RIYADH: The world’s best young weightlifters are in Jeddah for the start of the 2021 IWF Youth World Cup on Sunday.
More than 320 male and female Under-17 weightlifters from 45 countries are taking part in the competition, organized by the Saudi Weightlifting Federation and being held in the Kingdom for the first time.
The tournament will run until Oct. 12.
“Hosting the tournament for the first time in Saudi Arabia, despite the circumstances the world is going through as a result of the pandemic, (shows) the unlimited support that the sports sector enjoys from our leadership toward achieving the goals of Vision 2030 and contributing to the growth of the domestic product in Saudi Arabia,” Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, sports minister and president of the Saudi Olympic Committee, said in September.
The young Saudi weightlifters will be hoping to add to their medal count of four from previous competitions, with Ali Al-Othman winning two gold and a silver at the 2019 IWF Youth World Cup in Las Vegas while Ali Majeed took bronze in the IWF Online Youth World Cup in Peru last year.
