USA Weightlifting Adds VIRUS International as Official Apparel and Singlet Sponsor Through 2028

COLORADO SPRINGS - USA Weightlifting today announced a deal with VIRUS International to make VIRUS the official lifestyle, apparel & singlet sponsor of USAW from January 2025 through 2028, including the Los Angeles Olympic Games. VIRUS, a company owned and operated by weightlifters, has produced some of the finest training and competition gear in the worlds of competitive weightlifting and powerlifting for years. The partnership comes at a time when weightlifting in the United States is on the rise, as signaled by a historic two-medal performance at the Paris Olympic Games and the launch of USAW’s National Team Program. Through the deal, VIRUS will both outfit USAW National Team athletes and personal coaches and sell USAW-branded training, competition, and lifestyle apparel.

In addition, VIRUS secured the naming rights for USAW’s North American Open Series. The series installments will now be known as the VIRUS Weightlifting Series 1, VIRUS Weightlifting Series 2, and VIRUS Weightlifting Finals.

“I’m extremely excited about this partnership. Melanie Lin and her team have been tremendous to work with thus far,” said USAW President and CEO Matt Sicchio. “VIRUS is truly interested in a win-win. They’re genuinely invested in our success as an organization and as an ecosystem of athletes, coaches, clubs, officials, and volunteers. They’re not only investing money, but also marketing resources, product, and creative expertise. VIRUS is investing aggressively in our sport through their support of USAW, and together we are going to bring high-quality performance products that are designed specifically for weightlifters to the market. Their team comes from our community and thus brings a unique perspective that is informed by countless hours of working with a barbell themselves. This is a critical and timely partnership that sets us up for LA2028 and beyond.”

“As we look into the future of the sport, it all comes back to supporting our athletes and supporting our community and growing the sport in the United States of America,” said Pedro Meloni, USAW Director of Events & Sponsorships.

“This partnership represents an incredible synergy and alignment that VIRUS in its history has yet to execute on,” said VIRUS International CEO Melanie Lin. “This is our most important partnership to date simply because Olympic weightlifting as a sport lives so deeply in our roots as a brand and company. Most of our own staff members are weightlifters, so being able to directly service and partner with this community in a more meaningful, impactful way is what excites us most. We are ready to provide further value to the weightlifting community by utilizing our high standards to produce the best technical training gear on the planet. To have this platform to reach more people within this sport and enable more athletes to benefit from our fabric technology and specifications is what also drives the excitement for us in this partnership.”

“We are a sport, a team, and an organization on the rise,” Sicchio said. “Our results in Paris, the launch of our National Team Program, the popularity of our local and national competitions, and an increasing investment from our partners and sponsors demonstrates this. It is telling that VIRUS, a company with weightlifting in its DNA, decided that now is precisely the time to invest aggressively in USAW and drive toward the collective growth and proliferation of our sport and community.”

The world will see the first USAW x VIRUS team gear in March at the Junior Pan-American Championships in Havana, Cuba. Additionally, VIRUS will be offering exclusive, limited merchandise at each USAW national competition. Fans can immediately shop for USAW-branded VIRUS International gear today.

About USA Weightlifting

USA Weightlifting, a member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), is the National Governing Body for the Olympic sport of weightlifting in the United States. USA Weightlifting’s mission is to grow and develop weightlifting to support lifelong participation and achieve Olympic podium success. For more information, visit USAWeightlifting.org

About VIRUS International

VIRUS has no limits and we strive to serve every individual out there - whatever their passions may be. With our trademarked fabrics and unparalleled quality standards, VIRUS enhances performance, elevates recovery, and maximizes your performance without any compromises.