Durrës, Albania, will welcome Europe’s best young weightlifters this autumn as the city hosts the 2025 European Junior & U23 Championships from October 28 to November 4.
The Ramazan Njala Sports Palace will serve as the competition venue, with training facilities at the Grand Blue Fafa Resort & Spa in nearby Golem. The 2025 European Junior Championships will count as a qualification event for the 2026 Commonwealth Games for Full Member Federations. The U23 Championships will be open to associated members, and their results will be included in the official 2025 European U23 Championship results.
In addition to the competition, the program includes a cybersecurity seminar and an anti-doping workshop.
Albania, having recently hosted multiple European and World Championships as well as the IWF Electoral Congress, has also achieved remarkable success in sports results, winning medals at both European and World Championships, including titles of European and World Champion. Recently, the Balkan Weightlifting Federation was established in Durrës, headed by Elez Gjoza, President of the Albanian Weightlifting Federation. All these developments reflect the country’s rapid growth and progress in the sport of weightlifting. Elez Gjoza, President of the Albanian Weightlifting Federation, recently stated: “Weightlifting has always been the number one sport in Albania. We’re doing an excellent job, and the sport has reached a new level. We look forward to welcoming you to Albania for the 2025 European Junior & U23 Championships, a week of competition, teamwork, and friendship”.
Following a proposal to the Albanian Weightlifting Federation from several members of the EWF Executive Board, and subsequent negotiations with the local government, it has been confirmed that the 2025 European Junior & U23 Championships will take place in Durrës. This arrangement ensures that participants will be able to travel quickly and conveniently between the official accommodation at Hotel Fafa and the competition arena in Durrës.