Weightlifting in India

Weightlifting in India has become a popular event in the recent years. India is a country with no dearth of games, as varieties of sports and games from every corner of the world ventured in India and were practiced all over the country. India, like many other sport, welcomed weightlifting too, which was practiced in ancient Egyptian and Greek societies.

The importance of weightlifting made it one of the prominent games to make a place in the first modern Olympics in 1896 in Athens. But the first World Championship was held on 28th March 1891 in London where 6 countries participated with 7 athletes representing them. In 1935, the Indian Weightlifting Federation was formed. Sir Bijoy Chand Mahatab of Burdwan was its first president and N.N. Bose, Barristar-at-Law, was the first honorary secretary. In the same year it got affiliated with the Indian Olympic Association and International Weightlifting Federation. In the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, Indian weightlifting team participated for the first time. Similarly, in the Asian games India participated in 1951 games held in Delhi and in the Commonwealth Games in 1966, at Kington.

There are five body-weight categories were established for the Olympic Games. They were Feather Weight (60 kg), Light Weight (67.5 kg), Middle Weight (75 kg) Light-Heavy weight (82.5 kg) and Heavy weight (90 kg) and in 1972 Fly weight (52) and Super heavy weight (over 110 kg). A new category (100 kg) was added again in the year 1980.

Weightlifting got place in modern Olympics in 1920 at the 7th Olympic Games in Antwerp, Belgium. The World War II also could not affect the popularity of the game and total 14 nations competed for the Weightlifting title in that Olympic. Weightlifting in India is popularly known as lifting only. In this game of strength, the participants need to lift heavy weights attached to the steel bars known as barbells.

Indian Women weight lifters competed in the World Championship for the first time in 1989 at Manchester although it started in 1987. Kunjurani Devi from Manipur earned three silver medals in that competition. Laita Polley from West Bengal added two bronze medals to this glory. In individual lifts, Shyamala Shetty and Chhaya Adak owned two medals.

Weightlifting in India can be divided into two events: "snatch" and the "clean and jerk". In 1972 Olympics, the "clean and press" or simply "press" type was introduced but later got abolished for creating problems in judging.

Rules of weightlifting help to make the game simpler and transparent for the athletics. The rules for the game can be divided into various parts for the simplicity of the same. In the game a lifter can two types of lifts to choose from. The international body recognises the following two lifts namely; the snatch and the clean & jerk. These lifts must be executed with both the hands and only three attempts are allowed in each type of lift

Snatch
The bar is placed horizontally in front of the lifter`s legs. It is gripped PALMS downwards and pulled in a single movement from the ground to the full extent of both arms above the head, while either splitting or bending the LEGS. The bar passes with a continuous movement along the body. No part other than the feet may touch the ground during the execution of the lift. The weight which has been lifted must be maintained in the final motionless position, arms and legs extended, the feet on the same line, until the referee gives the signal to replace the bar on the platform.

Incorrect movements are - pulling from the hang, uneven or incomplete extension of arms, pausing during execution of arms finishing with a press out, bending and extending arms during recovery leaving the platform or touching the area outside the platform, replacing the bar on the platform before the referee`s signal, dropping the bar from behind after the referee`s signal, failing to bring the feet and on barbell in the same line and failing to replace the complete barbell on the platform.

Clean and Jerk
The Clean: The bar is placed horizontally in front of the lifter`s legs. It is gripped, palms downwards and pulled in a single movements from ground to the shoulders, while either splitting or bending the legs. During this continuous movement, the bar may slide along the thighs and the lap. The bar must not touch the chest before the final position. It then rests on the clavicles (collar bones) or on the chest above the nipples or on the arms fully bent. The feet return to the same line, legs straight, before performing the Jerk.

The Jerk: The lifter bends the legs and extends them as well as the arms so as to bring the bar to the full stretch of the arms vertically extended. He returns the feet to the same line, arms and legs extended, and wait for the referee`s signal to replace the bar to the platform.

Incorrect movements are - any unfinished attempt in which the bar has reached the height of the knees, pulling from the hang, touching the ground with any part of the body other than the feet, uneven or incomplete extension of arms, pause during extension of arms, finish with a press out, bending and extending arms during recovery, leaving the platform or touching the area outside the platform during the lift, replacing the bar on the platform before the referee`s signal, dropping the bar before the referee`s signal, dropping the bar from behind, failing to finish with feet and barbell in the same line and failing to replace the complete barbell on the platform, touching the elbow or upper arm with knee or thigh, apparent effort of jerking which is not completed and any deliberate oscillation of the bar to gain advantage.

Important Rules of Weightlifting
1. Draw of lot: At the technical meeting a number is drawn for each lifter. This number is retained throughout the competition even if a lifter moves to a higher category. It decides the order of weigh-in and the order of lifting.

2. Weigh-in begins 2 hours before the start of the competition of a particular category and lasts for one hour. They have one hour from the start of the weigh-in to make the required limit. A lifter heavier than his category may move to the next higher category if there is a vacancy. Lifters are weighed nude or in underwear.

3. Weight of the barbell must always be multiple of 2.5 kg. The progression must be of a minimum of 2.5 kg in the 2nd or 3rd attempt.

4. A minute and a half is allowed to a lifter between calling of his/ her name and beginning of the attempt. Within this time the lifter must raise the bar from the platform to make the attempt. When a lifter attempts 2 lifts in succession he/she is allowed 3 minutes for the succeeding attempt.

5. The barbell is loaded in progression, a lifter taking lowest weight lifting first. Under no circumstances may the barbell be reduced to a lighter weight when a competitor has performed a lift with the weight announced.

