IWF World Weightlifter of the Year

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|1988|| {{sortname|Naim|Süleymanoğlu}} || {{TUR}} ||

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|1989|| {{sortname|Ivan|Ivanov|dab=weightlifter}} || {{flagcountry|BUL|1971}} ||

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|1990|| {{sortname|Ivan|Ivanov|dab=weightlifter}} || {{flagcountry|BUL|1971}} ||

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|1991|| Chun Byung-kwan || {{flagcountry|KOR|1984}} ||

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|1992|| {{sortname|Naim|Süleymanoğlu}} || {{TUR}} ||

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|1993|| {{sortname|Nikolay|Peshalov|Nikolaj Pešalov}} || {{BUL}} ||

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|1994|| {{sortname|Aleksey|Petrov|dab=weightlifter}} || {{RUS}} ||

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|1995|| {{sortname|Pyrros|Dimas}} || {{GRE}} ||

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|1996|| {{sortname|Naim|Süleymanoğlu}} || {{TUR}} ||

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|1997|| {{sortname|Andrey|Chemerkin}} || {{RUS}} ||

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|1998|| {{sortname|Plamen|Zhelyazkov}} || {{BUL}} ||

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|1999|| {{sortname|Halil|Mutlu}} || {{TUR}} ||

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|2000|| {{sortname|Hossein|Rezazadeh}} || {{IRI}} ||

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|2001|| {{sortname|Halil|Mutlu}} || {{TUR}} ||

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|2002|| {{sortname|Hossein|Rezazadeh}} || {{IRI}} ||

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|2003|| {{sortname|Hossein|Rezazadeh}} || {{IRI}} ||

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|2004|| {{sortname|Hossein|Rezazadeh}} || {{IRI}} ||

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|2005|| {{sortname|Ilya|Ilyin}} || {{KAZ}} ||

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|2006|| {{sortname|Ilya|Ilyin}} || {{KAZ}} || {{cite web|url=http://www.iwf.net/weightlifting/issues/064/Best_Lifters_of_2006.pdf|title=Ilin again, Chen Yanqing for the first time: Best of the Year|publisher=IWF|accessdate=11 February 2013}}

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|2007|| {{sortname|Andrei|Rybakou}} || {{flagcountry|BLR|1995}} || {{cite web|url=http://www.iwf.net/weightlifting/issues/074/Best_Lifters.pdf|title=Best Lifters of 2007|publisher=IWF|accessdate=11 February 2013}}

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|2008|| {{sortname|Matthias|Steiner}} || {{GER}} || {{cite web|url=http://www.iwf.net/weightlifting/issues/084/Lifters_of_the_year_2008.pdf|title=Lifters of the Year 2008|publisher=IWF|accessdate=11 February 2013}}

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|2009|| Lü Xiaojun || {{CHN}} || {{cite web|url=http://www.iwf.net/2010/05/03/lu-xiaoyun-chn-and-jang-mi-ran-kor-voted-as-lifters-of-the-year/|title=Lu Xiaoyun (CHN) and Jang Mi-Ran (KOR) voted as Lifters of the Year|date=3 May 2010 |publisher=IWF|accessdate=11 February 2013}}

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|2010|| {{sortname|Behdad|Salimi}} || {{IRI}} || {{cite web|url=http://www.iwf.net/2011/03/20/world-weightliftings-best-lifters-of-2010/|title=World Weightlifting's Best Lifters of 2010|date=20 March 2011 |publisher=IWF|accessdate=11 February 2013}}

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|2011|| {{sortname|Khadzhimurat|Akkaev}} || {{RUS}} || {{cite web|url=http://www.iwf.net/2012/03/23/world-weightlifting%E2%80%99s-2011-best-lifters-received-trophies-in-moscow-ceremony-3/|title=World Weightlifting's 2011 Best Lifters received Trophies in Moscow ceremony|date=23 March 2012 |publisher=IWF|accessdate=11 February 2013}}

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|2012|| {{sortname|Behdad|Salimi}} || {{IRI}} || {{cite web|url=http://www.iwf.net/2013/01/31/salimikordasiabi-and-chinshanlo-are-the-best-of-2012/|title=Salimikordasiabi and Chinshanlo are the Best of 2012|date=31 January 2013 |publisher=IWF|accessdate=11 February 2013}}

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|2013|| {{sortname|Ruslan|Albegov}} || {{RUS}} || {{cite web|url=http://www.iwf.net/bestlifters-2013/|title=Best Lifters 2013|publisher=IWF|accessdate=9 February 2014}}

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|2014|| {{sortname|Ilya|Ilyin}} || {{KAZ}} || {{cite web|url=http://www.iwf.net/bestlifters2015/|title=Ilyin and Kashirina are Best Lifters of 2014|publisher=IWF|accessdate=15 March 2015}}

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|2015|| {{sortname|Ilya|Ilyin}} || {{KAZ}} || {{cite web|url=http://www.iwf.net/2016/02/24/best-of-2015-hsu-shu-ching-and-ilya-ilyin//|title=Best of 2015: HSU SHU-CHING and ILYA ILYIN|date=24 February 2016 |publisher=IWF|accessdate=4 March 2016}}

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|2016|| {{sortname|Kianoush|Rostami}} || {{IRI}} || {{cite web|url=http://www.iwf.net/2017/02/07/2016-jeno-boskovics-award-winners-for-lifter-of-the-year-revealed/|title=2016 Jenő Boskovics Award winners for Lifter of the Year revealed|date=7 February 2017 |publisher=IWF|accessdate=7 February 2017}}

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|2017|| {{sortname|Lasha|Talakhadze}} || {{GEO}} || {{cite web|url=http://www.iwf.net/2018/02/09/2017-lifter-year-lasha-talakhadze/|title=2017 Lifter of the Year Lasha Talakhadze|publisher=IWF|accessdate=6 February 2018}}

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|2018|| {{sortname|Lasha|Talakhadze}} || {{GEO}} || {{cite web|url=https://www.iwf.net/2019/02/11/talakhadze-and-valentin-are-best-for-2018-again/|title=Talakhadze and Valentin are Best for 2018 again|date=11 February 2019 |publisher=IWF|accessdate=11 February 2019}}

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|2019|| {{sortname|Lasha|Talakhadze}} || {{GEO}} || {{cite web|url=https://www.iwf.net/2020/02/20/iwf-2019-lifter-year-american-georgian-winners/|title=IWF 2019 Lifter of the Year – American and Georgian Winners|date=20 February 2020 |publisher=IWF|accessdate=20 February 2020}}

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