Weightlifting at the 2024 Summer Olympics: what's new, what are the weight categories

Before the Summer Olympics, some disciplines underwent changes. Weightlifting is no exception. In fact, the Dailysports team will tell you about it at the Games in Paris.

Weightlifting at the 2024 Summer Olympics: what's new?

It should be noted that in June 2022, the weight categories at the games have undergone changes. From those that were present in Tokyo, only the weight categories of 61 and 73kg for men and 49 and 59kg for women remained. The number of categories itself has also been reduced from 14 to ten.

The full list looks like this.

Weightlifting, men, weight categories:

• 61 kg
• 73 kg
• 89 kg
• 102 kg
• Over 102 kg

Weightlifting, women, weight categories:

• 49 kg
• 59 kg
• 71 kg
• 81 kg
• Over 81 kg

Weightlifting at the 2024 Summer Olympics: who will take part?

With the reduction in weight categories came a reduction in the number of athletes who will take part in the Games. Out of 196 athletes, only 120 athletes, 60 each for men and women, will attend the 2021 Games in Paris.

It is noteworthy that each country can represent no more than three men and women, as well as no more than one athlete in each weight category.

The main part of the quotas was distributed according to the results of the qualification rating of the International Weightlifting Federation. It was formed based on the results of various tournaments that took place between 1 August 2022 and 28 April 2024.

In each weight category 10 such vouchers were granted. One more quota in each weight category was given to athletes who were not ranked.

Host nation France received two quotas each for men and women, while the remaining six tickets were distributed according to the principle of universality (we have already told you about the principle of universality separately).

Weightlifting at the 2024 Summer Olympics: where and when will the competitions take place?

The weightlifting competitions will take place at the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre. In addition to these competitions, this venue will also host handball, volleyball and table tennis matches.

The weightlifting competitions themselves will take place from 7 to 11 August, with one weight category each for men and women throughout the day.

History of weightlifting at the Olympic Games

Prior to the 1920 Antwerp Games, weightlifting had only appeared at the Olympic Games twice: in 1896 and 1904.

Weightlifting soon became a permanent sport, and the number of weight categories grew steadily until it reached 15 in 2000 (including the introduction of a women's programme). This figure remained unchanged until 2020, when the number of weight categories was reduced for the first time.

The most significant reduction in the number of weight categories was precisely marked by the Paris Games, when four weight categories in both sexes were removed at once.

The most successful team in the weightlifting tournament is the USSR national team, which has 39 gold medals and 62 awards in total.

However, already at the Games in Paris they may be overtaken by Chinese weightlifters, who have been winning medals in this sport since 2000.