Weightlifting Team - Variety Village

Olympic Weightlifting Team

The Variety Village Olympic Weightlifting Team provides athletes with the opportunity to develop strength, power, and confidence in a supportive and inclusive training environment. Through expert coaching, athletes learn and refine the two Olympic lifts—the snatch and the clean and jerk—while building functional strength, technical skill, and proper movement patterns. Whether training recreationally or pursuing high-performance competition, athletes benefit from a program focused on long-term athlete development and individual success.

Led by Olympian, World Champion, and internationally recognized coach Abdallah Alsebaai, the team has been developing athletes since 1989. With more than three decades of coaching experience, Abdallah has helped athletes achieve success at the provincial, national, and international levels while fostering a culture of excellence, discipline, and community. As a Level 2 certified coach and former Competition Director for national and international championships, he brings world-class expertise to every training session, helping athletes of all abilities reach their full potential through Olympic weightlifting.

Athlete completes a split jerk with a heavily loaded barbell locked overhead on the competition platform.

Olympic Weightlifting Athlete Pathway

Our Olympic Weightlifting pathway follows the Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model, helping athletes progress from learning the fundamentals to developing advanced skills and competitive performance. With age- and developmentally-appropriate programming, athletes can transition through each level with the support of experienced coaches, building confidence, independence, and a lifelong love of sport.

Pre-Competitive

Pre-Competitive Weightlifting
Olympic Weightlifting trains the athletes for functional strength and utilizes the body’s major muscle groups. Athletes are introduced to, and train toward, two Olympic lifting techniques: the snatch, and the clean and jerk. Training involves quality repetitions and building body strength.

Age Group: 8-14 years old
Season: 9–11 week sessions offered in the Fall, Winter, and Spring
Training: 1 hour practice once per week

Pre-Competitive Olympic Weightlifting for Females
This beginner-friendly Olympic Weightlifting program for youth females focuses on building foundational strength and perfecting technique. It emphasizes proper movement patterns and gradual progression, offering a good opportunity to learn about safe lifting in a friendly and fun environment.

Age Group: 8-14 years old
Season: 9–11 week sessions offered in the Fall, Winter, and Spring
Training: 1 hour practice once per week

Pre-Competitive Olympic Weightlifting 1:1
This 45 minutes private session is customized to each participant's unique abilities and needs. It focuses on techniques and modifications, provided by certified coaching to ensure safe and effective development of strength, mobility, and confidence in Olympic lifts.

Age Group: 8-14 years old
Season: 9–11 week sessions offered in the Fall, Winter, and Spring
Training: 45 minute practice once per week

Competitive

The Variety Village Competitive Olympic Weightlifting Team is for athletes ready to take their training to the next level. Under the guidance of Olympian and World Champion Abdallah Alsebaai, athletes refine their technique, build strength and power, and prepare for competition through structured, year-round training. Athletes have opportunities to compete at the provincial, national, and international levels.

Competitive Weightlifting Team Youth

Age: 10-17
Season: 10 month (September to June)
Training: 2-3 hours, 2 times per week – flexible training schedule per athlete

Competitive Olympic Weightlifting Team U20

Age: 18-20
Season: 10 month (September to June)
Training: 2-3 hours, 5 times per week – flexible training schedule per athlete

Competitive Olympic Weightlifting Team 20+

Season: 10 month (September to June)
Training: 2-3 hours, 4 times per week – flexible training schedule per athlete

High Performance

Coach and young weightlifter exchange a fist bump beside the competition platform after a successful lift.

Team Highlights & Achievements

Yahea Alsebaai had an incredible showing at the 2026 IWF World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia, finishing 5th overall in the highly competitive M60kg weight class. Yahea set the Canadian Junior Record, Canadian Senior Record and Multiple Provincial Records.
At the Junior Championships in Ottawa on December 6 our Variety Village Weightlifting athletes delivered an outstanding performance, completing 22 of 24 attempts with confidence and strong technique.

Support Our Team

Your generosity helps create more opportunities for children, youth, and adults with disabilities to participate in inclusive sports. Donations provide adaptive equipment, expert coaching, accessible facilities, competition opportunities, athlete development, and financial assistance, ensuring every athlete has the opportunity to train, compete, and reach their full potential.

Together, we're building a more inclusive future through the power of sport.

Donate Today

Interested in Joining the Team? Contact Us!

Melanie Barber
Coordinator, Athletic Club & Sports Programs
Variety – the Children’s Charity of Ontario & Variety Village
(416) 699-7167 extension #248
mbarber@varietyontario.ca

Abdallah Alsebaai
Head Coach, Olympic Weightlifting Team
Variety – the Children’s Charity of Ontario & Variety Village
aalesbaai@varietyontario.ca