Weightlifting: The Essentials
Last Updated: Tuesday, September 14, 2010 | 2:56 PM ET
By Jesse Campigotto, CBC Sports
Canada's Christine Girard came within one spot of the podium at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
A core sport, weightlifting has been a mainstay on the Commonwealth Games program since 1950 in Auckland, New Zealand.
It's a sport traditionally dominated by Eastern Europeans and, more recently, Chinese. But at the Commonwealth Games, Australia is king with 145 medals all-time. England (105) is next, followed by India (93) and Canada (87).
The Canadian team reached the podium seven times at the 2006 Games in Melbourne, led by gold medallists Akos Sandor, Maryse Turcotte and Jeane Elizabeth Lassen.
As of Sept. 14, Canada had yet to announce its roster for Delhi. The team plans to enter a lifter in every body-weight class — that's eight for men and seven for women, same as at the Olympics. Plus there are two additional events for disabled athletes: the men's and women's bench press on Day 9.
The competition for able-bodied athletes works like this: Lifters perform two different types of lifts — the snatch and the clean and jerk. In the former, the bar is lifted over the head in one motion. The latter is a two-stage lift in which the athlete brings the weight up to his shoulders, pauses, then hoists it above his head.
Each athlete lifts the most weight he can in both types of lifts, the numbers are added together, and the highest total wins. If there's a tie, the lifter with the lower body weight takes it.
Who to watch
Christine Girard (Canada): The veteran from White Rock, B.C., finished fourth in the 63kg division at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Now she's seeking her third Commonwealth Games medal in as many appearances after earning a bronze in 2002 and a silver in 2006.
When to watch
Day 1 (Oct. 4)
- Women's 48 kg
- Men's 56 kg
Day 2 (Oct. 5)
- Men's 62 kg
- Men's 53 kg
Day 3 (Oct. 6)
- Women's 58 kg
- Men's 69 kg
Day 4 (Oct. 7)
- Men's 77 kg
- Women's 63 kg
Day 5 (Oct. 8)
- Women's 69 kg
- Men's 85 kg
Day 6 (Oct. 9)
- Men's 94 kg
- Women's 75 kg
Day 7 (Oct. 10)
- Women's 75+kg
- Men's 105 kg
Day 8 (Oct. 11)
- Men's 105+kg
Day 9 (Oct. 12)
- Women's para bench press
- Men's para bench press
