International Union of Kettlebell Lifting looks for recognition in international sporting arena

Exhibiting at the SportAccord 2019 convention on the Gold Coast this week, the International Union of Kettlebell Lifting is looking to gain exposure for the sport with a long term goal of Olympic inclusion.

What began as a traditional sport in the former Soviet Union has now evolved into an emerging sporting competition that is seeking to expand both domestically and internationally.

IUKL was officially registered in 1993 and is the oldest organisation, developing kettlebell sport as a separate and independent kind of sport in the international arena.

From a base in Latvia, IUKL currently unites 60 national members from Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa and America, as well as two international sports organisations.

In 2015, the IUKL became a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code while, since October 2017, the IUKL has had observer status at Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) Council.

Today, the kettlebell lifting is an absolutely independent power cyclical sport, which is based on lifting fixed weight kettlebells maximum possible number of times in the allotted time period in a standing position.

Kettlebell sport, also known as Girevoy, is reported to have kept Russian and eastern European rural and military groups entertained over decades.

It requires the competitor to repeatedly lift a large cast-iron ball-shaped weight, known as a kettlebell, as many times as possible over a 10-minute period.

Competitors use three classic techniques- snatch, long cycle, and jerk- and can only switch hands once in the 10-minute period they attempt to complete as many repetitions as possible.

Competitors need to come to a complete stop for a repetition to qualify.

The activity requires the combination of technical elements of Olympic weightlifting, aerobics, endurance, and mental discipline for success.

Kettlebell sport has dramatically risen in popularity across the world in the 21st Century, with associations being established across the USA, Australia, UK and Europe, and in 2012 the sport was accepted into the TAFISA World Games.

Since 2008 IKFF has established the global standard for excellence in the development of Certified Kettlebell Trainers

In Australia, the Girevoy Sport Australia Association (GSAA) holds the National Kettlebell Championships each year, drawing competitors from across the nation.

NSW-based Lone Dog Personal Training's Cheryl Schneider is behind the hosting of the upcoming 2019 Championships in Albury.

She explains “the GSAA this year has gone out of its way to promote the sport more than it has been which has lead to an increase of numbers for the actual competition and in the sport.

"I think we can expect to see some growth in the area with the sport."

The National Kettlebell Championships are being held on Saturday 13th July.

For more information go to www.giri-iukl.com