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The championships kicked off on Saturday in Tashkent with an opening ceremony at Tashkent Olympic City that drew senior officials, federation leaders and national delegations. Qatar News Agency reported that the gathering underscored weightlifting’s rising profile across Asia and the focus on nurturing young athletes. More than 300 male and female lifters from 29 nations are scheduled to compete in various categories through August 14.
Mohammed bin Yousef Al Mana, president of the Asian Weightlifting Federation and first vice president of the Qatar Olympic Committee, addressed participants on the value of age-group events. “Weightlifting grants young people and emerging generations a significant opportunity to internalize expertise and get familiarized with a variety of levels, as age-group championships lay the groundwork for advancing future champions,” he stated according to the Qatar News Agency. Al Mana added that continental and global tournaments form a key element in strengthening the sport by giving athletes the chance to perform at the highest levels.
Al Mana chaired a meeting of the Asian Weightlifting Federation executive board at the Uzbek Ministry of Sports on the sidelines of the championships. Uzbek Minister of Sport Adkham Ikramov and Uzbek National Olympic Committee Secretary-General Oybek Kasimov joined members of the executive office for the session. The group examined the federation’s forward agenda and preparations for future competitions.
Discussions centered in part on the 2027 Asian Weightlifting Championships scheduled for South Korea. That tournament will form part of the qualification process for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, the federation noted. Youth and junior championships such as the current event represent an important step in assembling emerging talent and building a solid foundation of champions for Asian weightlifting in the years ahead.
The Asian Weightlifting Federation website reported that the 2025 edition held in Astana, Kazakhstan, drew a total of 245 athletes split between youth and junior categories. This year’s higher turnout of more than 300 participants from an expanded field of nations reflects continued growth in the sport throughout the region. Al Mana, who was recently re-elected to his leadership post, has played a central role in these development efforts.
Ikramov presented Al Mana with the Uzbek sports ministry’s honorary award for excellence in physical culture and sports at the close of the meeting. The award recognized his work in promoting and expanding weightlifting across Asia. Competition in the youth under-17 and junior under-20 divisions is set to continue at the venue over the coming week.
