Weightlifters Come Back to Life

(ATR) Beyond results and medals, the First Online Pan Am Cup for weightlifting showed that it is a format that could stay… with or without a pandemic.

With the essential support from the International Weightlifting Federation, the Pan American Federation’s initiative led more than 70 athletes from 15 countries on four continents to breathe the oxygen of high competition again after several months of isolation caused by the coronavirus.

A suggestion for future editions to certify the weight and anti-doping controls could be the presence of "independent observers" on-site, in order to guarantee "virtual" records.

Athletes were lifting at the same time but at different locations, and all attempts were taken by rounds,

They were lifting real weights in front of the camera, seeing each other’s attempts via video conference.

The president of the Pan American Weightlifting Federation, José Quiñones from Peru, does not rule out exploring cooperation agreements to ensure local anti-doping control for future online competitions.

However, apart from today’s good wishes, it would have been impossible to complete that process of sending samples in the face of restrictions on transport and border closure.

"But we’re already on that road, with an operational framework for the future," Quiñones told Around the Rings.

"As for weighing, we’ll do it through videos. We didn’t do it now because we wanted to focus on the complexity of competition."

"As ‘normality’ arrives, this model of competition shows that it doesn’t take large investments in events for them to be attractive and for people to participate enthusiastically."

"This format gives athletes the opportunity to compete, without it being in-person, who might not otherwise be able to do them for the costs inherent in an international competition."

"It was an American initiative but we wanted to deliver a product that could be used anywhere in the world."

"Africa did not compete because of internet limitations, but its directors expressed interest in realizing their continental event ‘online.’"

"It's very likely that there will be more ‘virtual’ events in the coming months."

"This weekend we had athletes who threatened world records from their homes, gardens, and other make-shift settings. The medals were divided among many countries."

"We appreciate the leadership of IWF president, Ursula Papandrea, and other members of her Executive, as well as her technology staff for making this project a reality."

"Seeing high-level athletes compete from their houses, in their garden, in the entrance of a building… ratified the sport’s message of seeking self-improvement based on daily sacrifice amid even serious threats such as this pandemic," Quiñones said.

Reported byMiguel Hernandez.