weightlifting

—weightlifter, n.

/wayt"lif'ting/, n.

the act, art, or sport of lifting barbells of given poundages in a prescribed manner, as a competitive event or conditioning exercise.

[1895-1900; WEIGHT + LIFTING]

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▪ 2009

      The Games of the XXIX Olympiad, held in August 2008 in Beijing, displayed on the competition platform 255 weightlifters representing 84 countries. Athletes from 18 countries won the 45 medals that were awarded in the eight men's and seven women's body-weight categories. A total of 10 senior world records and 19 other Olympic records were broken.

      In the women's division, China won four gold medals, followed in the rankings by South Korea (one gold and one silver), North Korea (one gold and one bronze), Thailand (one gold), Kazakhstan and Russia (two silver and one bronze each), and four other countries. Three-time world champion Jang Mi Ran of South Korea was the gold medalist in the superheavyweight category, with a 326-kg (718.7-lb) overall total, a new world record.

      China also led the men's team rankings, with four gold and one silver, followed by Belarus (one gold and one silver). South Korea, Kazakhstan, and Germany earned one gold medal each. Russia took four medals, none of them gold, and seven other countries divided the remaining men's medals. Matthias Steiner from Germany won the superheavyweight category with an overall total of 461 kg (1,016.3 lb).

Dragomir Cioroslan

▪ 2008

      The world's top weightlifters competed at the International Weightlifting Federation world championships in Chiang Mai, Thai., during Sept. 16–26, 2007. The tournament was not only the sport's most important event of the year but also the qualifying competition for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. A total of 580 athletes from 79 countries participated: 355 men in eight body-weight classes and 225 women in seven body-weight classes. Ten world records were set: seven in the women's division and three in the men's.

      In women's competition China, with 21 medals (14 gold), topped the rankings for the sixth straight year. China was followed by Russia with 15 medals (4 gold), South Korea with 6 (3 gold), and Thailand with 5 (no gold). Women from four other countries also captured medals. South Korean Jang Mi Ran won her third consecutive superheavyweight world title, this time with a world-record 319-kg (703.3-lb) overall total.

      China also topped the men's rankings with 12 medals (8 gold), ahead of Belarus with 7 (5 gold). Russia and Belarus were tied with 10 medals, including 3 gold, but Russia earned more silver. The remaining medals went to men from nine other countries. Viktors Scerbatihs of Latvia won the men's overall title with a 442-kg (974.4-lb) total result.

Dragomir Cioroslan

▪ 2007

      The world's top weightlifters met September 29–October 7 at the 2006 International Weightlifting Federation world championships in Santo Domingo, Dom.Rep., for the sport's most important event of the year. A total of 484 athletes from 80 countries entered the competition: 298 men in eight body-weight classes and 186 women in seven body-weight classes. A total of 15 world records and 5 junior world records were broken, including 6 at the senior level and 3 at the junior level in Santo Domingo.

      In the women's division, China topped the rankings with 19 medals (13 gold and 6 silver). Russia also earned 19 medals, but only 5 were gold. They were followed by South Korea with 3 medals (2 gold) and Thailand with 8 (1 gold). Women from six other countries also captured medals. Jang Mi Ran of South Korea won the women's superheavyweight category for the second straight year, with a 314-kg (692.3-lb) overall total.

      Russia, with 14 medals (3 gold, 6 silver, and 5 bronze) capped the men's rankings, although China, with 12 medals, had more gold (7). Poland finished in third place with 6 medals, including 3 gold. Sixteen other countries also won medals. Two-time Olympic superheavyweight champion Hossein Rezazadeh of Iran secured his fourth world championship overall title with a 448-kg (987.7-lb) total result.

Dragomir Cioroslan

▪ 2006

      The 2005 International Weightlifting Federation world championships were held in Doha, Qatar, on November 9–17, together with the IWF's centenary celebration. A total of 281 athletes (169 men and 112 women) from 70 countries entered the championships. In the eight men's and seven women's body-weight categories, 45 overall medals (combined snatch and clean and jerk) were awarded to athletes from 16 countries. A total of 54 world records were set in both men's and women's competitions: 26 at the senior level and 28 at the junior.

      In the women's events, China topped the medal rankings with seven (four gold, two silver, and one bronze), followed by Russia (six medals) and Thailand (five). South Korea won one gold medal. The U.S. and the Dominican Republic each won a bronze. Jang Mi Ran of South Korea won the superheavyweight division, with a 300-kg (661.4-lb) overall total.

      China also topped the rankings in the men's competition, with five medals (three gold and two silver), followed by Russia with four medals and Romania, Qatar, and South Korea with two each. Nine other countries each took home one medal. Hossein Rezazadeh from Iran, the reigning superheavyweight Olympic champion from the 2004 Athens Games, won the division's overall title with a 461-kg (1,016.3-lb) total result. He was the only repeat winner from Athens.

Dragomir Cioroslan

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