Weightlifting has given India two Olympic medals. Karnam Malleswari won bronze at Sydney 2000, becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal. Saikhom Mirabai Chanu won silver in the women’s 49 kg category at Tokyo 2020. The rules are set by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF).
The two lifts
- Snatch: the lifter raises the barbell from the floor to overhead in one continuous movement.
- Clean and jerk: the lifter first lifts the bar to the shoulders (the clean), stands up, and then drives it overhead (the jerk).
Attempts
Each lifter gets three attempts in the snatch and three in the clean and jerk. The best successful lift in each is added to make the total. A lifter who fails all three attempts in either lift cannot get a total.
Choosing weights
Lifters declare the weight for each attempt, and the weight on the bar can only go up during a competition. Coaches use strategy to choose attempts based on rivals. A lifter must increase by at least 1 kg between attempts.
Also Read: Field Hockey Rules Explained: Four Quarters, Penalty Corner, Penalty Stroke and Cards | Freestyle Wrestling Rules Explained: Points, Fall, Technical Superiority and the Weigh In Rule
How a lift is judged
Three referees judge each lift using lights. White means a good lift and red means a no lift. At least two white lights are needed. Common reasons for a no lift include:
- pressing out, or bending and straightening the arms at the finish,
- touching the platform with a body part other than the feet,
- not holding the bar still overhead until the down signal,
- dropping the bar before the signal.
A jury can overrule referees in some cases.
Bodyweight categories
Lifters compete in bodyweight categories, which have been changed several times by the IWF and the IOC. The Olympic programme has fewer categories than world championships. Lifters must weigh in two hours before their event.
Medals
At the Olympics, medals are given only for the total. At world championships, separate medals are also given for the snatch and the clean and jerk. If two lifters have the same total, the lifter who reached it first wins, under current rules.
Anti doping
Weightlifting has faced strict anti doping action, with testing before and after events. Indian lifters are tested by NADA and international agencies.
Bottom line
Weightlifting rules are simple at heart: two lifts, three attempts each, best lifts added for the total, and at least two white lights for a good lift.
Source / स्रोत: International Weightlifting Federation, Indian Weightlifting Federation
