Gandhinagar, May 9 Around 200 athletes from 31 countries are set to compete at the Asian Senior Weightlifting Championship-2026 in Gujarat's Gandhinagar, marking one of the largest international sporting gatherings to be held in India this year.
The championship, organised by the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF), will take place at Mahatma Mandir from May 11 to 17.
Alongside the athletes, nearly 200 coaches, support staff, team officials and delegates are expected to attend, as well as around 50 international technical officials.
The event will also bring together 50 dignitaries, including senior representatives of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) and the Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF).
The participation list is expected to include some of the sport’s most decorated athletes, with six Olympic Games medallists, 35 World Championship medallists and 10 Asian Games medallists confirmed to compete, alongside multiple medallists from Commonwealth Games and continental championships.
The scale of participation has positioned the championship as both a major continental competition and a key qualifying event for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
IWLF officials said the event is expected to provide competitive exposure for emerging lifters while allowing established athletes to compete at the highest level ahead of future international events.
In addition to the sporting events, the Executive Board meeting and Annual Congress of the Asian Weightlifting Federation will be held in Ahmedabad on May 12, coinciding with the championship schedule.
The opening ceremony will take place on the same day at the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre.
It is scheduled to be attended by Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Minister of State for Sports, Jayram Gamit.
Senior international officials, including Mohamed Hassan Jaloud, President of the International Weightlifting Federation and First Vice President of the Asian Weightlifting Federation; Mohamed Bin Yousef Al Mana, President of the Asian Weightlifting Federation; and Mohammed Ahmed Al Harbi, Secretary General of the Asian Weightlifting Federation, will also attend.
This will be the fourth time that India, through the IWLF, has been entrusted with hosting the Championship tournament.
Previous editions were held in Pune in 2015, Greater Noida in 2023 and Ahmedabad in 2025.
The federation has, in recent years, expanded its hosting portfolio to include Commonwealth-level championships across youth, junior, and senior categories, as part of efforts to increase international participation and competitive opportunities for Indian lifters.
The 2026 championship in Gandhinagar is expected to continue that trajectory, with participation from across Asia and beyond at the heart of the event’s scale and significance.
Hosting major international sporting events, such as the Asian Senior Weightlifting Championship, is significant for Gujarat, as it strengthens its position in the global sports ecosystem ahead of larger multi-sport events.
With India already awarded the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad and positioning itself as a contender for the 2036 Olympic Games, such international competitions are viewed as crucial test events that help develop world-class infrastructure, improve event management capacity, and showcase organisational readiness at global standards.
--IANS
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