After a 2020 season of event cancellations and postponements owing to Covid-19, Singapore is gearing up for the year by adding another sports event to its calendar after winning the bid to host the 2021 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships.

This is the first time Singapore will be holding the prestigious event after it edged out Australia and the United Kingdom for the hosting rights, said the Singapore Weightlifting Federation (SWF) in a press statement last night.

The championships are scheduled to be held in October, with Downtown East a possible venue.

More than 300 athletes from over 50 Commonwealth countries are expected to compete in the competition, which is a qualifying event for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, UK.

The top eight athletes from each medal event will qualify for the Games and athletes can also earn ranking points at the championships.

SWF president Tom Liaw said: "While our top priority is to ensure the health and safety of all participants, we also hope that this event will enable us to showcase Singapore to weightlifting enthusiasts around the world."

Acknowledging concerns regarding hosting an event during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, he said the federation is hoping that the situation will improve before October.

Liaw, 59, added: "Since it will be on home ground, we also hope that more Singaporean athletes can qualify for the Commonwealth Games here, instead of having to send them overseas."

Among the Singapore weightlifters aiming for a spot in Birmingham is John Cheah, who made his debut at the 2018 Gold Coast Games. He said: "I'm very excited to be competing again. It helps me work towards something in training, and it's nice to be finally competing on home soil."