The IWF President Mohammed Jalood was appointed as Visiting Professor of the Sports Science Faculty of the University of Ningbo (CHN), in a ceremony held on April 28, 2024. That was the highlight of an IWF delegation visit to China, who had the opportunity to be in Fuzhou and Ningbo (host of the 2026 IWF World Championships). On this occasion, Mr Jalood was accompanied by the IWF General Secretary Antonio Urso and the IWF CEO Achilleas Tsogas.
“I am very honoured to receive this prestigious distinction from the University of Ningbo. I share it with the entire weightlifting family, working very hard for the development of our beautiful Sport on the five continents. China is a great powerhouse in weightlifting and Ningbo will surely be an excellent host of our World Championships in 2026!” declared the IWF President after receiving his tribute.
The first two days of the visit were spent in Fuzhou, where the Chinese National Championships took place – the IWF delegation was invited to attend four A Sessions of the event and also visit the outstanding Majiang Weightlifting Training Centre, a world-class facility for the preparation of Chinese and international lifters.
On April 27, the group joined Ningbo, chosen in early December 2023 as the host city of the 2026 IWF World Championships. Ningbo is located in the northeast province of Zhejiang, not far from the cities of Shanghai and Hangzhou. It has a population of over nine million citizens and has acquired recent successful experience in staging sports international events. The competition venue of the Championships will be the Ningbo Olympic Sports Centre, a facility constructed in 2019 and with a 10,000-seat capacity. Moreover, all the proposed hotels to host the participants in the competition will be within a 30-minute distance by car from the venue.
In Ningbo, the IWF delegation formally signed the Hosting Agreement for the 2026 World Championships, visited the venue and proposed hotels for the staging of the IWF showcase, and was invited for a lecture on the development of weightlifting and the importance for a city hosting top-level international weightlifting events, at the University of Ningbo. It was also the occasion to pay a fair tribute to the IWF President for his leading role in the progress of the Sport and its increased value within the Olympic movement.
“We had a very fruitful meeting with the organisers and excellent conditions will be provided to all participants in our showcase. I sincerely thank all Chinese authorities for their commitment and enthusiasm in the staging of the 2026 IWF World Championships, as well as for their devotion to weightlifting,” concluded Mr Jalood.
Source & Photos: IWF
