After the mixed team event during the EYOF in July in Maribor, the European weightlifting family happily returned to Slovenia for the 9th edition of the European Union Cup, organised at the Sport Faculty of the University of Ljubljana on October 13-14.
The competition focused on the youth, with teams from 13 countries consisting of three boys and three girls, one each in U15, Youth (U17), and Junior (U20) age groups.
The Hungarian Team won the gold medal, with Poland and Spain getting respectively the silver and bronze.
The European Union Weightlifting Confederation (EUWC) didn’t miss the opportunity to educate the young generation, as Rodmar Pulis from the Malta Weightlifting Association delivered an Anti-Doping seminar.
Beside Jesmond Caruana, EUWC President and Giuseppe Minissali, EUWC General Secretary, also Attila Adamfi, IWF Vice President, Antonio Conflitti, EWF President, Alex Padure, EWF EB member and Uros Mohoric, NOC Director of Sports graced the event with their presence.
Mr Adamfi praised the hosts: “The Slovenian Weightlifting Federation, under the professional leadership of President Damjan Czanzek and General Secretary Slavko Lajlek, demonstrated again their skills and dedication to organise international weightlifting competitions.
“After the Urban Weightlifting event during the EYOF in July, the 9th EU Cup was a great success again and I am convinced Slovenia could host European or world events in the near future.
“What better way could we celebrate the IOC’s decision to include weightlifting in the LA2028 Olympic Games programme than to see the new generation of athletes, the potential 2028 Olympians compete in a friendly environment? Congratulations to all the teams and athletes!”
Mr Conflitti also expressed his satisfaction after the conclusion of the event: “The 9th EU Cup isn’t just a competition, but a celebration of dedication, discipline, and the spirit of weightlifting. Its importance cannot be overstated. The camaraderie and passion displayed here in Ljubljana are exemplary and serve as an inspiration to upcoming athletes and the weightlifting community at large”.