Man Asaad of Syria competes in the 102kg category of the Men's Weightlifting at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Photo: Simon Stacpoole / www.photosport.nz
After many years of being under a cloud of suspicion weightlifting's governing body believes it's in a better place, and young Kiwi lifters are hoping to benefit from it in the next few years.
For decades the sport internationally was plagued by a doping culture.
More than 30 weightlifters who competed at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic games were subsequently disqualified and stripped of their medals.
There was also corruption within the world governing body. An investigation by Canadian law professor Richard McLaren released in 2020 said failed doping tests were covered up by the International Weightlifting Federation and that almost $20 million in finances were unaccounted for.
Weightlifting New Zealand president Simon Kent, who has just returned from an IWF Congress, believes the sport is now in a far better place.
Weightlifting wasn't initially on the LA2028 Olympic programme because of the concerns the IOC had with governance and doping. However last year it was confirmed it would remain on the programme.
"A lot of good work has been done in the last four years to clean things up," Kent told RNZ.
"There's a real desire now to try and take the sport forward.
"We've made some really big strides in cleaning the thing up from a governance and doping standpoint so the next step is to be really innovative and showcase that this is a sport that is exciting to watch."
No Olympics would have meant a huge funding cut for weightlifting in New Zealand.
David Liti of New Zealand lifts during the Oceania Weightlifting Championships, 2024. Photo: Andrew Skinner/www.photosport.nz
The second piece of good news came not long after with the announcement that the sport would also be a part of the reduced programme for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Last month New Zealand recorded it's best ever result in a world championships securing five medals at the IWF Junior and Youth World Championships in Peru.
Seven athletes took part, six females and one male and Kent believes some of those could put their hands up for Commonwealth Games selection.
Olivia Selemaia claimed silver breaking New Zealand and Oceania senior/junior records in the 71kg class.
A lifter has to compete in two of four assigned competitions over the next ten months to be eligible and lift a total weight that ranks them in the top eight in the Commonwealth to get to Glasgow.
Former Commonwealth Games gold and silver medalist David Liti, along with Selemia shouldn't have any problems achieving that, but Kent is optimistic that at least another four can make the team.
He said Glasgow was another great opportunity for them.
Weightlifting ticked many of the boxes that made it easy to fit into a reduced games programme. It is indoors, it is strong in the Commonwealth, the host nations do well in it and every session is completed in less than two hours.
"We're really stoked that we're one of the ten sports," Kent said.
"We're on the programme and we're seeing it as a real opportunity."
"It is unfortunate that hockey, rugby sevens and the likes are not there, but this is a chance for weightlifting to really showcase what we're about.
"It's only been David (Liti) that has been on the podium at recent Comm Games but a lot of work has gone into developing our juniors so that hopefully we can turn up in Glasgow with a few others."
Liti will compete at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau later this month.
