Lima, Review: Many ‘firsts’ and new countries shining at the highest level in Peru
There were plenty of ‘firsts’ at the 2025 World Youth and Junior Championships, which ended in Lima, Peru this week.
This was the first time two age group World Championships were staged at the same time, an impressive effort by the Peruvian hosts who opened up for first weigh-in before 07.00 and closed the doors after the final lift close to midnight on the busiest days.
It was also the first time since 2016 that a World Juniors featured athletes from China, PRK and Russia, three of the strongest weightlifting nations. The 13 athletes from Russia competed as Individual Neutral Athletes, as did four from Belarus.
Wei Tingna (CHN)
China’s women excelled, yet again. The winners at 64kg and 55kg, Yang Liuyue and Wei Tingna, were the top two Junior performers on Sinclair points, and Wei Tingna was the best Youth points scorer when she won at 71kg. PRK’s Kim Jong Yu was another outstanding performer in winning the women’s Junior 81kg title.
Russia arguably had cause to be at least as happy with its results as China and PRK. Ten of the 13 Russian neutrals were youths, and only one of them failed to win at least one medal. Two of the three juniors also won medals.
All six of the Russian youth women were aged 15 or 16 and one of them, Varvara Kuzminova, looks sure to be a high achiever in the future. Kuzminova was second in the Juniors as well as winning the Youth title at 76kg, setting snatch and total world records in making 108-127-235.
Varvara Kuzminova (AIN)
“My congratulations to the athletes and coaches of the team on their excellent performance,” said Dmitry Vasilenko, president of the Russian Weightlifting Federation, who was happy to have his athletes back on the international stage for the first time since 2021.
“I would like to thank the IWF leadership, and personally President Jalood, for their assistance in returning our athletes to the international arena. Special praise goes to the organisers of the competition, who warmly welcomed us and created a favourable atmosphere throughout our stay in Lima.”
The next international outing for the young Russians will be the European Youth Championships in Madrid in July, when Kuzminova will be one of the top attractions.
Charlotte Simoneau (CAN)
Among other ‘firsts’ was the sight of athletes from Canada and New Zealand both standing on the podium above an athlete from China. It happened in the Junior women’s 71kg, won for the second time by Charlotte Simoneau from Canada, who continues to improve. Olivia Selemaia was second, the outstanding result of a highly successful week for New Zealand.
There was a first female world champion for Brazil on day one, when Isanelly da Silva won the Youth 40kg title – and a first male champion four days later when Mattheus Pessanha won at 102kg in the Juniors. Pessanha’s total of 395kg earned more Sinclair points, 450, than any other athlete at the Championships.
Matheus Pessanha (BRA)
Albania and Fiji also had their first world champions, both Youths, when Enkileda Carja won the women’s 64kg from the B Group and Nehemiah Elder won at 89kg, scoring more than 400 Sinclair points a few weeks after his 16th birthday.
With Fiji, New Zealand, Samoa and Nauru all on the podium, it was a successful Championships for Oceania.
The Philippines, Venezuela, Moldova, Egypt and Iran were other teams with cause to celebrate, with plenty of medals as well as athletes at or near the top of the individual rankings.
Nehemiah Elder (FIJ)
The Junior champions Albert Delos Santos at 67kg and Alireza Nasiri from Iran at 109kg both declared their intent to lift at the 2028 Olympic Games after impressive performances.
Danu Secrieru from Moldova was near the top of the rankings after winning the Youths 55kg, a few weeks after he finished second in the European seniors in Chisinau, his home capital city. Moldova won many medals in both Chisinau and Lima.
Danu Secrieru (MDA)
Tomari Kotaro from Japan set world records in winning the Junior men’s 55kg. Egypt had the top men’s Sinclair scorer in the Youths, 73kg champion Hussein Abdelrahman.
The best athlete who did not win was arguably Angel Rodriguez from Venezuela, who weighed in nearly 5kg light in the Junior 89kg and was beaten by 1kg on a total of 359kg.
By Brian Oliver
Photos by Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia