64 Countries For Junior World Championships In Fiji

The 2019 IWF Junior World Championship (JWC) to be held in Suva, Fiji is shaping up to be the largest ever Junior World Weightlifting Championship in the history of the sport.

The Chair of the JWC Organising Committee (OC), Dr Robin Mitchell confirmed that 64 countries have submitted their preliminary entries when applications to participate closed on the 28thFebruary, 2019.

The number of countries that took part in the last 4 editions of the Junior World Championships were:

• 2018 Uzbekistan – 48 Countries

• 2017 – Tokyo – 48 Countries

• 2016 – Tbilisi Georgia – 46 Countries

• 2015 – Wroclaw Poland – 40 Countries

Europe currently has the largest continental representation of 28 countries followed by the 11 from Americas and 10 from Asia.

The continental breakdown is as follows;

Europe 28

Americas 11

Asia 10

Oceania 7

Africa 5

Middle East 3

Total 64

Leading Weightlifting Countries like Russia, China, Iran and USA to name a few, are coming with big teams. (full list of countries entered is attached)

The 2019 IWF Junior World Championships is also a Gold qualifying event for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and the Organising Committee is pleased to see that leading countries are fully participating in this Championships.

The Championships will be held between 1st to 8thJune with over 500 Athletes and Officials expected to come to Fiji.

This is the first time ever for a Pacific Island to organize an IWF World Championships.

The JWC OC is thankful to the Fiji Government, Fiji National Sports Commission, Fiji Sports Council, FASANOC, IWF, media groups and the general public for their support.