Weightlifting Records 

Weightlifting Records 

The recent weightlifting records only go back to 1998.
In the past the previous records were 'frozen' a few times for several reasons.

From time to time you hear about those heroes from the past and their records, but these record listings are surprisingly hard to find. 
So I decided to put them on my website together with the actual records.

1969-1992:
After a lot of changes in the categories the men have lifted since 1969 for a long period  in 10 bodyweight classes: 
-52 , -56 , -60, -67,5 , -75 kg, -82,5 , - 90 , - 100 , -110 , +110 kg. 
Female weightlifting became internationally recognized in 1987 (first world championships). 
Competitions were  in 9 bodyweight classes:
 -44, -48, -52, -56, -60, -67.5, 75,-82.5,  +82.5 kg.

1993-1997:
In 1993 the classes were rearranged  and all the records were replaced by standards. Purpose was to make a new, doping free start and to show the world that the fight against doping was taken very serious. The old records (World, European, national,... records) are 'frozen' forever. 
Male bodyweight classes (10): 
-54, -59, -64, -70, -76 ,-83, -91, -99, -108, +108 kg
Female classes (9):
-46, -50, -54, -59, -64, -70, -76 ,-83, +83 kg

1998:
Following the success of female lifting it was accepted on the Olympic program for 2000, but with the restrictions that the total amount of lifters (men and women) had to stay the same (250).  The IWF decided to reduces the bodyweight categories to 8 for the men and 7 for the women. 
So in 1998  the new classes were officially introduced:
-56, -62, -69, -77, -85, -94, -105, + 105 kg for the men and 
-48, -53, -58, -63, -69, -75, + 75 kg for the women.

The European and World records were replaced with standards. In 2002 there still remain world standards to be broken.