(CNMI Weightlifting) — The Northern Marianas’ Leowell Cristobal competed in the 2025 IWF Senior Weightlifting Championships in Fjord, Norway on Oct. 4, 2025.
He competed in the men’s 65 kg weight class at a bodyweight of 64.71 kg. He posted three personal bests or PBs with a 108 kg/238lb snatch, 145kg/319.73lb clean &jerk, and a total of 253 kg/507.87lb.
Cristobal has been competing in weightlifting since 2020 when he entered local contests in the United States. He went on to compete at several U.S. national championships where he earned several gold medals.
He first represented the CNMI in 2022 at the Pacific Mini Games. Since then, he has represented the CNMI at the 2023 Solomon Islands Pacific GamesOceania Senior Championships; 2023 IWF Grand Prix 2 in Doha, Qatar; 2024 Oceania Senior, Junior, & Youth Weightlifting Championships in Auckland, New Zealand; 2024 IWF World Championships in Manama, Bahrain; 2025 Palau Pacific Mini Games; 2025 IWF World Championships in Fjord, Norway.
The 27-year-old 1st lieutenant in the United States Air Force is currently serving his country in Okinawa, Japan.
CNMI Weightlifting President John Davis is hopeful that Cristobal will again represent the Commonwealth at the 2026 World Cup in Samoa in April 2026.
