Official Post-Event Report
Astana, Kazakhstan | 4–10 July 2025
The Asian Youth & Junior Weightlifting Championships, held from 4 to 10 July 2025 in Astana, Kazakhstan, successfully brought together many of Asia’s most talented young lifters in a major continental competition. Hosted under the auspices of the Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF), this event combined both Youth (U17) and Junior (U20) divisions and showcased the continued advancement of weightlifting across the continent.
This championship also marked a historic milestone as it was the first continental event held under the newly revised bodyweight categories introduced by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), adding further significance to the athletes’ performances and record-setting achievements.
“We are proud to see our lifters reach such high levels under the new bodyweight categories,” said AWF President Muhammad Yusef Al Mana during the closing ceremony.
Participation Overview
The event featured a total of 245 athletes, representing numerous national federations across Asia. The participation was distributed as follows:
- Total Participants: 245
- Youth Category (U17): 103 athletes
- Junior Category (U20): 142 athletes
- Gender Distribution:
- Male Athletes: 123
- Female Athletes: 122
This almost perfect gender parity is a powerful indicator of the inclusive progress made in the development of women’s weightlifting throughout the region.
Team Rankings Summary
Youth Men’s Team Classification
- 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
- 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
- 🇮🇳 India
Youth Women’s Team Classification
- 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
- 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
- 🇻🇳 Vietnam
Junior Men’s Team Classification
- 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
- 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
- 🇹🇼 Chinese Taipei
Junior Women’s Team Classification
- 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
- 🇮🇳 India
- 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
Team Performance Insights
The team classifications across all divisions offered valuable insights into the strategic strengths and developmental focus of leading national federations:
- Uzbekistan emerged as a continental powerhouse, securing first place in both the Youth Men’s and Junior Women’s team rankings. Their ability to produce high-performing athletes across genders and age brackets reflects a deeply integrated and results-driven national development program.
- Kazakhstan, serving as host nation, capitalized on home-ground advantage and talent depth, achieving top team positions in Youth Women and Junior Men. The country’s consistent investment in technical training and infrastructure was clearly evident in the quality and composure of its athletes.
- India demonstrated significant growth, particularly in women’s weightlifting, earning second place in Junior Women and third in Youth Men. This performance highlights the positive trajectory of India’s youth programs and the emerging strength of its female lifters.
- Vietnam and Chinese Taipei continued to showcase competitive consistency, each earning a podium finish — Vietnam in Youth Women, and Chinese Taipei in Junior Men. These results reflect strong regional training models and commitment to youth advancement.
Collectively, these outcomes signal a competitive and balanced future for Asian weightlifting, with multiple nations establishing themselves as rising leaders on the continental stage.
Notable Highlights
🥉 Snezhana Kashkarova of Kazakhstan, just 14 years old, earned the bronze medal in the 48 kg Youth Women’s category, becoming the youngest medalist of the championships. Her performance at such a young age captured the admiration of the home crowd and highlighted Kazakhstan’s emerging generation of lifters.
Snezhana Kashkarova (Kazakhstan)
Yedige Yemberdi (Kazakhstan)
New Records Achieved
The championship saw a total of 31 new records established, spanning both Asian continental and World Youth levels. These accomplishments affirm the increasing standard and competitiveness of youth and junior lifters in Asia.
Record Summary
Record Type | Number of Records |
Asian Youth Records | 16 |
World Youth Records | 9 |
Asian Junior Records | 6 |
Total Records | 31 |
No World Records were set in the Junior division.
Athlete Record Highlights
Youth Division
- Alihan Askerbay (Kazakhstan)
Dominated the 71 kg men’s category, setting:
- 6 Asian Youth records
- 3 World Youth records
- Best lifts: Snatch 141 kg, C&J 169 kg, Total 310 kg
- Cheryang Kim (South Korea)
Excelled in the +77 kg women’s class, breaking:
- 4 Asian Youth records
- 5 World Youth records
- Notable lifts: C&J 145 kg, Total 249 kg
- Xue Li (China)
Set Asian Youth records in the +77 kg women’s division.
Junior Division
- Duong K’ (Vietnam)
Set an Asian Junior Clean & Jerk record of 162 kg in the 60 kg men’s category.
- Yedige Yemberdi (Kazakhstan)
Set 2 Asian Junior records in the 79 kg men’s category:
- C&J: 194 kg
- Total: 347 kg
- Ingrid Vanesa Segura Grueso (Bahrain)
Set 2 Asian Junior records in the 69 kg women’s class:
- C&J: 134 kg
- Total: 238 kg
- Denis Poluboyarinov (Kazakhstan)
Broke the Junior C&J record with 213 kg in the 94 kg class.
Fair Play and Anti-Doping
In alignment with global standards, the championships were conducted under strict anti-doping supervision in collaboration with the International Testing Agency (ITA) and in accordance with IWF Clean Sport protocols.
Doping control procedures were carried out throughout the event to ensure a level playing field and uphold the integrity of the sport. The Asian Weightlifting Federation remains committed to protecting clean athletes and maintaining a culture of fair competition.
Looking Ahead: 3rd Asian Youth Games – Bahrain 2025
As the dust settles in Astana, the continental focus now turns toward the next major multisport event — the 3rd Asian Youth Games, set to be held in Manama, Bahrain from 24–30 October 2025.
This will be a key platform for many of the Astana 2025 athletes to continue their competitive journey and represent their nations on an even larger stage, further preparing for World Championships and future Olympic aspirations.
Conclusion
The 2025 Asian Youth & Junior Championships in Astana marked a new chapter in Asia’s weightlifting development. With 245 athletes, near-equal male and female representation, and an impressive 31 records broken, the event reflected Asia’s rising prominence in the global weightlifting landscape.
The combination of Youth and Junior events fostered continuity, mentorship, and intergenerational learning. The implementation of new bodyweight categories for the first time at a continental level added historic significance to the competition. Astana, with its exceptional facilities and organizational excellence, provided an ideal platform for this important milestone in Asian sport. As these young lifters look ahead to the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, World Championships, and Olympic qualification pathways, the foundation laid in Astana will be remembered as a pivotal moment in their careers
