evaluation of the successes of weightlifting in the municipality of Cërrik and of the “Shtërmen” team.
In conclusion of the successful visit, coach Toska and the team were promised that the gym where athletes train will be renovated soon and equipment and modern conditions will be provided, turning it into one of the most modern in Albania.