24.05.2007
MASTERS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
EXPRESSES SATISFACTION
Bill Barton, Chairman of the European Masters
Weightlifting Committee, issued the following statement,
at the end of the Congress held in Limassol Wednesday,
on occasion of the European Masters Weightifting
Championships: "The European Masters Weightlifting
Committee are very happy that Mr. Damianos Hadjidamianou,
President of the Cyprus Weightlifting Federation, and Ms
Denise Loizou, Championship Manager, took this event for
Limassol, Cyprus, with only ten months to prepare. The
organisation and venue is excellent and running
smoothly. Many European and World Masters records have
been made at this championship. Congress was Wednesday
23rd May, with 22 nations attending. Good decisions were
taken in the desire to improve all future Masters
Championships. To all Masters visiting this website --
We wish you were here with us, enjoying this
championship".
23.05.2007
WORLD RECORDS UP TO 15 IN
EMC 2007
Five more world records were was set on Day 5 of the
2007 European Masters Weightlifting Championships,
Wednesday. Finland's Jouni Grönman (born 1962; photo,
left) set four of them (with 115kg in the snatch, 130kg
and 135kg in the clean & jerk, and 250kg in the total)
in the 69kg category of the M3 division. Russia's Nikolai Shanin (born 1956)
added another, with a
good lift of 135kg in the snatch of the +105kg category
in the M4 age group. This brings the total of world
records in the event up to 15, since the competition
began, last Saturday. Over 30 new European records have
also been set thus far. The EMC 2007 continues
throughout this week in the southern coastal city of Limassol, Cyprus.
Germany continues to dominate in the medals table,
adding one more gold to their tally, with Ingo Unger
(born 1956)
winning the 77kg category in the M4 division. Austria
also won a gold, Wednesday, with Manfred Modrey (born
1957) winning
the 85kg category of the M4 age group, and climbed to
third place in the medals table, behind Russia. The
Czech Republic fell to fourth place. Azerbaijan was the
24th country to enter the medals table, after Akif
Alijev (born 1959) won a gold in the 56kg category of
the M3 division.
Check out our Results section
for more details, and the
Photo Gallery for action images of the competition.
The 2007 EMC continues throughout the week and concludes
Saturday evening in the
southern coastal city of Limassol.
23.05.2007
AWARDS PRESENTED
TO DISTINGUISHED MASTERS
Sixteen special awards were presented to Olympians
and other distinguished Masters weightlifters from
throughout Europe, during a ceremony, Tuesday evening,
on occasion of a special "Greek Mythology Night"
organised by the Cyprus Weightlifting Federation. The
following were presented with awards:
Margot SCHUCKIES (GER): One of the first women
participating in the Masters events.
Marga JORGENSEN (DEN): Only National Masters Chairwoman.
Maria CHRISTOFORIDOU (GRE): World Champion for
Greece in women's weightlifting.
Karl Heinz RADSCHINSKY (GER): Gold medallist in the1984
Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Pascal ARNOU (FRA): 8th in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games;
4th in the 1990 Europeans and 6th in the 1991 Europeans.
Roland CHAVIGNY (FRA): 8th in the 1976 Montreal Olympic
Games.
Jouni GRONMAN (FIN): Bronze medallist in the 1984 Los
Angeles Olympic Games; 5th in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic
Games; 14th in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
Keijo TAHVANAINEN (FIN): 8th in the Clean & Jerk of the
1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games; 15th in the 1988 Seoul
Olympic Games.
Arto SAVONEN (FIN): 13th in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic
Games; 7th in the 1990 Worlds; 10th in the 1991 Worlds;
8th in the 1990 Europeans; 9th in the 1991 Europeans;
12th in the 1993 Europeans.
Karel SAITL (CZE): World & European Champion.
John McNIVEN (SCO): Two times in the IWF World
Championships; Three times in the EWF European
Championships; Two-time Commonwealth Games bronze
medallist.
David MORGAN (GBR): 4th in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic
Games; 4th in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
Hans EHLENZ (GER): National Masters Chairman of the
country with the largest team.
Gerhard PEYA (AUT): For outstanding support of the
European Masters movement.
Petro BAZYUCHENKO (UKR): For his strong will to overcome
illness problems at a younger age and continuing today
as strong as ever.
Kurt ROSENBERGER (GER): Twice in the IWF Masters Hall of
Fame; one of only two people to win a gold medal in all
the weightlifting Masters games.
Please check out our Events
Gallery for photos from the awards ceremony.
23.05.2007
CyWF IMPLEMENTS EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAMME
AT EMC 2007
Hundreds of schoolchildren from the Limassol area
have experienced international weightlifting hands-on,
during the 2007 European Masters Weightlifting
Championships, which continues in this southern coastal
city of Cyprus. A special educational programme of the
Cyprus Weightlifting Federation brings schoolchildren at
the "Spyros Kyprianou" Sports Centre, where they are
guided through special live demonstration of
weightlifting techniques and are shown video highlights
of Greek lifters in action at major competitions. Then,
the schoolchildren get the chance to see the Masters in
action, watching a session of the EMC from the stands.
