Weightlifting

WEIGHTLIFTING

Weightlifting has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games  since the 1920 Summer Olympics, as well as twice before then. It debuted at the 1896 Summer Olympics, in Athens,Greece and was also an event at the 1904 Games.

Weightlifting has been at the Olympic Games in all years except 1900, 1908 and 1912. In the current competition format, each athlete has three attempts for each movement. The best performances in each lift are combined to determine the winners.

• Men’s Categories: Up to 56 kg, 56-62 kg, 62-69 kg, 69-77 kg, 77-85 kg, 85-94 kg, 94-105 kg, Over 105 kg.
• Women’s Categories: Up to 48 kg, 48-53 kg, 58-63 kg, 63-69 kg, 69-75 kg, Over 75 kg.

Weightlifting icon in the Olympic Games

Trivia

• In Paris 1896, the events were the one hand lift and the two hand lift.
• In 1904 the events were Two hand lift and All-around dumbbell.
• In the early Games, all lifters competed in the same events, regardless of their individual body weights. From 1920 onwards, weight classes were set up. These classes have changed over time. Currently the men have 8 and the women 6 different weight classes.
• Ibragim Samadov, who represented the Unified Team at the 1992 Olympics weightlifting, finished in equal first in the 82.5 kg division, but was relegated to 3rd on a countback due to him being 0.05 kg heavier. In protest, he refused to lean forward to accept his medal, instead took it in his hand then dropped it. The IOC subsequently disqualified him.
• The 2000 Olympics was the first time that women were allowed to compete at the Olympics in weightlifting. 
• The best all-time performing Weightlifting athlete at the Olympic Games is Pyrros Dimas of Greece with three gold medals and one bronze.

      Pyrros Dimas, had won 3 gold and 1 bronze