PRESS RELEASE: POWERLIFTING SET TO RETURN TO GAY GAMES IN HONG KONG 2022
The LGBT Powerlifting Union has agreed to assist Gay Games Hong Kong 2022 in the delivery and promotion of their Powerlifting event in the next Gay Games cycle. Powerlifting was not included in the sports schedule in the Gay Games X that is currently happening this week in Paris, but has now been confirmed for the next Gay Games after discussions took place between the next host city Hong Kong and the LGBT Powerlifting Union, who have successfully run the LGBT International Powerlifting Championships (LGBT IPC) in both 2017 and 2018.
The Second annual “LGBT International Powerlifting Championships” were held in London the weekend before the opening of Gay Games in Paris, with participation numbers doubling, from the previous year. Athletes attended this year’s LGBT IPC from eight different nations including Australia, Belarus, Belgium, France, Germany, Iceland, United States of America and of course the host nation Great Britain.
Within LGBT IPC Athletes are welcome to participate regardless of their age, sexuality, health status, ability or gender. This year the LGBT IPC introduced a new Mx third gender category, which welcomes transgender, non-binary and intersex participants to compete. The LGBT IPC are the first sporting event in the world to introduce a third gender category, so Mx people can participate in a safe environment, without fear of discrimination.
This year’s championships were attended by national champions, world champions, world record holders and also a lifter who had competed in the Arnold Classic Sports Festival Australia. The LGBT IPC competition is particularly friendly towards novices as they have their own category, for those who are competing for the first time. LGBT IPC is very committed towards reaching out to sections of the community that are under-represented in the sport.
Speaking about the confirmation of Powerlifting for the Gay Games in 2022, Chris Morgan, Gay Games Ambassador and Co-President of the LGBT Powerlifting Union said …
“We are delighted with discussions that have taken place and the LGBT Powerlifting Union have agreed to assist the next Gay Games host city Hong Kong to deliver and promote their Powerlifting event. Of course we are disappointed not to have been able to participate in these Gay Games in Paris, but we are looking forward and growing stronger as a group each year ahead of the next Gay Games in Hong Kong”.
And about the LGBT International Powerlifting Championships in Blackpool 2019 he continued …
“Next year our own event “LGBT International Powerlifting Championships” will be in Blackpool, the most LGBT and in particular Trans Friendly town in the UK. We have confirmed a fantastic new venue and have a fresh and exciting new programme of events and activities. Next year’s focus will be on development and outreach, with more detailed information about this released in the coming months”.
The choice of the seaside town of Blackpool as our host town will give us the opportunity of doubling our participation levels over the next two years as the town has an abundance of high quality, low cost accommodation. Athletes from all over the world will find Blackpool a very affordable place to stay and easy to access as they will be able to take the one hour fast train directly from Manchester International Airport straight into the Gay Village in the centre of Blackpool.
Blackpool 2019 will be happening 19th – 21st July 2019 and the provisional programme currently includes Coaching Clinic, Technical Briefing, Competition, Social Evening, Congress, Outreach Workshop and Closing Party at the World Renowned “Funny Girls Cabaret”. Blackpool 2019 will give the opportunity to build our participation numbers and provide a very safe host town environment for all of our Trans, Non Binary and Intersex participants.
In the build up to Blackpool 2019 the LGBT Powerlifting Union are planning Workshops in the North (Blackpool) and South (London) and more details about these will follow soon. There will also be more LGBT Powerlifting workshops and seminars planned in the USA and these will be announced soon. Within the Congress the LGBT Powerlifting Union received provisional bids and expressions of interest to host future LGBT IPC events from Atlanta, USA and Munich, Germany. More information about these will follow soon.
The LGBT Powerlifting Union would like to thank the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) for their advice and support over the last two year’s which has made the re-entry of Powerlifting to the Gay Games In Hong Kong possible. We look forward to continuing dialogue and building representation within FGG over this next quadrennial cycle and making the sport of Powerlifting accessible to as many LGBT people as possible.
For more details about the LGBT International Powerlifting Championships and to register your interest for Blackpool 2019 visit their website: www.lgbtpowerlifting.org or their Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/203653086703441/ For more information about the event contact Chris Morgan by email Chunky@chunkymuscle.com
Editors Notes:
LGBT IPC weekend has a full programme of activities including a Novices Coaching Clinic & Technical Briefing (Friday 19th July), Competition (Saturday 20th July), Congress (Sunday 21st July) and Closing Party (Sunday 21st July). Visit www.lgbtpowerlifting.org for more details.
LGBT IPC 2019 will welcomes Trans men or Trans women who have decided to transition– who will be to participate within either Male, Female or within Mx Category. The third gender Mx Category is also for people who do not identify as one or the other, such as Non Binary or Intersex. The new Mx Category was introduced for the 2018 event and the policy continues for our 2019 event.
The sport of Powerlifting was part of the programme of Gay Games in nine Gay Games from 1982 San Francisco through to Gay Games 2014 in Cleveland Ohio. It was also part of the World Out games in Montreal in 2006. Bench Press Single Event was part of the Eurogames in Munich in 2004. Powerlifting was not included in Gay Games Paris 2018 www.paris2018.com but has now been confirmed to be returning in Hong Kong in 2022. www.gaygameshk2022.com The Federation of Gay Games website can be found at www.gaygames.org
Key People – Biographies
Chris Morgan: Male Co-President, LGBT Powerlifting Union
Chris has been one of the UK’s leading openly gay athletes since starting his Powerlifting career at the Gay Games in 1998.
During his twenty year career he has represented England and Great Britain a total of twenty six times, where he has taken a total of twenty eight international medals. He has been World Champion nine times, European Champion five times, British Champion eighteen times and has won six Gay Games gold medals. In 2010 and 2011 he was the overall Best Lifter at the British Deadlift Championships and in 2011 was the overall Best Lifter at the European Deadlift Championships. He is the holder of several British and World records in the Deadlift.
Chris is constantly working for the organisation that gave him confidence to be an openly gay athlete, as a global ambassador. His role for the Federation of Gay Games is to inspire and motivate young gay athletes worldwide.
Charlotte Wareing: Female Co-President, LGBT Powerlifting Union
Charlotte has been powerlifting for five years, she has won five master’s European titles and seven World titles.
She holds 41 World Records in both raw and equipped lifting. She has twice achieved the overall best lifter once each at European and World level. Charlotte was the recipient of the LGBT IPC “Spirit Award” at this year’s Championships for her courage and commitment to the LGBT Community, which she views as one of the Highlights of her career.
Charlotte is keen to grow the sport of powerlifting and works hard to introduce the sport to novice lifters.