Weightlifting
Weightlifting is a sport that tests body
strength. There are two types of
lifts, the
clean-and-jerk and the snatch. In
the clean-and –jerk the lifter hoists the weights to their shoulders, holds it
there for a few seconds, then lifts the weight above their head.
In the snatch the lifter hoists the weight above their head in one
motion. These lifts require great
strength and delicate technique.
In the weightlifting competition there are
10 classes for men and nine classes for women.
Classes are groups based on different body weights.
The men’s classes are: 54kg (119 lbs.), 59kg (130 lbs.), 64kg (141
lbs.), 70kg ( 154.25 lbs.), 76kg (167.5 lbs.), 83kg (182.75 lbs), 91kg (200.5
lbs), 99kg (218.25 lbs.), 108kg (238 lbs) and more than 108kg.
The women’s classes are: 46kg (101.25 lbs.), 50kg (110.25 lbs.), 54kg
(119 lbs.), 59kg (130 lbs.), 64kg (141 lbs.), 70 kg (154.25 lbs.), 76 kg (167.5
lbs.), 83kg ( 182.75 lbs.) and more than 83kg.
The following are the Olympic records in
weightlifting:
54 kg –held by Halil Mutlu of Turkey
in 2000 he also holds the record for snatch and
clean-and-jerk
62kg –held by Nikolai Peshalov of
Croatia in 2000
69kg –held by Galabin Boevski of
Bulgaria in 2000
77kg- held by Xugang Zhan of China in
the clean-and-jerk
105+kg –held by Hossein Rezazadeh of
Iran in 2000
Weightlifting began in 1896,
and in the past Olympics it has been
just for men. The 2000 Summer
Olympics was the first Olympics in which women competed.
The women record holders are:
53kg – Clean-and-jerk and snatch is
held by Xia Yang of China
63kg –Snatch is held by Ziaomin Chen
of China, there was no clean-and-jerk record
69kg -Snatch is held by Erzsebet Markus
of Hungary again no clean-and-jerk
75+kg –Snatch and Clean-and-jerk is
held by Melyuan Ding of China
This is a sport that requires great strength
and in recent years the sport has been marred by the use of strength enhancing
drugs called anabolic steroids. There
have been several weightlifters that have had their medals taken from them for
use of these and other drugs.
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