Lasha Talakhadze Will Not Lift at the 2024 IWF Weightlifting World Cup

We always expected weightlifting competitions to end on a high note, with the heavyweight categories competing in the last few days. The men’s 109+ kg is one of the most anticipated showdowns, and typically, Lasha Talkhadze is there to deliver a fantastic performance. 

With that said, on April 10th, it was reported that the Georgian athlete would not compete in the 109+ kg category in Phuket but would just weigh in to meet the Olympic qualification criteria and then wouldn’t return to the stage to participate in the actual competition.

Sources close to Lasha Talakhadze didn’t specify why he won’t be competing in the IWF World Cup, but a person close to the athlete’s team reported that he claimed Paris as the ultimate goal for the year. 

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Does Talakhadze Have a Shot at the Olympic Gold Medal? 

Lasha Talakhadze’s track record is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Over the past decade, he has been the undisputed heavyweight champion, setting and holding multiple world records – for the Snatch, the Clean & Jerk, and total weight lifted. His winning streak, which began in 2013, includes seven European titles, seven World Championships, and two Olympic Gold Medals – one from Tokyo and another from Rio De Janeiro.  

Having said that, in the last few years, the Georgian has battled several injuries and has stated that he will lose his dominance over the heavyweight category. Through this qualification cycle, he withdrew from the European Championships in Sofia and, at the time, declared an intent to compete in the IWF World Cup in Thailand, and as we can see, he failed to perform a single lift here as well. 

Still, we can safely say that Lasha Talakhadze remains the favorite to win the Paris Olympics. During his last outing at the 2023 World Championships, he won with a 13 kg lead against silver medalist Varazdat Lalayan. 

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