Weightlifting
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Quick Facts
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Olympic Weightlifting, also called Olympic-style Weightlifting, or Weightlifting, is an athletic discipline in the modern Olympic programme in which participants attempt a maximum-weight single lift of a barbell loaded with weight plates.
History of Olympic Weightlifting
Ancient Egyptians Weightlifting
Competition between people concerning who can lift the heaviest weight has been recorded in diverse and ancient civilizations as early as the earliest known recordings of such human events, including those found in Egypt, China and in ancient Greece. Today, the modern sport of weightlifting traces its origins to the European competitions of the 19th century.
The first male world champion was crowned in 1891. Women's competition did not exist, and the weightlifters were not categorised by height or weight.
The first Olympic Games of 1896 included weightlifting in the Field event of the predecessor to today's Track and Field or Athletics event. During the 1900 Olympic Games, there was no weightlifting event. Weightlifting resumed as an event, again in Athletics, in 1904 but was omitted from the Games of 1908 and 1912. These were the last Games until after the First World War. In these early Games, a distinction was drawn between lifting with 'one hand' only and lifting with 'two hands'. The winner of the 'one hand' competition in 1896 was Launceston Elliott, while the winner of the 'two hands' event was Viggo Jensen of Denmark.
In 1920, weightlifting returned to the Olympics and, for the first time, as an event in its own right. At these Games, which took place in Antwerp, Belgium, fourteen nations competed. The competition lifts were the 'one hand' Snatch, the 'one hand' Clean and Jerk and the 'two hands' Clean and Jerk. At the next Olympic Games, in Paris, France, in 1924, the 'two hands' Press and the 'two hands' Snatch were added to the programme, making a total of five lifts.
In the Olympic Games after 1920, instead of requiring all competitors to compete against each other regardless of size, weight classes were introduced and, by the 1932 Olympic Games, weightlifting was divided into five weight divisions.
In 1928, the sport dropped the 'one hand' exercises altogether leaving only the three remaining exercises: the Clean and Press, the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. By 1972, the Clean and Press was dropped for the reasons cited above, and this left the sole elements of what is today's modern Olympic weightlifting programme – the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk.
A competition for women was introduced at the Olympic Games of 2000 in Sydney, Australia. However, as early as 1987, there were official world championships awarded to women weightlifters such as Karyn Marshall and Judy Glenney.
In 2011 the International Weightlifting Federation ruled that athletes could wear a full-body "unitard" under the customary weightlifting uniform. Kulsoom Abdullah became the first woman to do so at the U.S. National Championships that year, and athletes are allowed to do so at the Olympics. IWF rules previously stated that an athlete's knees and elbows must be visible so officials can determine if a lift is correctly executed.
The first male world champion was crowned in 1891. Women's competition did not exist, and the weightlifters were not categorised by height or weight.
The first Olympic Games of 1896 included weightlifting in the Field event of the predecessor to today's Track and Field or Athletics event. During the 1900 Olympic Games, there was no weightlifting event. Weightlifting resumed as an event, again in Athletics, in 1904 but was omitted from the Games of 1908 and 1912. These were the last Games until after the First World War. In these early Games, a distinction was drawn between lifting with 'one hand' only and lifting with 'two hands'. The winner of the 'one hand' competition in 1896 was Launceston Elliott, while the winner of the 'two hands' event was Viggo Jensen of Denmark.
In 1920, weightlifting returned to the Olympics and, for the first time, as an event in its own right. At these Games, which took place in Antwerp, Belgium, fourteen nations competed. The competition lifts were the 'one hand' Snatch, the 'one hand' Clean and Jerk and the 'two hands' Clean and Jerk. At the next Olympic Games, in Paris, France, in 1924, the 'two hands' Press and the 'two hands' Snatch were added to the programme, making a total of five lifts.
In the Olympic Games after 1920, instead of requiring all competitors to compete against each other regardless of size, weight classes were introduced and, by the 1932 Olympic Games, weightlifting was divided into five weight divisions.
In 1928, the sport dropped the 'one hand' exercises altogether leaving only the three remaining exercises: the Clean and Press, the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. By 1972, the Clean and Press was dropped for the reasons cited above, and this left the sole elements of what is today's modern Olympic weightlifting programme – the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk.
