Author: ewfAdmin

By Brian OliverBulgaria had two champions on the second day of the 2025 European Championships at the Chisinau Arena in Moldova when Angel Rusev and Ivan Dimov won the opening men’s contests at 55kg and 61kg.Garence Rigaud from France won the third medal event of the day, the women’s 55kg, when she made all six attempts to beat last year’s winner Aleksandra Grigoryan from Armenia, who made only two good lifts.Rusev failed twice in snatch and was eighth at halfway but was always confident of victory. He declined his final attempt, shouting “I’m number one!” as he left the platform…

By Brian OliverCansu Bektas from Turkiye won her third straight continental senior title in the first medal event of the 2025 European Championships at the Chisinau Arena – and three hours later the Olympic silver medallist Mihaela Cambei from Romania repeated the feat.Cambei had a scare when she failed with her first two attempts, but she then made four good lifts to finish well clear of the youth world champion Lucia Gonzalez from Spain at 49kg. Bektas and Cambei, both 22, have now been crowned European champion six times including their wins in the youth and junior ranks. Bektas won at…

2025 EWF Electoral Congress was held in Chisinau, Moldova. Delegates from 43 EWF members federations participated and elected new EWF leaderships.Dr. Astrit Hasani is elected as EWF President, Dr Milan Mihajlovic will serve as General Secretary, and Tina Beiter as First Vice-President. The three Vice-Presidents are Jesmond Caruana, Stian Grimseth, Nedim Masic. Other EB elected members are Patrick Helgesson, Dusan Kovac, Tomas Chovanec, Ilva Alushaj, Triin Podersoo, and Patrick Fassott.RESULTSCongratulations to newly elected EWF Leadership. EWF President, 1st Vice President and General Secretary

By Brian OliverAll three of Europe’s Olympic champions were winners on the platform at the opening ceremony for the 2025 European Championships in Chisinau, Moldova on Saturday evening.Karlos Nasar from Bulgaria and Solfrid Koanda from Norway won the 2024 EWF-AIPS Weightlifter of the Year awards and super-heavyweight hero Lasha Talakhadze from Georgia was presented with an EWF gold award for sporting merit. EWF AIPS Europe award winners Solfrid Koanda from Norway won the 2024 EWF-AIPS Weightlifter of the Year award Super-heavyweight Talakhadze, who was male weightlifter of the year in 2021, 2022 and 2023, was recently elected President of the…

By Brian OliverDr Astrit Hasani from Kosovo is the new President of the European Weightlifting Federation. In a head-to-head between two candidates, Dr Hasani polled 24 votes against 19 for the incumbent italian Antonio Conflitti from Moldova.“I am deeply honoured and truly humbled by your confidence to elect me as the President of European Weightlifting Federation,” Dr Hasani told delegates at the EWF Electoral Congress in Chisinau, Moldova, host city for the senior European Championships which begin on Sunday.“I will lead a team who will show genuine transparency. Europe will be truly united and we will choose the best people…

We are pleased to inform you that Stian Grimseth has been re-elected as President of the Norwegian Weightlifting Federation for another two-year term.Following an exciting presidential race, Grimseth secured a clear vote of confidence, reaffirming his strong leadership and dedication to the sport.Grimseth brings a deep passion for Norwegian weightlifting, combined with extensive experience in elite weightlifting. Under his leadership, Norway has celebrated European, World, and Olympic gold medals. His steady presence, strategic vision, and ability to inspire those around him continue to be key assets for the Federation.Joining him is a newly elected board, consisting of both new members…

Three-time Olympic champion, seven-time world champion, and seven-time European champion, Mr. Lasha Talakhadze was elected, on Thursday, April 3, 2025, the new President of the Georgian Weightlifting Federation for the next four years, by the unanimous vote of the 55 delegates present at the congress in Tbilisi. Ms. Rusudani Muradashvili was reconfirmed for the position of Secretary General of the national weightlifting governing body.Talakhadze takes over from another legend of our sport, the well-known, Mr. Kakhi Kakhiashvili, triple Olympic champion from Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000, who will continue his excellent work within the Georgian Federation as Vice…

The 10th edition of the Francophone Games, scheduled to take place in July 2027 in Yerevan, Armenia, will mark a significant achievement as weightlifting is officially included for the first time in the program. Weightlifting, a national sport in Armenia, has been selected as one of three new sports for inclusion in these Games.In preparation for this historic event, a delegation from the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) visited Armenia to evaluate the infrastructure and logistical requirements. Michel RAYNAUD, President of the International French-speaking Weightlifting Federation (FIFH) and IWF delegate for the event, as well as President of the…

At the Congress of the Hungarian Weightlifting Federation on 29 March 2025, Dr. Péter Nagy was elected President, succeeding Imre Dobos, who had led the federation since 2008.The newly elected President is a three-time Olympian, Universiade Champion, European Championships medalist, and national record-holder, as well as an impressive twenty-time Hungarian Champion.Dr. Nagy, who holds a law degree, recently concluded a distinguished international athletic career and now prepares to take on a different kind of heavy responsibility—leading the federation into a promising new era.The European Weightlifting Federation warmly congratulates Dr. Péter Nagy on his election and wishes him every success. May…

Marsa, “capital of world weightlifting” for a week endBetween 21 and 24 March 2025, the Marsa Sports Complex in Malta became the “world capital” of weightlifting. The important participation of more than 150 athletes from 15 teams from Europe, who competed in both competitions, was completed by an impressive presence of officials from EWF and IWF, those of the Balkan Federation and that of several Presidents of National Federations. The Presidents of the International and European Weightlifting Federations, Mr. Mohammed Jalood and Mr. Antonio Conflitti, were accompanied by the General Secretaries Dr. Antonio Urso and Dr. Milan Mihajlovic. The activities…