Weightlifting World Championships: Armenian national team roster, Simon Martirosyan will not participate

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has released the preliminary entry list of participating countries for the 2026 World Championships.

The Armenian national team will participate in the World Championships with 14 weightlifters: 8 men and 6 women.

From the men's team led by Hakob Pilosyan, the athletes registered for the World Championships are Garnik Cholakyan (65 kg, preliminary total entry: 350 kg), Gor Sahakyan (70 kg, total: 360 kg), Rafik Harutyunyan (85 kg, total: 370 kg), Martin Poghosyan (85 kg, total: 370 kg), Davit Hovhannisyan (95 kg, total: 390 kg), Ara Aghanyan (95 kg, total: 390 kg), Garik Karapetyan (110 kg, total: 420 kg), and Varazdat Lalayan (+110 kg, total: 475 kg).

Tigran Karapetyan (75 kg), Narek Mkrtchyan (85 kg), Suren Grigoryan (95 kg), and Petros Petrosyan (110 kg) are the reserves.

Simon Martirosyan, a two-time Olympic silver medalist and two-time World and European champion, will not participate in the World Championships. The Weightlifting Federation of Armenia reported this to NEWS.am Sport.

Gor Minasyan, an Olympic silver medalist and World and European silver medalist, will compete in the super-heavyweight category representing Bahrain; his preliminary entry total is 460 kg.

Lasha Talakhadze of Georgia, a three-time Olympic champion and seven-time World and European champion, will participate in the World Championship following a break in his athletic career; his preliminary entry total is 440 kg.

Representing the women's team led by Artashes Nersisyan will be Aleksandra Grigoryan (61 kg, preliminary total: 240 kg), Meri Misakyan (69 kg, total: 230 kg), Anna Amroyan (77 kg, total: 250 kg), Alina Sukiasyan (77 kg, total: 240 kg), Emma Poghosyan (86 kg, total: 260 kg), and Liana Gyurjyan (86 kg, total: 260 kg).

The World Championship will serve as a qualifier for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The Weightlifting World Championship will be held from October 27 to November 8 in Ningbo, China.

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