CHENNAI: After successfully hosting Commonwealth and Asian Championships, the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) on Sunday was allotted the 2029 Senior World Championships by the world governing body. Ahmedabad will host the marquee event. It will be the maiden senior Weightlifting World Championships to be held in India.
The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) made an announcement in this regard following its executive board meeting in Ningbo, China. The EB was held in China ahead of the 2026 World Championships scheduled from October 27 to November 8. As many as six Indian weightlifters including ace Mirabai Chanu will compete in the upcoming event.
Russia's capital Moscow was announced as the host city of the 2030 edition. Besides, the IWF EB also decided to award the 2028 World Youth Championships to Pristina in Kosovo and IWF World Junior Championships to Caracas in Venezuela. "All the bids we received were excellent and we are sure that the Championships in your respective countries will be a huge success," IWF general secretary Jose Quinones said at the end of the EB vote. "It is also worth noting that three of these four countries will be organising an IWF world event for the first time — Kosovo, Venezuela and India. This demonstrates our sport is growing worldwide and the staging of our competitions is highly desirable for many nations around the planet."
Sahdev Yadav, IWLF president, said the past two events held in the country convinced the world body that India can successfully host the world championships. "The Commonwealth and Asian Championships were a turning point for the country. That only encouraged the IWL to award the senior Worlds to India," Yadav told this daily. India hosted the 2025 Commonwealth Senior, Junior and Youth Weightlifting Championships at the Naranpura Sports Complex in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, from August 24 to August 30. The country then hosted AWF Asian Senior (Men & Women) Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar from May 11 to May 17, 2026.
Yadav also hoped that the senior World a year before the 2030 Commonwealth Games will help more Indian lifters to qualify for the quadrennial event. "More weightlifters from the country can qualify as the 2029 Worlds will be a qualifier for the 2030 CWG. Home advantage will work in our favour and we can see more representation from the Indian lifters in the CWG," he said.
