One of the biggest regional competitions in the sport of weightlifting is set to kick off in a matter of days. Beginning in earnest on May 28, 2022, the International Weightlifting Federation‘s (IWF) European Weightlifting Championships (EWC) will be held in Tirana, Albania. The competition will run until Jun. 5.
In attendance at the event are multiple world-level medalists and a handful of former (and current) World Record holders. The competition promises to be fierce, ferocious, and full of big moments. Here’s how it’s all going to play out over the course of eight exciting days.
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This year’s EWC is a special case — broadcasting for the competition is being managed by a company dedicated to the sport itself (international weightlifting events are usually publicized by a broad media outlet like EuroSport).
Weightlifting House will live-stream all sessions online to viewers in the United States, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and South Africa.
2022 European Weightlifting Championships | Session Dates & Times
The event in Tirana will run for eight days between May 28 and Jun. 5. Below is a breakdown of when each “A-Group” — the sessions with the highest and most competitive entry totals — will take place.
Note: All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Women A-Groups
- 49A: May 28, 2 p.m.
- 55A: May 29, 11 a.m.
- 59A: May 30, 11 a.m.
- 64A: May 31, 11 a.m.
- 71A: June 1, 11 a.m.
- 76A: June 2, 2 p.m.
- 81A: June 3, 11 a.m.
- 87A: June 4, 2 p.m.
- +87A: June 5, 7 a.m.
Men A-Groups
- 55A: May 29, 8 a.m.
- 61A: May 29, 2 p.m.
- 67A: May 30, 2 p.m.
- 73A: May 31, 2 p.m.
- 81A: June 1, 2 p.m.
- 89A: June 2, 11 a.m.
- 96A: June 3, 2 p.m.
- 102A: June 4, 8 a.m.
- 109A: June 4, 11 a.m.
- +109A: June 5, 10 a.m.
Additional information for the B and C-Groups can be found in the 2022 EWC Start Book.
2022 European Weightlifting Championships | Live Stream
Broadcasting coverage for the 2022 EWC is being helmed by Weightlifting House via live stream and a pay-per-view model. Fans in countries other than the eight covered by Weightlifting House may have access to another stream from a different media organization.
You can purchase a ticket to the live stream on the Weightlifting House website for $12.50 (or €10). Weightlifting House has noted that viewers will be able to re-watch all sessions for a period of two weeks once the competition has wrapped up.
From Greece to Albania
The 2022 competition season in weightlifting is well underway. In May, the 2022 IWF Junior World Weightlifting Championships (JWC) ran for eight days in Heraklion, Greece, and saw several existing World Records toppled and replaced. Some high-performing athletes from the JWC, such as Bohdan Hoza, are set to perform imminently in Albania as well.
Others, like 2016 (and 2020) Olympic Champion Lasha Talakhadze or the barely-18-years-old Senior World Champion Karlos Nasar, are taking to the platform for the first time in many months.
The stage in Tirana is set for some spectacular lifting — all that remains is to wait and see who comes out on top.
Featured Image: SGr / Shutterstock