The Peruvian port city of Callao, 14km west of Lima, will host the 10th University weightlifting World Cup, with 300 lifters from 32 nations and regions competing, the Peruvian Sports Agency said on Wednesday.

 

Canada, Mexico, Japan, the US, Spain, Brazil, Ireland, China and Hungary will all be represented.

 

Leading competitors include Colombia's Diego Salazar, the South American champion and world championship medallist; Ecuador's Eduardo Hidrovo, several-times South American champion; and Cuba's Yoel Sotolongo, the current world champion.

 

"It is an honor for the Callao region to have the duty of organizing the competition again after so many years," said Alex Kouri, head of the Calloa Regional government, which is joint-organizer of the contest.

 

"We have worked with all our might to show our best face. There is a great deal of competition due to presence of world champions," he said.

 

Women will compete in the categories of 48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 75kg and above 75kg, while men will do so in the 56kg, 69kg, 77kg, 94kg and above 94kg.

 

The last time Callao hosted the tournament is 36 years ago. The contest will last from Thursday to Sunday.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2007)