When was weightlifting introduced into the paralympics

Athletes are allowed a maximum of two minutes between when their name is called for their turn and the start of the lift. Athletes must also leave the competition platform within 30 seconds of completing their lift.

The athlete producing the greatest result within their category and within the three scoring competition lifts during the competition takes gold. In the event of a tie, the winner is the athlete that weighed in the lightest and lifted the joint heaviest weight. If both athletes have an identical body weight, a reweigh is done. There are 10 different weight categories for both men and women. In Powerlifting, athletes are classified by bodyweight alone, which means athletes with different impairments compete for the same medals.

Athletes are weighed two hours before their competition. Each competition is a straight final, although two groups are held in weight divisions where there are more than eight competitors.

The B group will always lift first and the winner is on the whole most likely to come from the A group. Para Powerlifting. Although weightlifting made its Paralympic debut at Tokyo , it was not until the Games that powerlifting was first included as a Paralympic sport.

Initially the sport of weightlifting only catered for male athletes with a spinal cord injury, but in the years that followed the sport began to include other impairment groups too.

The Rules. The History. Sport Equipment. Paralympic History. In Para Powerlifting, athletes assume a supine position flat on their back on a specially designed bench.

After receiving the signal "start", the athlete must lower the bar to the chest, hold it motionless, touching and not sinking on the chest, and then press it upwards evenly, with an equal extension of both the arms with locked elbows.

When held motionless and controlled in this position, the audible signal "rack" shall be given, and the bar is returned to the rack. After a moment of intense anticipation, the athlete receives the lift decision from the referees. During the competition, each athlete has three attempts to record their heaviest lift successfully against the others in their bodyweight category, divided by three distinct rounds.

The order the athletes compete in is from the lowest lift attempt weight requested to the highest. If athletes choose the same lifting weight, the athlete with the lowest lot draw number will begin.

The lot draw number is a random number allocated to each athlete and also used for the order of the kit check and weigh-in processes. Each athlete has two minutes to start their lift attempt. At the Paralympic Games athletes are split by gender in 10 different bodyweight categories. The lifter who lifts the highest weight in each category wins with the top three each receiving medals. This breaks down into 8 gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze medals. The tally also includes medals won in Paralympic Weightlifting, an earlier incarnation of the sport.

Emma Brown is the most successful gold medalist having been crowned Paralympic champion twice, first in Sydney and again at Athens Ralph Rowe has won the most medals winning five in six Paralympic appearances including gold in The top 8 ranked male athletes, and top 8 ranked female athletes in each bodyweight category listed on the world Para Powerlifting Paralympic ranking list will obtain a direct qualification slot in their respective medal event.

This consists of 80 male and 80 female athletes. Only lifters who compete within prerequisite events e.

World Championships held throughout the four year cycle are eligible via this route. If two athletes are tied on the same weight, then the lifter with the lowest bodyweight ranks ahead. Click on the link for 'How to get into Para Powerlifting overview' at the bottom of the page for more details of what to do next.

You can also use our club finder tool to see which gyms and clubs cater for Powerlifting in your local area. Find your local club or gym. You can make general enquiries with British Weight Lifting via the email below enquiries britishweightlifting.

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