2018 World Championships, Ashgabat, TKM

[FFF]

Let the discussions begin. Will be interesting with the new weight classes and who shows up and in which class. Any predictions or things you're looking forward to?

[FFF]

Alihosseini out of Worlds...Will Iran send a SHW? This is typically their division.

https://barbend.com/saeid-alihossein...championships/

[FFF]

USAW teams have been announced. Witte named to the team, but will he go? He's not made many lifts in his last 3 combined.

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Weightli...Team-Announced

[Blairbob]

Doubt Osorio will be sent. Unless he can show he's old form.

Even though Witte has missed a lot, he improved his total and has a lot of potential down the road.

[thatmoutain]

that's an interesting part of the world for americans to go at this time, imo.

[Hawkpeter]

I was going to go to watch as I have a lifter competing, but if you're not part of the official team its not easy getting in to Turkmenistan. The tourist bureau steer people towards a tour group and you have to stay in a registered hotel in order to get a visa. World Weightlifting Tours are going but I was looking to save some money by using AirBnb (which they do have) and minimize costs, looks like I'll be watching the stream like everyone else.

[mbasic]

that's an interesting part of the world for americans to go at this time, imo.

fun times I'm sure

[Hawkpeter]

Deadline for entries is September 28th.

[PhilAndrews]

USAW teams have been announced. Witte named to the team, but will he go? He's not made many lifts in his last 3 combined.

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Weightli...Team-Announced

Since we don't have Team Qualification any more, we made it totally objective who lifts at Worlds. So unless Keiser is injured between now and then, he will compete in Ashgabat.

[Cleddau]

I was going to go to watch as I have a lifter competing, but if you're not part of the official team its not easy getting in to Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan is basically North Korea with money from selling natural gas. When the Soviet Union dissolved, the Russians installed a weak and easily manipulated dictator to channel a share of the massive oil & gas dividends to Russian firms in exchange for notional independence. The son now rules the country as a monument to his own and his father's vanity - complete with literal acres of white marble and gold plated statues and monuments.

The Government really doesn't want the outside world to come and visit - unless they're in controlled tour groups which can be supervised and controlled at all times. Because of their oil & gas revenues that don't need money from tourism and the government is terrified that outsiders will import crazy foreign ideas like freedom and human rights.

If it wasn't for the weightlifting, it would only be worth visiting if you're interested in seeing what the claustrophobia of totalitarianism really looks like. In the case of Turkmenistan, it has produced a country which is sterile and numb.