Conducting the guided tour, on behalf of the CyWF, is
Greece's weightlifting World Champion legend and a
master herself, Maria Christoforidou.
Please check out our Events
Gallery for photos from the Educational Programme of
the Cyprus Weightlifting Federation.
22.05.2007
WORLD RECORDS IN EMC 2007 UP TO NINE
Andy Seaber of Great Britain (born 1956) set a new
world on day 4 of the 2007 European Masters
Weightlifting Championships, which continue in Limassol,
Cyprus, bringing the total of nine world and over 30
European records have been set thus far in the
competition. Seaber (photo, left), competing in the 69kg category of
the M4 age group, had a good lift of 105kg in his third
attempt for the new record--and then completed his
performance with a new European record in the total
(226kg).
Meanwhile, Germany added another two gold medals to
their already impressive collection, Tuesday, to
hold on to the pole position in the medals table. Tadeusz Rudzinski (born 1951) won the 94kg category.
with a total lift of 250kg, and Richard Hermann (born
1952) won the +105kg category with a total lift of
240kg. Both were competing in the M5 age group. The
Germans also clinched three silver and two bronze medals
on Day 4, to reach a total of 25. Russia remains second
in the medals table with six gold and the Czech Republic follows with five.
Including the women's competition, held on Monday, a
total of 23 countries (out of 32 registered for
participation in the event) appear in the medals tables.
Check out our Results section
for more details, and the Photo Gallery for action images of the competition.
The 2007 EMC continues throughout the week and concludes
Saturday evening in the
southern coastal city of Limassol.
21.05.2007
FOUR MORE WORLD RECORDS
FALL
ON DAY 3 OF THE EMC 2007 IN LIMASSOL
Sweden's Stefan Jakobson (born 1947) broke the world
record in the snatch of the men's 94kg. category, in the
M6 division of the 2007 European Masters Weightlifting
Championship, which continues in Limassol, Cyprus.
Jakobson had a good lift at 106kg in his second attempt
(photo, left), before failing at 107kg and withdrawing
for the remainder of the competition due to a hernia injury.
And for a fitting close to day 3, Ireland's Laurence
McConnel set new world records in the snatch, the clean
& jerk and the total of the 105kg. category, bringing
the total of world records broken in Limassol to
eight, thus far.
Meanwhile, Germany continues to dominate the
competition, having amassed a total of seven gold medals
(plus eight silver and three bronze, for a total of 18), leading the medals table. Russia remains in second place
with six gold, followed closely by the Czech Republic
with five. With the addition of Ireland, a total of 20 countries now appear in the
medals table.
Check out our Results section
for more details, and the Photo Gallery for action images of the competition.
The 2007 EMC continues throughout the week in the
southern coastal city of Limassol.
20.05.2007
RECORDS FALL IN
LIMASSOL
Three new world records were set Sunday in Limassol,
during the women's events of the 2007 European Masters
Weightlifting Championships. Austria's Claudia Narovnigg
(born 1972) set two new world records in the snatch of
the 75kg. category of the W1 division, and the Czech
Republic's Marie Orsagova (born 1956) clinched one more
in the 69kg. category of the W4 division. Numerous
European Records were also set Sunday, as Germany topped
the medals standings upon the conclusion of the women's
competition. Great Britain was second in the medals
table with three gold and a silver. All three of Greece's entrants won gold
medals in their respective categories, for third place
in the table, while Cyprus'
lone representative in this event, Denise Offermann-Loizou (born in 1965) won a silver in the
69kg. category of the W2 division. A total of twelve
countries feature in the medals table of the women's
competition.
In the men's competition, Sunday, Russia's Egor Kulikov
(born in 1941) set a new world record in the total of
the 62kg. category in the M7 division.
Check out our Results section
for more details, and the Photo Gallery for action images of the competition.
19.05.2007
AT 86, D'ARCY (GBR)
STILL STRONG
At 86, Les D'Arcy of Great Britain (photo, left), is
the oldest competitor in the 2007 European Masters
Weightlifting Championships, which opened at the "Spyros
Kyprianou" Sports Centre of Limassol on Saturday.
D'Arcy, born in 1921, competed in the 77kg. category of
the M10 division, finishing second to Norway's Jensen
Tormod, five years his younger. D'Arcy had good lifts
all the way, for a total of 64kg. (29kg. in the snatch
and 35 kg. in the clean & jerk). Tormod had a total of
76kg. (36kg. and 40kg. respectively).
Following Day 1 of the competition, with the Men's M08,
M09 and M10 divisions completed, Germany leads the
medals table, with a total of nine, including four gold.
Russia is second with a total six (of which three gold),
and the Ukraine is in third place with a total of four
(two gold). In all, 14 countries have received medals
thus far,
Check out our Results section
for more information, and the
Photo Gallery for action images of the opening day.
Competition continues Sunday, with all the women's
divisions, as well as part of the men's M7. The EMC 2007
continues in Limassol throughout the week.
