Weightlifting is one of the core commonwealth games sports, and has been part of the Games since 1950. Since 2002, there have also been powerlifting events for disabled athletes.

Competition

Sixteen gold medals are on offer across men's and women's competition (eight categories each). The Weightlifting contest takes place under the rules of the International Weightlifting Federation.

  • The women's categories at Glasgow 2026 were: 48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, 69kg, 77kg, 86kg and 86kg+.
  • The men's categories at Glasgow 2026 were: 60kg, 65kg, 71kg, 79kg, 88kg, 94kg, 110kg and 110kg+.
Weightlifting medal ceremony at the XII Commonwealth Games, Brisbane (image: Queensland State Archives) Weightlifting medal ceremony at the XII Commonwealth Games, Brisbane (image: Queensland State Archives)

Glasgow 2026 Weightlifting

Weightlifting at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games was held from 26 to 30 July 2026, with 16 medal events across eight men's and eight women's bodyweight categories.

Results and Highlights

Malaysia topped the weightlifting medal table with five golds – the country's biggest medal haul of the Games – all won by their male lifters, among them Mohamad Aniq Kasdan (60kg) and Mohamad Syahmi Nor Ghazali (94kg).

Nigeria finished second with three golds, each set with a Commonwealth Games record: Edidiong Umoafia (men's 71kg), Onome Didih (women's 53kg) and Rafiatu Lawal, who defended her women's 58kg title.

Canada claimed two golds among eight medals through Maude Charron (women's 63kg) and Charlotte Simoneau (women's 69kg), Simoneau breaking three Games records. India collected eight medals but only one gold, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu winning the women's 48kg for her third consecutive Commonwealth title – India's lowest gold haul in the sport in five editions.

The leading nations on the weightlifting medal table are shown below.

Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
Malaysia 5 1 1 7
Nigeria 3 1 0 4
Canada 2 2 4 8
India 1 6 1 8

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.
  • Malaysia topped the weightlifting medal table at Glasgow 2026 with five golds, all won by their male lifters.
  • India’s Mirabai Chanu won the women’s 48kg at Glasgow 2026 for her third consecutive Commonwealth Games weightlifting gold.