TEHRAN - Despite facing immense challenges, Iran’s junior weightlifting team has showcased remarkable talent and resilience, with federation president Sajjad Anoushiravani confidently predicting a bright future, including a strong showing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The Iranian men’s contingent captured the overall team title at the 2026 World Junior Championships here, amassing 520 points to outrank host nation Egypt (427 points) and Venezuela (380 points). The team concluded the championships with a haul of two gold, two silver, and one bronze medal in the total.

Anoushiravani lauded his young athletes’ performance, stating, “Our young weightlifters have accomplished a great feat and will shine at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.” He highlighted the federation’s three-year investment in talent identification and development, which led to the high-quality training camp in Shiraz. “Excellent training sessions, strong support, and outstanding record-breaking progress—this is the result of three years of efforts, identifying talent from early adolescence and working with them consistently,” he added.

The team’s journey to Egypt was fraught with difficulties, primarily due to the ongoing conflict impacting training and travel. “Unfortunately, the camps were suspended due to the war. The athletes were out of camp for nearly 40 days, and even their participation in the competition was almost canceled,” Anoushiravani revealed.

Navigating bureaucratic hurdles, the team’s entry into the championships was secured just a month past the deadline, thanks to crucial support from the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). “Since the final deadline for submitting team rosters had passed, after consultations with the President of the International Weightlifting Federation—who deserves our sincere thanks—our team list was added to the World Championships one month after the official deadline,” said the 2012 Olympic Games silver medalist. “Accepting this was not easy, but this is not the first time the IWF has supported us due to our country’s special circumstances.”

The logistical challenges continued until the last moment. “One day before the competition, the Egyptian embassy summoned us at 11 p.m. and issued the visas,” Anoushiravani recounted. “Due to limited international flights from Iran to Istanbul, we had to change airports and endure more than 12 hours of transit. The athletes were exhausted—we all were. We were on the road for nearly 24 hours, and the day after arrival, they had to compete.”

Despite the taxing journey and the preceding stress of potential disqualification, the team delivered a commendable performance. “Fortunately, we had a strong start, but due to fatigue and stress, we selected conservative opening weights,” Anoushiravani explained. “We came very close to winning the gold medal in the 94 kg category, but lost it at the final moment. Nevertheless, we secured the bronze medal in the total and silver in the clean and jerk. Under these circumstances, a bronze total is a great achievement.”

Looking ahead, Anoushiravani expressed optimism, particularly for the heavier weight classes. “I congratulate these young athletes, especially our heavyweight and super heavyweight lifters. They are the future of Iranian weightlifting. Several of them are potential candidates for the Los Angeles Olympic qualification events. This team is extremely promising for us. Iran’s heavyweight lifters, in particular, drew all eyes with their power displays, and they will have much to say at the Olympic Games,” he concluded.