The Sport: Weightlifting

About

An ancient sport as old as mankind, embodying the most direct manifestation of human strength, weightlifting has not only flourished, but developed into a modern sporting discipline for the 21st century. The apparent simplicity of lifting the barbell from the ground and over the head in one or two movements is deceiving. Weightlifting requires a combination of power, speed, technique, concentration and timing.

Super heavyweight lifters normally claim the title of World's Strongest Man or Woman. However, kilo per kilo, the lightest weightlifter is often the strongest.

Men's weightlifting was on the program of the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, and women participated for the first time ever at the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000.

Olympic Weightlifting

Lifters perform two types of lifts - the snatch and the clean and jerk. In the snatch, they lift the bar to arm's length above their head in one movement. In the clean and jerk, they lift the bar to their shoulders, stand up straight, then jerk the bar to arm's length above their head. Lifters are allowed three attempts at each lift, and their best snatch and best clean-and-jerk figures are added to determine the winners.

LIST OF EVENTS

• 56kg Men
• 62kg Men
• 69kg Men
• 77kg Men
• 85kg Men
• 94kg Men
• 105kg Men
• + 105kg Men

• 48kg Women
• 53kg Women
• 58kg Women
• 63kg Women
• 69kg Women
• 75kg Women
• + 75kg Women