With the winners soon to be announced for this year’s Ealing Sports Awards, Around Ealing caught up with a former Olympic weightlifter and Ealing Coach of the Year to find out more about the sport.

The Ealing Sports Awards are run by Ealing Council in partnership with Everyone Active and this year’s winners will be announced in July.

Kazem Panjavi was crowned Coach of the Year in 2017 and continues to work with lifters of all ages and abilities. He is head coach and club manager of Ealing Weightlifting Club, based at Perivale Athletics Track.

“Weightlifting is just very different to other sports,” said Kazem, who lifted at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. “It’s very technique-oriented. It’s not just about strength. Strength is a factor, but technique is very important.”

He prides himself of being able to get the best out of his athletes, from novices to British champions.
“I get satisfaction by seeing my lifters win their titles, become British champions and become national team members,” he said.

Record breakers

Kazem’s protégés include Reza Rouhi. Reza arrived in the UK as refugee from Iran in 2022 and, under the guidance of Kazem, a fellow Kurdish-Iranian immigrant, Reza competed as a guest at the British Senior Championships and earned a spot on the IWF Refugee Team.

A year later, Reza claimed both English and British titles, setting a new British record with a 203kg clean and jerk.
Asees Dhanda, 16, began training with Kazem at the age of 6. She holds more than 200 British records and won a bronze medal at the World Youth Championships in 2023. She also took 8th place at the 2025 World Youth and Junior Championships in Lima, Peru, in May.

Kazem said: “Weightlifting has the power to develop discipline, character, and resilience. I believe that, through this sport, we can reduce crime, provide structure for young athletes, and create a safer, more positive community.”

Get involved

The club offers a variety of sessions designed to improve strength, flexibility, speed, and overall fitness for all ages and abilities. You don’t have to be a master athlete to get involved.
For more information go to the club’s website.

Did you know?

A total of 234 sports awards nominations were received across the 9 categories in this year’s Ealing Sports Awards. This follows a borough-wide call to find and honour those who have contributed to the health and wellbeing of residents and towards sport locally. Read about last year’s winners.