Weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games
Weightlifting is one of the core commonwealth games sports, and has been part of the Games since 1950. Since 2002, there have been powerlifting events for disabled athletes.
Competition
Sixteen gold medals are on offer for men’s and women’s competition across 15 divisions. The Weightlifting contest takes place under the rules of the International Weightlifting Federation.
- The women's categories are: 48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, 69kg, 75kg and 75kg+.
- The men's categories are: 56kg, 62kg, 69kg, 77kg, 85kg, 94kg, 105kg, and 105kg+.
Weightlifting medal ceremony at the XII Commonwealth Games, Brisbane (image: Queensland State Archives)Trivia
- Dave Prowse, a Bristol weightlifter, represented England in Perth in 1962. He later turned to the 'dark side' and became Darth Vader in the Star Wars movie and subsequent sequels.
- Each competitor are given three attempts to complete both snatch and clean and jerk lifts, with their best performance in both movements added together to determine the final placement within the competition.
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