Weightlifting
Weightlifting is lifting a loaded barbell overhead in two lifts, the snatch and the clean and jerk. Each lifter has three attempts at each; the best successful snatch and the best successful clean and jerk are added to give the total, and the highest total wins in each bodyweight category, men and women separately. The bar only gets heavier during a session.
Checked 20 October 2026
New to weightlifting? Start here
How long
Three attempts each in the snatch and in the clean and jerk; the best of each makes the total
Lengths are from the rule book.
The big events, and why they matter
- 1Olympic Games (weightlifting)The title weightlifting is measured by.Every 4 years · Holder: 10 events; China won 5 golds
- 2IWF World ChampionshipsThe sport's own world title.Yearly · Holder: Førde 2025, 1 to 10 October: 16 events
- 3Asian Games (weightlifting)Asia's multi-sport title; for India often the most reachable major medal.Every 4 years · Holder: 16 events; North Korea won 7 golds
- 4Commonwealth Games (weightlifting)A Games where India has won many weightlifting medals (to check).Every 4 years · Holder: 16 events; Malaysia won 5 golds
India
- Weightlifting at the Olympic Games: 2 medals, both women's: Karnam Malleswari, bronze (2000); Mirabai Chanu, silver (2020)
- World Weightlifting Championships: 18 medals: 3 gold, 10 silver, 5 bronze (all-time table, totals)
Countries to know
India and the nations that have done best, biggest titles first.
- IndiaWeightlifting at the Asian Games: 6 silvers, 9 bronzes (latest 2026); Weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games: 47 golds, 56 silvers, 37 bronzes (latest 2026)
- ChinaWeightlifting at the Olympic Games: 43 golds, 16 silvers, 8 bronzes (latest 2024); Weightlifting at the Asian Games: 91 golds, 40 silvers, 16 bronzes (latest 2026)
- Soviet UnionWeightlifting at the Olympic Games: 39 golds, 21 silvers, 2 bronzes (latest 1988)
- North KoreaWeightlifting at the Olympic Games: 5 golds, 8 silvers, 5 bronzes (latest 2016); Weightlifting at the Asian Games: 35 golds, 31 silvers, 22 bronzes (latest 2026)
Who runs it
| Rules made by | International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), Technical and Competition Rules and Regulations. The IWF's own book could not be downloaded; the rules set was written from British Weight Lifting's Technical and Competition Rules and Regulations (June 2026), which follows the IWF rules |
| International federation | International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) |
| In India | Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF): recognised, on the MYAS list for 2026 |
Where and when it is played
On a competition platform four metres square. The big events: the Olympic Games every four years and the IWF World Championships every year.