2025: Celebrating IWF’s 120th anniversary!

2025 is a very special year for the IWF, as it marks the 120th anniversary since its foundation on June 10, 1905. In Duisburg, Germany, the pioneering national federations that established the basis of the world governing body for the sport of weightlifting, were far from imagining the progress made during this rich and prestigious history.

After great achievements in 2024 – namely the success of the Olympic Games in Paris, France, and the impeccable organisation of the IWF World Championships in Manama, Bahrain – our International Federation has reasons to be optimistic and look at an event brighter future.

From tomorrow, February 11, to June 10, there are exactly 120 days – in each of them, we will recall a milestone in the history of the IWF. It may be a pivotal moment within its organisation, it may be the performance of a great legend of the sport, or it may refer to an unforgettable competition.

These highlights are not presented in chronological order, and do not pretend to be an exhaustive list of the IWF achievements during these 120 years. They are selected moments and feats of those men and women who made weightlifting a great and important Sport in the Olympic movement.

In a year of celebration, let’s then get inspired by the IWF’s history, an organisation initially created to provide a structured framework for competitions and to create opportunities for weightlifters to showcase their talents on an international stage, but that became over these years an inspiring platform for all those loving the sport of weightlifting.

While the road ahead is filled with challenges, it also encompasses numerous opportunities for further improvement across our members, and respective athletes, officials, coaches, and administrators in the five continents!

IWF Communications