Olympic sport Weightlifting

Sport

Weightlifting

Kind of sport

Summersport

Old sport

Description

With this power sport, heavy weights are lifted from the floor to over the head by means of the press, the snatch and the clean & jerk. Major changes have taken place in weightlifting competitions since its genesis in the Olympics. In 1986, this power sport consisted of two competitions: one-arm and two-arm weightlifting. But in 1900,1908 and 1912 weightlifting was ommitted from the Olympic programme. In 1920 there were three competitions: one-arm snatch, one-arm clean & jerk and two-arm clean & jerk. In 1924 two more events were added to the list: the two-arm clean & jerk and the two-arm snatch. Between 1928 and 1972, the final result was determined by the total amount of weight that was lifted in the two-arm press, the two-arm snatch and the two-arm clean & jerk. But, because of the difficulty in determining whether the press was properly executed, it was scrapped from the Olympic programme in 1976. So now, weightlifting only consists of two competitions and the final result is determined by the total amount of weight lifted by the participants in those two events: the snatch and jerk. With the snatch, the bar-bell is lifted from the ground to over the head in one uninterrupted movement and the grip may not be altered. The bar-bell must be held over the head for two seconds. The clean and jerk is comprised of two movements. Firstly, the bar-bell is lifted to the chest where the weight rests. Then the actual jerk is executed either in a change in the posture or a bending in the knees, these give the participant the leverage which enables him to catapult the bar-bell over his head. Here too, the bar-bell must be held over the head for two seconds before the referee gives the sign to return it to the ground.
Each participant receives three attemps for each competition. If there is a tie, The lighter participant wins. Weightlifters are classified in the following weight classes:

Fly weight until 54 Kg.
Bantam weight until 59 Kg.
Feather weight until 64 Kg.
Light weight until 70 Kg.
Middle weight until 76 Kg.
Lightheavy until 83 Kg.
Middleheavy until 91 Kg.
Heavy weight until 99 Kg.
Heavy weight until 108 Kg.
Super heavy above 108 Kg.

This power sport demands concentration, a good grip, muscle strength and a good posture.