Historic triple weightlifting festival begins in Ismailia in May
The charming coastal city of Ismailia prepares to host a historic sporting event this spring.
Known for its quiet beauty and deep-rooted sports culture, Ismailia is more than just a host.
The city is the historic heart of Egyptian weightlifting, a city that has consistently produced the nation’s greatest Olympic and international champions.
This year, the city will serve as the backdrop for an unprecedented “Triple Crown” of weightlifting, as Egypt hosts the 2026 IWF World Junior Championships, the African Senior Championships, and the Mediterranean Championships simultaneously.
Technical Director and Head Coach of the Egyptian National Weightlifting Team, AlaaHassan, expressed immense pride in the city’s readiness.
Ismailia’s selection, he said, came after a rigorous inspection process by an International Weightlifting Federation committee last October.
“The modern facilities of the city, particularly the Suez Canal Authority’s Olympic Village, were a deciding factor,” Hassan told The Egyptian Gazette.
He added that the village’s competition and training halls are fully equipped, especially referring to the specialized Sara Samir Hall and the main competition arena.
This arena, he said, can accommodate up to 2,300 spectators.
“The world-class venues of the city are designed to help athletes reach peak performance,” Hassan added.
The Egyptian Weightlifting Federation and local authorities in Ismailia have done great efforts to prepare for the aforementioned competitions. These efforts are accompanied by full state support.
Minister of Youth and Sports, Gohar Nabil, recently met federation chief, Mohamed Abdel Maqsoud, along with a host of board members to review final preparations.
The Minister issued strict directives for daily follow-ups to ensure all technical requirements and international equipment standards are met.
This ministerial oversight ensures that the Suez Canal Authority’s infrastructure is perfectly synchronized with the needs of the 71 participating nations, reinforcing the government’s commitment to showcasing Egypt’s organizational excellence on the global stage.
Hassan revealed that this edition of the tournament is set to be the largest in the sport’s history.
Approximately 700 participants representing 71 different nations, he said, are expected to arrive in Ismailia, a record-breaking number of delegations.
To manage this massive influx, Hassan noted that three major hotels in the city have been fully prepared and secured.
He explained that the Ministry of Youth and Sports works in tandem with the federation to facilitate the arrival of these teams, ensuring perfect logistics from the moment they land until they take to the competition platform.
Hassan also referred to what he described as the “intensive” preparations made by the Pharaohs for the competitions since last October and November.
Egypt, he said, would compete with a full squad of 16 lifters, including eight men and eight women, in the Junior World Championships, which run from May 2 to May 9.
Hassan explained that because the World Cup follows a specific points-based system, having a complete team is a strategic advantage that significantly boosts Egypt’s chances of keeping the trophy on home soil.
He also confirmed that the same level of preparation applies to the African and Mediterranean championships where Egyptian lifters are expected to dominate the podium.
Hassan described these championships as a “vital platform” for showcasing Egypt’s golden generation.
He praised young talents, especially Abdelrahman Younes, El-Sayed Ali Attia, and Ahmed Gamal.
“All these lifters are already ranked among the best in the world for their age groups,” Hassan said.
“They are at such a high technical level that they will also compete in the senior African and Mediterranean events,” he added.
