The Iraqi Central Weightlifting Association (ICWA) will participate in the World Weightlifting Championship scheduled for September 12th-24th in Antalya, Turkey.

ICWA members hope Iraqi weightlifters will achieve good results and have the chance to participate in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Ten members of the national weightlifting team, including Karrar Mohammed, Yasser Mohammed, Safa Hafiz, Sawara Mohammed, and Mohammed Farouk, are currently training in Turkey.

"The Iraqi team lineup consists of young weightlifters who have previously achieved good results in recent external competitions, the most important of which is the first place finish in the Arab youth championship that was held in Jordan earlier this year and Asian U-20 Championship in Uzbekistan," said Nabil Mohammed Ali, head of ICWA's committee of referees.

"The good results that were achieved give us hope. The weightlifting game started to restore its luster, especially as the sport association was keen on preparing age groups that are considered the main supplier of players for our national teams," Ali said.

The world championship system allows the top six teams to participate in the Olympics with four weightlifters. Countries that place 7th through 12th places will participate with three weightlifters, 13th through 20th with two, and 21st through 25th with one.

Ali said the Iraqi national team's goal is to place in the top ten at the championship.

"The weightlifting game in Iraq is moving steadily in order to raise the name of Iraq high in international arenas. In recent years, Iraqi weightlifters have restored the name of Iraq and its reputation in weightlifting at the Asian and Arab levels," trainer Mazen Hameed said.

"I am optimistic about the current generation thanks to the right approach adopted by the game association in recent years by keeping on holding local championships for all age groups," Hameed said. "The aim here is to discover and sponsor such players to supply the national teams with players."