Rezazadeh tips young Iranian weightlifters for senior success after world junior glory
Legendary Hossein Rezazadeh has tipped the young Iranian weightlifters to build on their recent title-winning campaign at the IWF World Junior Championships for further glory at major senior competitions in the coming years.
An impressive haul of six golds, seven silvers, and one bronze medal saw the Iranian eight-man squad stand atop the team table with 520 points in Ismailia, Egypt, on Friday – a tremendous achievement that came against the backdrop of complications the team had struggled with in the buildup to the event.
While the team’s preparation had been massively hampered by the wartime situation in the country, the Iranian weightlifters – coached by former world and Olympic champion Sohrab Moradi – only arrived in Ismailia last Tuesday after a visa delay had threatened to derail their title defense.
Hamidreza Mohammadi-Tanha capped off Iran’s emphatic run on the final day by completing a clean sweep of three golds in the +110kg weight class, with his compatriot Taha Nemati settling for three silvers.
It was also an Iranian one-two in the 110kg division earlier in the day, with Abolfazl Zare hitting the 400kg mark in total for three gold medals, while Farhad Qolizadeh finished second in each of the three categories.
Hamidreza Zarei had opened Iran’s account by collecting the clean & jerk silver and total bronze medal in the 94kg event on the penultimate day of the competition.
Amir-Mohammad Rahmati and Mohammad-Amin Dadvand were the first Iranians on the platform in Ismailia, finishing empty-handed in the 88kg division on Wednesday.
Speaking to ISNA following the team’s triumph, Rezazadeh praised the federation’s long-term planning and the technical staff’s dedication.
“Over the past several years, significant work has been done in youth and junior weightlifting,” Rezazadeh – the most decorated Iranian weightlifter in Olympic history with two golds – told ISNA.
“Fortunately, with the federation’s planning and the technical staff’s efforts, well-organized training camps have been held, and now we are seeing the results,” added the vice chairman of the federation.
Rezazadeh, also a winner of 10 world golds, emphasized that the junior team represents a dependable reservoir of talent for Iran’s senior squad.
“Out of the eight athletes who competed in Egypt, at least five have the potential to be integrated into the senior national team,” he said. “These young lifters can very well shape the future of Iranian weightlifting.”
The weightlifting great, who dominated the superheavyweight class in the first half of the 2000s, singled out performances in the 110kg and +110kg categories as particularly impressive while noting that improvements are still needed in the 88kg and 94kg divisions.
Despite the team’s success, Rezazadeh struck a cautious tone, reminding the young lifters that they are still at the start of their careers.
“These young champions must know their worth, but they also must understand they are at the beginning of the road,” he said.
“They need to train around the clock, maintain professional and ethical conduct, and push themselves twice as hard to reach the summit of success in the years to come.”
He added that the ultimate goals for these athletes should be clear: success at the Olympic Games, Senior World Championships, and Asian competitions.
Rezazadeh also had warm words for Moradi, who has now led Iran’s junior team to back-to-back world titles.
“Sohrab once again showed excellent performance,” Rezazadeh said. “He is a world and Olympic champion, and with the federation’s backing and regular training camps, he managed to deliver outstanding results.”
“The team traveled under very difficult conditions and overcame problems related to the conflict situation,” Rezazadeh explained. “Both the Iranian federation and the International Weightlifting Federation helped us secure visas. The situation in the country was different at that time, and extraordinary efforts were made to ensure the team could depart. In the end, they shone and set good records.”
Rezazadeh concluded by calling for continued support and consistent training camps for the young team, with an eye on future major tournaments.
“These athletes must maintain good training routines and continue their path under the technical staff’s guidance,” he said. “If they do, they will reach higher levels in the coming years and shine at the Asian Games and the Olympic Games.”