A competition for women was introduced at the Olympic Games of 2000 in Sydney, Australia. However, as early as 1987, there were official world championships awarded to women weightlifters such as Karyn Marshall and Judy Glenney.
In 2011 the International Weightlifting Federation ruled that athletes could wear a full-body "unitard" under the customary weightlifting uniform. Kulsoom Abdullah became the first woman to do so at the U.S. National Championships that year, and athletes are allowed to do so at the Olympics. IWF rules previously stated that an athlete's knees and elbows must be visible so officials can determine if a lift is correctly executed.
Equipments of weightlifting
Stage & Platform
The platform must be square, level and measuring four (4) metres on each side. When the floor surrounding the platform has similar or same colouring, the top edge of the platform must have a different coloured line of at least 150 mm.
The dimensions of the stage must be minimum ten (10) x ten (10) m, the height of the top of the platform must be maximum one (1) m, measured from the level where the Referees’ and Jury seats are placed
Barbell
The barbell consists of the following parts:
The bar
The men’s bar weighs 20 kg and the women’s bar weighs 15 kg
The discs
The discs must be of the following weights and colours:
The platform must be square, level and measuring four (4) metres on each side. When the floor surrounding the platform has similar or same colouring, the top edge of the platform must have a different coloured line of at least 150 mm.
The dimensions of the stage must be minimum ten (10) x ten (10) m, the height of the top of the platform must be maximum one (1) m, measured from the level where the Referees’ and Jury seats are placed
Barbell
The barbell consists of the following parts:
The bar
The men’s bar weighs 20 kg and the women’s bar weighs 15 kg
The discs
The discs must be of the following weights and colours:
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25 kg red
20 kg blue |
15 kg yellow
10 kg green |
5 kg white
2.5 kg red |
2 kg blue
1.5 kg yellow |
1 kg green
0.5 kg white |
The Collars
In order to secure the discs to the bar, each bar must be equipped with two collars weighing 2.5 kg each for men and women.
In order to secure the discs to the bar, each bar must be equipped with two collars weighing 2.5 kg each for men and women.
Competition
The two competition lifts in order are the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. Each weightlifter receives three attempts in each and the combined total of the highest two successful lifts determines the overall result within a bodyweight category. Bodyweight categories are different for women and men. A lifter who fails to complete at least one successful snatch and one successful clean and jerk also fails to 'total' and therefore receives an 'incomplete' entry for the competition. The Clean and Press was once another competition lift but was discontinued due to difficulties in judging proper form.
In comparison with other strength sports which test limit strength (with or without lifting aids), Olympic Weightlifting tests aspects of human ballistic limits (explosive strength) and are therefore executed faster - and with more mobility and a greater range of motion during their execution - than other lifts. Properly executed, the snatch and the clean and jerk are both dynamic and explosive while appearing graceful, especially when viewed from a recording at a slowed speed.
While there are relatively few competitive Olympic weightlifters (or more simply lifters), the lifts and their components are commonly used by elite athletes in other sports to train for both explosive and functional strength.
The sport is controlled by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). Based in Budapest, it was founded in 1905. Male athletes compete in one of eight divisions, and female athletes lift in one of seven divisions determined by their body mass.
In comparison with other strength sports which test limit strength (with or without lifting aids), Olympic Weightlifting tests aspects of human ballistic limits (explosive strength) and are therefore executed faster - and with more mobility and a greater range of motion during their execution - than other lifts. Properly executed, the snatch and the clean and jerk are both dynamic and explosive while appearing graceful, especially when viewed from a recording at a slowed speed.
While there are relatively few competitive Olympic weightlifters (or more simply lifters), the lifts and their components are commonly used by elite athletes in other sports to train for both explosive and functional strength.
The sport is controlled by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). Based in Budapest, it was founded in 1905. Male athletes compete in one of eight divisions, and female athletes lift in one of seven divisions determined by their body mass.
Men's classes are
56 kg (123 lb)
62 kg (137 lb) 69 kg (152 lb) 77 kg (170 lb) 85 kg (187 lb) 94 kg (207 lb) 105 kg (231 lb) and over 105 kg; |
Women's are
48.1 kg (106 lb)
53.123 kg (117 lb) 58 kg (128 lb) 63 kg (139 lb) 69 kg (152 lb) 75 kg (165 lb) and over 75 kg |