6. The highest weight lifted in the two styles is added together and the lifter with the highest total is the winner.

7. In case of a tie a lighter competitor is classified before the heavier one.

8. When two or more competitors obtain the same result where they registered the same body-weight, the competitor who reaches the result earlier in the course of the competition is classified before the other one (s).

9. A jury is selected which ensures that the technical rules are followed and the referees work correctly.

10. The referees check up all equipment, control the competition, judge every lift and indicate their decision by light signals.

Costume: It consists of a one-piece costume (leotard type). A collarless T-shirt may be worn under the costume; its sleeves cannot extend further than halfway on the upper arm. Trunks may be worn over the costume. Socks may be worn but they cannot go above the knees and cannot cover the bandages.

Belt: The maximum width of the belt may be 120 mm at its widest part. No belt can be worn under the competitor`s costume.

Bandages and Plasters: Bandages may be worn on the wrists, knees, hands, fingers and thumbs. They may be made of gauze, medical crap or leather. A one-piece elastic bandage may be worn on the knee. Plasters on fingers are allowed but cannot cover the tip of the ringers. There are specific rules for the size of bandages. No bandages or substitute of bandages are allowed on the elbow, the torso, the thighs and the shins.

Weightlifting Shoes: A competitor must wear shoes. The shoes must be made in such a way as not to give the athlete an unfair advantage or additional support. Maximum height permitted on the upper part of the shoe, measured from the top of the sole, is 130 mm. The sole cannot project from the shoe by more than 5 mm at any point. The heel of the shoes must not be tapered.

Basic Amenities Needed in Weightlifting
Competition Platform
The platform must be square; measuring 4 metres on each side the top edge of the platform must have a different coloured line at least 5 cm. The platform may be of wood or plastic and may be covered with a non-slippery material. Height must be between 50 mm and 150 mm.

Referees` Light
Three white and 3 red lights are arranged horizontally to coincide with the position of three referees, each of them has switches of one white and one red lights. White light indicates "good lift" and red light "no lift." For a decision, two or three white lights and two or three red lights are used.

Timing Clock
The timing device must have the following characteristics:
(a) Operate continuously up to a minimum of 3 minutes.
(b) Indicate intervals of minimum ten seconds.
(c) Give an automatic audible signal one minute before the end of the lifter`s allocated time.
(d) The elapsed time has to be well displayed simultaneously both in competition and warm-up area

Attempt Board
A visible board has to be put up on which must appear the name of the lifter, the weight to be attempted and the number of the attempt.

Score Board
A score board has to be set up in the competition arena in order to record and display the results.

Warm-up Room
The competitors must be provided with a warm-up area located close to the competition platform. This area has to be equipped with an appropriate number of platforms, barbells, etc., in relation to the number of competitors. In addition, it has to be equipped with a loudspeaker linked with the microphone of the announcer, a score board showing names of the competitors, lot number, body-weight and the weights they have requested before being called to the platform.

Indian weightlifting federation has it`s headquarter in New Delhi, which is affiliated under the Indian Olympic Association, Delhi. Indian weightlifters got a full squad entry in World Championship only in 1957 at Tehran. In that competition Indian participator Mookan reached the highest ever eighth position. In the lightweight category, Alok Nath Ghosh was positioned 10th.

Indian weightlifters in 1995 World Championship : Indian weightlifters continued its glorious journey at the 1995 World Championship also by winning three gold and six silver medals. Karnam Malleswari won gold medals both in the clean and jerk category and in the snatch category by lifting 113kg and 90 kg respectively. Thus she became the first India woman two win the World title for twice. Few other names that had their part in this success story are Manitombi Devi of the Central Reserve Police Force at the fourth position, Jeevan Jyothi at 5th position and Susmita Laha stood 5th in 76 kg. Above all, the official mouthpiece of the international weightlifting federation, World Weightlifting magazine ranked Indian weightlifters Kunjurani Devi and Karnam Malleswari as World no 1 weightlifter.

Indian weightlifting in 1966 Commonwealth Games : The Indian weightlifting fame did not stop there as in 1966 Commonwealth games at Kingston, Jamaica, Mohan Lal Ghosh (60kg) created a record for decades by winning a silver medal for jerk category.

Indian Weightlifting in 1978 Games : In 1978 games, held in Edmonton, Canada, E Karunakaran won a gold medal in the flyweight section. He made another record by winning four gold medals in the Commonwealth games and for winning championship at a stretch from 1978 to 1981. 

Weightlifting in India in 2000"s : Weightlifting in India got a jolt when three Indian weightlifters S. Sunaina, Sanamacha Chanu and Pratima Kumari were found guilty of doping in many international competitions in a year. For this reason, International Weightlifting Federation barred the Indian Weightlifting Federation for one year. But these issues cannot blemish the other victories by our Indian weightlifters like Karnam Malleswari`s achievement of being the first Indian who got an Olympic medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics at Sydney. One more Indian weightlifter, Geeta Rani became the star at the Commonwealth Games (2006) by winning the gold medal in women`s + 75 kg category.

Weightlifting in 2010 Commonwealth Games : The <b><a href="/2010_commonwealth_games" class="clsCrossLink" title="2010 Commonwealth Games">2010 Commonwealth Games</a></b> event was a disaster for all weight lifting athletes. Our players were defeated by lesser known teams, and it was a terrible outing for players for sure. Indian weight lifting team won a total of eight medals out of which only two were gold.

To take weightlifting as a profession, one needs to get prepared from his younger days because fitness and strong body build are important criteria for approaching towards this field. It needs an experienced trainer to prepare a competitor to participate at the international level. If the glorious tradition of weightlifting in India has to continue, well equipped training institutes have to come up and encourage the young talents to get trained to represent the country in International events.