Heavyweights Dominate Tashkent Meet
International weightlifting wrapped up with a spectacular finale in Tashkent, with heavyweight competitors delivering the most memorable performances of the meet. The event drew global attention and highlighted the continued excitement in the sport's heaviest division.
The Tashkent meet was the first of the five IWF Grand Prix events scheduled for 2026, serving as a critical early-season test for athletes. These events are crucial for building momentum and securing ranking points ahead of the year's major championships. Uzbekistan's own Akbar Djuraev, a Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion, electrified the home crowd by winning gold in the men's 109kg category. His performance underscores Uzbekistan's status as a dominant force in international weightlifting, a fact recently highlighted during a meeting between the IWF President and Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. In the men's super-heavyweight (+109kg) division, Georgia's Lasha Talakhadze continued his reign, though he faced a stiff challenge. Talakhadze holds the current world records in the snatch (225 kg), clean & jerk (267 kg), and total (492 kg), all of which were set in Tashkent during the 2021 World Championships. The women's +87kg category saw a fierce battle, with China's Li Wenwen demonstrating her formidable strength. Li is the reigning world record holder in this class and her performance in Tashkent solidifies her position as the athlete to beat. This Grand Prix serves as an important stepping stone toward the 2026 World Weightlifting Championships, which will be held in Ningbo, China, from October 27 to November 8. Before the World Championships, many of these athletes will compete in their respective continental championships. The 2026 Asian Championships are scheduled for April 1-10 in Ahmedabad, India, while the European Championships will take place April 19-26 in Batumi, Georgia.