18.05.2007
STUNNING OPENING CEREMONY SETS THE PACE
FOR EMC 2007
A brilliant Opening Ceremony, featuring welcoming
addresses, the presentation of commemorative awards and
dozens of dancers and performers, Friday evening at the
"Spyros Kyprianou Sports Centre" of Limassol, set the
pace for the 2007 European Masters Weightlifting
Championships. Welcoming addresses were presented by:
Damianos Hadjidamianou, President of the Cyprus
Weightlifting Federation; Andreas Christou, Mayor of
Limassol; Dr Titos Christofides, President of the Cyprus
Sports Organisation; Dimitris Lordos Vice-President of
the Cyprus Olympic Committee; Bill Barton, Chairman of
the European Masters Committee; and Claus Umbach, General
Seceratry if the European Weightlifting Federation.
Among the honoured guests, Friday evening, was head
coach of the Greek National Weightlifting Team, Christos
Iacovou, who was presented with a special commemorative
plaque by Mr. Hadjidamianou (photo).
The Opening Ceremony concluded with some impressive
traditional dancing by the Dance Group of the Limassol
Folklore Association, which strives to promote the
cultural heriatge of Cyprus, as well as by the Shakalli
Dance School, which presented a programme inspired by
Greek cinema of previous decades.
Check out our Opening
Ceremony Photo Gallery for images of the brilliant
spectacle.
18.05.2007
EMC 2007 KICKS
OFF SATURDAY MORNING IN LIMASSOL
The 2007 European Masters Weightlifting Championship
kicks off Saturday morning at the "Spyros Kyprianou
Sports Centre" in Limassol. Almost 500 lifters, aged
from 35 to 86, from 32 countries are ready to take part
in this prestigious event. The official opening of the
competition is scheduled form 12 noon local time (09:00
GMT), to be followed at 13:00 local time (10:00 GMT) by
the first session of the event (the men's M9 and M10 age
groups in all weight categories). The opening day also
features action in the Men's M8 age group, with lifters
divided into two sessions, according to weight category,
starting at 15:00 and 18:00 local time (12:00 and 15:00
GMT).
Check out our Competition
Schedule and Entry Lists
sections for a full overview of the tournament.
17.05.2007
OPENING CEREMONY
TO PROMOTE TRADITIONS OF CYPRUS
Authentic examples of the musical and dance heritage
of Cyprus will feature in the official Opening Ceremony
of the 2007 European Masters Weightlifting
Championships, scheduled for Friday evening at 19:00
local time (16:00 GMT) at the "Spyros Kyprianou" Sports
Centre, in the southern coastal city of Limassol.
Participating in the event will be the Dance Group of
the Limassol Folklore Association, as well as the
Shakalli Dance School. The latter will present a special
dance programme with music from Greek cinema of the
previous decades.
Check
out pages 18 and 19 of the Official Programme of the
competition (available from our
Downloads section), for more details on the groups.
17.05.2007
PRESS CONFERENCE
OPENS EMC 2007
"The 2007 European Masters Weightlifting
Championship is an organisational challenge for the
Cyprus Weightlifting Federation," said CyWF President
Damianos Hadjidamianou, Thursday morning, at a
well-attended Press Conference that marked the
unofficial start to the prestigious competition, in the
southern coastal city of Limassol. "But we are convinced
that with the help of dozens of our volunteers and the
support of our sponsors, we will succeed."
Please visit our
Press Photo
Gallery to view or download more pictures of the
event.
The Technical Meeting is scheduled for Friday afternoon
at 16:00 local time (13:00 GMT) and will be followed by
the official Opening Ceremony, at 19:00 local time
(16:00 GMT). Competition proper begins Saturday morning.
17.05.2007
EMC EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAMME REVEALED
Cypurs Weightlifting Federation President, Damianos
Hadjidamianos revealed details of the special
educational programme of the CyWF, to be implemented
during the 2007 European Masters Championships, in
Limassol. "We place a heavy emphasis on our educational
programme," said Mr. Hadjidamianos during the Press
Conference for the competition, Thursday morning.
Hundreds of schoolchildren are expected to visit the
"Spyros Kyprianou" Sports Centre during the competition.
They will get a guided tour conducted by Greece's World
Champion, Maria Christoforidou, who will feed them will
all the details pertaining to the sport.
16.05.2007
OFFICIAL
PROGRAMME PUBLISHED
The Official Programme of the 2007 European Masters
Weightlifting Championship has been published and is now
also available for downloading from this website. The
32-page booklet includes information on the competition
itself, as well as articles on the history of
weightlifting, lifter profiles, a presentation of Cyprus
and Limassol, and much more.
Please visit our
Downloads
section to obtain the Official Programme of the 2007
European Masters Weightlifting Championships.
16.05.2007
GREEK
MYTHOLOGY NIGHT FOR EMC
PARTICIPANTS
Participants and observers to the 2007 European
Masters Weightlifting Championships will be treated to a
Greek Mythology Night at Molly Malone's Irish Bar
in Limassol, on Tuesday 22 May. The event (one of many
planned for the duration of the competition) will
include a special awards ceremony for all selected
Masters Olympic Champions and Great Achievers in
Weightlifting.
Please visit our
Downloads
section to obtain flyers for the Greek Mythology
Night, in English and German.
