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| | [[Image:Clean%26jerk.jpg|thumb|220px|An athlete pauses in between the two phases of the clean and jerk event.]] | | [[Image:Clean%26jerk.jpg|thumb|220px|An athlete pauses in between the two phases of the clean and jerk event.]] |
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| − | '''Weightlifting''' has been an [[Olympic]] [[sport]] since the first modern games in [[Athens]] in 1896<ref>http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/programme/index_uk.asp?SportCode=WL</ref>. Athletes compete to see who can lift the heaviest weights (in the form of a metal bar with heavy weights on each end). Both men and women compete, and there are several weight divisions for each gender. | + | '''Weightlifting''' has been an [[Olympic]] [[sport]] since the first modern games in [[Athens]] in 1896.<ref>http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/programme/index_uk.asp?SportCode=WL</ref> Athletes compete to see who can lift the heaviest weights (in the form of a metal bar with heavy weights on each end). Both men and women compete, and there are several weight divisions for each gender. |
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| | Olympic weightlifting has two events: | | Olympic weightlifting has two events: |
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| | * '''Clean and jerk''', where the bar is first lifted to just beneath the chin, and then lifted above the head after a short pause. | | * '''Clean and jerk''', where the bar is first lifted to just beneath the chin, and then lifted above the head after a short pause. |
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| − | Participants compete in both disciplines (with the weights being increased in a similar way to the raising of the bar in a [[athletics|high jump]] competition), and add their best scores in each. The man or woman with the highest combined total is the winner<ref>http://www.iwf.net/</ref>. | + | Participants compete in both disciplines (with the weights being increased in a similar way to the raising of the bar in a [[athletics|high jump]] competition), and add their best scores in each. The man or woman with the highest combined total is the winner.<ref>http://www.iwf.net/</ref> |
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| − | The world record for weightlifting in the men's super-heavyweight division is 472kg (over 1000lb), set at the Olympic Games in [[Sydney]] in 2000<ref>http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/records/results_uk.asp</ref>. This is about as heavy as two fully-grown male [[lions]]<ref>http://www.lioncrusher.com/animal.asp?animal=59</ref>. | + | The world record for weightlifting in the men's super-heavyweight division is 472 kg (over 1000 lb), set at the Olympic Games in [[Sydney]] in 2000.<ref>http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/records/results_uk.asp</ref> This is about as heavy as two fully-grown male [[lions]].<ref>http://www.lioncrusher.com/animal.asp?animal=59</ref> |
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| | Countries who usually perform well in weightlifting include [[China]] and many [[Eastern Europe]]an and former [[Soviet]] states. | | Countries who usually perform well in weightlifting include [[China]] and many [[Eastern Europe]]an and former [[Soviet]] states. |