Weightlifting is a sport that consists of lifting as much weight as possible on a bar at the ends of which several discs are attached, which determine the final weight to be lifted.
There are two modes of competition: starting and two times or shipping. In the first one, it is a matter of lifting the weights, once and for all, from the ground to the full extension of the arms on the head. In the second one, the same is to be achieved, but an interruption of movement is allowed when the bar is at shoulder height — developed in Europe during the 19th century, although it has precedents in earlier times. In 1905 he founded the International Weightlifting Federation, which regulates the sport.
- World Weightlifting Championship
The World Weightlifting Championships is the highest competition of weightlifting at the international level. It is held since 1891 by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). Since 1946 it has been held annually except for the years in which the Olympic Games are held. The first women’s championship was held in 1987, but at a different venue. From 1991 are performed in parallel and the same place.
Since the IWF was created in 1920, it had to retroactively assign the status of World Championships to events that it had not organized. If the first competition presented as “World Weightlifting Championship” dates back to March 28, 1891, in London, the IWF chose to go back only in 1898 with an edition held in Vienna, Austria. Thus, 18 world championships were conducted between 1898 and 1920.
The first edition organized by the IWF dates from 1922 in Tallinn, Estonia. After a period marked by an irregular rhythm of organizations, the competition became Annual from 1946.
The different weight categories are gradually emerging. From 1920 to 1946, five categories existed: 60 kg, 67.5 kg, 75 kg, 82.5 kg, and over 82.5 kg. Other categories were added: 56 kg in 1947, 90 kg in 1951, 52 kg, and 110 kg in 1969 and 100 kg in 1977.
Women’s weightlifting has had world championships since 1987.
- European Weightlifting Championship
The European Weightlifting Championship is the essential European heterophilia competition. It is organized since 1896 by the European Federation of Weightlifting (EWF). Currently performed each year. A women’s Championship has been held since 1988, although until 1998 it was held in a different venue.
The categories in which it currently competes for the European title are in total 15 (8 males and seven females):
- Categories male: 56 kg, 62 kg, 69 kg, 77 kg, 85 kg, 94 kg, 105 kg and +105 kg
- Categories for female: 48 kg, 53 kg, 58 kg, 63 kg, 69 kg, 75 kg and +75 kg
- Weightlifting at the Olympic Games
Since 1896, weightlifting appears in 20 Olympic Games. In the twenty-first edition of the Olympic sport in Sydney, the program for the first time includes female competitors. The most successful Olympic weight lifter of all time is the Turkish Naim Suleymanoglu, who won three Olympic champion titles (1988, 1992 and 1996). The Hungarian Imre Földi is a record holder of being the five times Olympic gold medalist (1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976), while American Norbert Schemansky won medals in four Games: a silver in 1948, gold in 1952, bronze in 1960 and 1964; and the Greek Pyrros Dimas other four: gold in 1992, gold in 1996, gold in 2000 and bronze in 2004, emerging as one of the best weightlifters of all time.