It is often said that sport can be a tool for social success or, more importantly, an opportunity to transform the lives of those who practice it. That’s a nice statement on paper, but it gets really interesting when concrete examples are given of the positive changes that sport can bring to athletes. With an inspirational video – “Weightlifting Changed my Life” – the IWF traveled to Honduras and Jordan to talk about these young competitors whose lives have been transformed thanks to their passion for the sport.
On the streets of Tegucigalpa and in some of the Honduran capital’s most marginalized neighborhoods, Axel Pavon, Emelin Ortiz, Jorge Hernandez and Sofia Aleman tell us about their lives before and after weightlifting came into their lives. All of them are influenced by family or friends and underscore the powerful impact that sport has had on their existence.
“This sport has helped me a lot as it has kept me from going down the wrong path. It also made me a more mature and tougher person.” says Ortiz, who also fought against discrimination against women in weightlifting. Aleman had one too “Bumpy road, but definitely worth it!” In her case, lifting weights was instrumental in helping her overcome a severe episode of depression. “It literally saved my life.”
Pavon talks about the power of sport as “A ray of light for many socially vulnerable people”While Hernandez is an athlete, he also works at his own home construction company. “I come from a poor background, but I didn’t want to stay that way. I wanted to have a better life than my parents. I have rejected the status of being poor all my life. Weightlifting was essential in that process.”
On the other side of the planet, in Amman, weightlifting has played an important role in the lives of many young athletes. Adlah Hasonh, sisters Rama and Rahima Hijazi, and Weam Qandeel are four athletes who have overcome the stigma attached to women’s sport and are now promising talents in the Jordanian national team.
“I didn’t like the sport at first, but once I started competing I fell in love with it!” confesses to Qandeel. “I know that by our example we are a role model for some people,” she adds. The Hijazi siblings agree that weightlifting has boosted their confidence, while their mother Rania admits: “I had to research the effects of the sport on women’s bodies. And it quickly became apparent that there was no risk to her health. Today I encourage my daughters and I am happy with their development.”
In Al-Manara, Asem and Raad Alsallaj are brothers and also share a passion for weightlifting. “It’s a family business, our father was a strength athlete and we are trained by our uncle. It was our destiny to pursue this sport. But we love it and we support each other.”
Be inspired by these examples of dedication and discover the power of weightlifting in the lives of these young athletes!
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