Weightlifting in its purest form is simple. The competition is about who can lift the most weight, and there’s something primal about seeing these extreme athletes move extraordinary weights.
As an Olympic sport, though, there are intricacies in technique, and major variations across weight classes.
Before you consider betting on weightlifting events, we would advise learning everything you can about the sport, including the history, rules, and technical advantages competitors can have.
A total of 68 countries have won at least one Olympic medal in weightlifting.
History
Long before live betting was an option, international weightlifting competitions were taking place. The first World Weightlifting Championships was in 1891 in London.
Competitive weightlifting competitions can take various forms, but Olympic weightlifting focuses on a barbell loaded with plates being elevated above the competitor’s head.
Egypt, China, India, and Ancient Greece all had records of competitions to show who could lift the most weight.
The first appearance of weightlifting at the Olympics was in 1896, when athletes competed in one group regardless of their weight and size. Classes were split into one-hand and two-hand weightlifting, which is a far cry from the modern iteration of the sport.
Despite the formation of the International Weightlifting Federation, weightlifting was left out of the Olympics in 1900, 1908, and 1912. It returned for 1920, and instead of being part of the field events, was recognised as a sport in its own right.
In the 1924 Olympics in Paris, weight classes were introduced and there were five lifts: one-hand snatch, one-hand clean and jerk, two hands clean and jerk, two hands press, and two hands snatch. For the 1928 Games, the sport dropped the one-hand exercises.
The clean and press was removed from Olympic competition after the 1972 Games, as it had proved too difficult to officiate. Judges could not tell if the correct technique was being used.
Since the 1973 World Championships, competitions have been a biathlon of the snatch and clean and jerk.
Women’s weightlifting only had its first World Championship events in 1987. It did not appear in the Olympics until 13 years later.
Rules
The snatch and clean and jerk are the two forms of Olympic weightlifting.
The snatch is when the lifter picks the barbell up and lifts it above their head in one motion. The clean and jerk sees the lifter pick the barbell up to their chest.
They must then extend their arms and legs to push the bar above their head – they are required to hold in that position until a buzzer sounds.
Each lifter is given three attempts in each category. The best efforts are added up, and the contestant with the highest combined weight is the winner.
A lifter can increase the weight after a successful lift. The lifter going for the lowest weight is allowed to go first, but they must complete the lift within a minute of their name being called out.
Scoring
Scoring a weightlifting contest is about who can lift the most weight in the allocated number of attempts. If there is a tie, the lifter with the lowest bodyweight will be declared the winner.
The aim in Olympic weightlifting is to lift the most combined weight across the snatch and clean and jerk.
Lifting Platform Size & Dimensions
Olympic weightlifting will be held on an Olympic lifting platform. This is generally made of cross-laid ply timber or a composite material that will not flex when put up stress.
This material needs to give lifters stability and grip.
Equipment
A men’s Olympic barbell weighs 20 kilograms. The bar has a diameter of 28 millimetres with a length of 2200 millimetres. A women’s Olympic barbell is 15 kilograms in weight, with a 25-millimetre diameter and a length of 2010 millimetres.
The grip texture is called knurling, this is located in different places for men and women. There are rotating, larger sleeves at either end where the rubber-coated plates go onto the bar.
Coloured weight plates are available at 10 kilograms, 15 kilograms, 20 kilograms, and 25 kilograms.
Smaller iron plates can be used to increase the weight in smaller increments. The larger weight plates are coated in rubber so there is less risk when they are dropped from a height. Collars are used to keep the plates in their place on the bar – each collar weighs 2.5 kilograms.
Olympic lifters will use chalk on their hands to avoid slippage. Belts, wrist wraps, and knee supports are commonly seen on Olympic weightlifters, too.
Most Successful Countries at the Olympics
The Soviet Union and China are tied on 62 Olympic weightlifting medals apiece. The Soviet Union have a slight edge with 39 golds to China’s total of 38.
The United States sit in third place with 44 total medals and 16 golds. Poland and Bulgaria are the only other nations with more than 22 medals.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*
