Weightlifters of the year named

By Laman Ismayilova

The International Weightlifting Federation has named the Weightlifters of the Year defined in an online survey.

The shortlist of male weightlifters includes Kazakhstan’s 2016 Olympic gold medalist Nijat Rahimov.

An Azerbaijani-born weightlifter in the under-77kg category, placed the third.

The second place was given to Lasha Talakhadze from Georgia. 

Iranian Olympic weightlifter Kianoush Rostami became the Male Lifter of the Year.

Nijat Rahimov won the world title in 2015 and an Olympic gold medal in 2016 in the 77 kg division. 

Rahimov won a gold medal for Azerbaijan at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics and silver at the 2013 Junior World Weightlifting Championships.

At the 2013 Summer Universiade he served as a flag bearer for Azerbaijan.