Nearly 700 lifters above the age of 35 took part at the Pierre-Charbonneau Centre venue, which also hosted competition at the 1976 Olympic Games.

There is no upper-age limit with Japan's 87-year-old Tsutomu Kobayashi the oldest lifter to take to the platform.

He hoisted 77 kilograms in the M80 73kg division.

Seventy-five-year-old Canadian Lorraine Pelletier was the oldest woman to compete.

A formula taking into account age and weight was used to crown male and female "grand masters" from the Championships.

Eighty-five-year-old Marcel Perron, a former nightclub bouncer and member of the Canadian national team, took home the men's title.

Kristi Brewer of the United States, who by comparison is only 38, was named women's grand master.

Nine days of competition were held in Montreal in all, concluding on August 24.

"The IWF World Masters Championships has once again demonstrated that people are never too old to get involved in weightlifting," said 80-year-old Aján, who has been vice-president or President of the IWF since the 1970s.

"We have seen men and women, from different countries and backgrounds, and different ages from 35 up to 87, come together through their shared love of weightlifting and the benefits it brings them. 

"There are so many advantages of weightlifting and everyone is able to draw something different from the sport. 

"These Championships are about more than who wins or who lifts the heaviest weights, they are about persistence and mental discipline and people challenging themselves to achieve their very best."  

The 2020 IWF Masters World Championships will be in Obrigheim, Germany, from August to 28 to September 6.