Tokyo Olympics: Weightlifting — A look at all categories and events

Weightlifting has been part of the Olympics since 1896, but it was entirely different from what it is today. Back then, it all started with two competitions, such as lifting with one hand and lifting with two hands. Until 1920, weightlifting was on and off from the Olympic calendar.

Weightlifting has been a regular feature at the Olympics starting from 1920. In 1932, the sport was divided into three categories: press, snatch and clean & jerk, but press was later removed at the 1972 Olympics. Thus, snatch, and Clean & Jerk are only two categories that are competed at the Olympics now.

Only men's weightlifting was from the 19th century, but women's weightlifting made its debut only in the 21th century at the 2000 Sydney Olympics across 7 weight categories, unlike men's, which is across 8 weight categories.

Types of weightlifting:

● Snatch – weight needs to be lifted in a single motion

● Clean & Jerk – In clean, weight needs to be lifted to the shoulder level, and in jerk, weight needs to be lifted from the shoulder to above the head and should control the lift.

Different Categories at Olympics (Men)

Men's 61 kg category

Best snatch – Li Fabian from China lifted 145 kg at the 2019 World championship.

Best clean & jerk –Eko Yuli Irawan from Indonesia lifted 174 kg at the 2018 World championship.

Best total weight – Li Fabian from China lifted a combined weight of 318 kg at the 2019 World championship.

Men's 67 kg category

Best snatch – Huang Minhao from China lifted 155 kg at the 2019 Olympic test event

Best clean & jerk – Pak Jong Ju from North Korea lifted 188 kg at the 2019 World championship

Best total weight – Chen Lijun from China lifted 339 kg at the 2019 Asian championship

Men's 73 kg category

Best snatch – Shi Zhiyong from China lifted 169 kg at the 2021 Asian championship

Best clean & jerk - Shi Zhiyong from China lifted 198 kg at 2019 World cup

Best total weight - Shi Zhiyong from China lifted 363 kg at the 2019 World championship

Men's 81 kg category

Best snatch – Li Dayin from China lifted 175 kg at the 2021 Asian Championships

Best clean & jerk – Lyu Xiaojun from China lifted 207 kg at the 2019 World championship

Best total weight – Lyu Xiaojun from China lifted 378 kg at the 2019 World championship

Men's 96 kg category

Best snatch – Moradi Sohrab from Iran lifted 186 kg at the 2018 World Championship

Best clean & jerk – Tian tao from China lifted 231 kg at the 2019 Olympic test event

Best total weight – Sohrab Moradi from Iran lifted 416 kg at the 2018 World championship

Men's 109 kg category

Best snatch – Yang Zhe from China lifted 200 kg at the 2021 Asian championship.

Best clean & jerk – Ruslan Nurudinov from Uzbekistan lifted 241 kg at the 2021 Asian Championships

Best total weight – Simon Martirosyan from Armenia lifted 435 Kg at the 2018 World championship.

Men's 109+ kg category

Best snatch – Lasha Talakhadze from Georgia lifted 222 kg at the 2021 European championship

Best clean & jerk – Lasha Talakhadze from Georgia lifted 264 kg at the 2019 World championship.

Best total weight – Lasha Talakhadze from Georgia lifted 485 kg at the 2021 European championship.

Different categories at Olympics (Women)

Women's 49 kg category

Best snatch – Hou Zhihui from China lifted 96 kg at the 2021 Asian championship

Best clean & jerk – Mirabai Chanu Saikhom lifted 119 kg at the 2021 Asian championship

Best total weight – Hou Zhihui from China lifted 213 kg at the 2021 Asian championship.

Women's 55 kg category

Best snatch – Li Yajun from China lifted 102 kg at the 2018 World championship

Best clean & jerk – Liao Qiuyun from China lifted 129 kg at the 2019 World championship.

Best total weight – Liao Qiuyun from China lifted 227 kg at the 2019 World championship.

Women's 59 kg category

Best snatch – Kuo Hsing-Chun from Chinese Taipei lifted 110 kg at the 2021 Asian championship

Best clean & jerk – Kuo Hsing-Chun from Chinese Taipei lifted 140 kg at the 2019 world championship.

Best total weight – Kuo Hsing-Chun from Chinese Taipei lifted 247 kg at the 2021 Asian championship

Women's 64 kg category

Best snatch – Deng Wei from China lifted 117 kg at 2019 World cup

Best clean & jerk - Deng Wei from China lifted 145 kg at the 2019 World championship

Best total weight - Deng Wei from China lifted 261 kg at the 2019 World championship

Women's 76 kg category

Best snatch – Rim Jong Sim from North Korea lifted 124 kg at the 2019 World championship

Best clean & jerk – Zhang Wangli from China lifted 156 kg at 2019 World cup

Best total weight - Rim Jong Sim from North Korea lifted 278 kg at the 2019 Asian championship

Women's 87+ kg category

Best snatch – Li Wenwen from China lifted 148 kg at the 2021 Asian Championships

Best clean & jerk - Li Wenwen from China lifted 187 kg at the 2021 Asian Championships

Best total weight - Li Wenwen from China lifted 335 kg at the 2021 Asian Championships

The aforementioned best snatch, clean & jerk and total weights are the world records in each categories, and most of them are the medal contenders at Tokyo Olympics 2020.

Also Read: Weightlifting: Top 5 Indian lifters of all time