2023 IWF Senior World Championships

[erpel]

M109 higher results than expected.

W87+ well, boo. Looked like a strain rather than dislocation for Li, should be back for AWC 2024. Please don't send her to AG in two weeks. Expected Park to total 300; perhaps then in Hangzhou.

M109+ rankings not difficult to predict. Talakhadze still moves well, though strained, thus I don't foresee a 260+ jerk ever again.

[strapping]

Largely agreed.

W87+ overall disappointing due to lifters being hurt or out of shape IMO. SIPAIA Iuniarra SAM and AYOVI CABEZAS Lisseth ECU were the exceptions to shape, both lifting (at least IWF) PBs.

M109 has the two Uzbeks doing reasonably well, about what I expected from both of them. DADASHBEYLI Dadas AZE has returned knowing how to use his legs in the pull, looks in good enough shape to test positive again. Both Uzbeks leaving it exceptionally late to cut to 102, if indeed they do. None of the three will outtotal Liu Huanhua at 102, despite Djuraev's potential. Hristov BUL left his best lifts in the training hall, even neo-Bulgarians are not immune to fatigue from maxing out.

M109+
Was fine. Lasha was, predictably, in reasonable shape but not the shape he was in pre-injury, stupid social media commentary be damned. His top end is missing in all three lifts. The two primary armenian supers (Minasyan, Lalyan) are the usual slightly erratic Armenian lifters. Simon Martirosyan moving from 109 (118 training weight) to 130 is now doing his old 109 training weights. Still don't know why he didn't cut to 102.

[strapping]

Closing thoughts on WWC

• We're lucky to have these events as it stands, even if things don't go according to plans or expectations. The future of the sport internationally is uncertain and there are no guarantees.
• The event seemed poorly planned at IWF level but well executed at local level. Saudi sportswashing money did well to provide good facilities (other than the hotel with midnight fire alarms).
• Despite the simplification of the qualifying procedure, it seems that many athletes and coaches (still) do not understand them, both in literal form or more broadly how to strategise around them. Subsequently, we've seen a few attempts at questionable lifts or totals. A qualifiying procedure with multiple data points like the Tokyo system will not fix this, those events still had silly attempts, just with more confusion before and after the bombs.
• Continental slots exist, lifters (coaches) should perhaps consider them.
• Seems to me that the lifters who've fixated on beating others rather than running their own race have suffered for it, as expected. The qualification system will be blamed.
• Some unpublished positives have been rumoured already (e.g. MENDEZ Arley CHI) , I suspect that there are a few more pre-WWC positives on the way. Of course, with some exceptional performances, it would be unsurprising to see post WWC OOC positives (can anyone say oxymetholone?)
• Political happenings are happening, to limited success/zero outcomes. The IOC meeting next month will be more informative.
• Liu Huanhua's best chance at being picked for Paris is Shi Zhiyong being in anything less than 100% shape or China wanting a man who makes 3/6 lifts.
• Quite a number of countries seem out of shape as a team, with the odd lifter as an exception. Italy, China, amongst others.

Continental slot prediction, assuming no positives for continental slot holders (I don't assume this at all).
W49: Oceania or Africa possible, likely Oceania
W59: Oceania
W71: Oceania
W81: Unallocated, returned to IOC
W81+: Unallocated, returned to IOC

M61: Oceania or Africa possible, likely Oceania
M73: Africa
M89: Oceania
M102: Africa
M102+: Oceania