The Asian Junior Weightlifting Championships beginning from Friday in Kathmandu will be the biggest event in the continent in terms of participation, according to Nepal Weightlifting Association (NWA). 

“The Championships will be attended by 307 weightlifters from 34 countries, a record participation in Asia at such kind of event,” said Parth Sarathi Sen Gupta, the general secretary of NWA at a press conference on Thursday. International Weightlifting Federation President Tamas Azan and General Secretary Mohamed Jalood, also the general secretary of Asian Weightlifting Federation, also attended the press conference.

The event will see 197 male and 110 female lifters apart from 34 countries. Gupta also informed that delegates from 37 countries will visit Nepal and conduct Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) general assembly on the sidelines of the event. 

The meetings of various AWF committees will also be held on Saturday and Sunday. 

Though the event is scheduled to be held from July 21 to 29, the competitions will start on July 24 at the Army Physical Training and Sports Complex in Lagankhel. The weightlifters will vie for a total of 96 gold medals -48 each in men’s and women’s categories. Players from 13 to 17 years age group will be eligible to contest in the youth category and 15 to 20 years in junior category. All four categories will have eight weight divisions.

IWF President Tamas Azan hailed Nepal as a ‘great federation’ adding: “It is the largest participation at the Asian level event and IWF is always ready to support this country.” According to Gupta, NWA has received weightlifting kits worth Rs 20 million from 2015 till date. Weightlifting equipments worth $ 66000 were received in 2015 while Nepal was preparing to host Asian Senior Men’s and Women’s Championships in July the year. But the event was cancelled due to the Great Quake of April 25, 2015.

Though Nepal does not have high hopes in the event, they are eyeing to set new national and junior record in the game. Nepal has been preparing for the event since March 10. “Not only junior record will be broken in the tournament, but even new national records will be set,” said Sanjay Maharjan, one of the three coaches who have been training Nepali team.