Who are the best female weightlifters in the world currently?

Contrary to the belief that weight training is purely a gym activity, competitive weight lifting does count as a sport. Discover the world's best female weightlifters who have defied typical social norms to become some of the greatest sportswomen in the world.

This article will delve into the world of weightlifting, an Olympic sport played since the 1800s. Dig in and learn more about some of the strongest female athletes in the world.

Unknown to many, weightlifting is one of the sports that originated in Africa. In the eighteenth century, the sport became more than a circus activity when it began to feature in international sports competitions, such as the 1896 Olympic games. However, women's participation in competitive weightlifting started in the early 2000s.

How much do female weightlifters weigh?

There are ten weight divisions for female weightlifters. These include the 45 kg (99 lbs), 49 kg (108 lbs), 55 kg (121 lbs), 59 kg (130 lbs), 64 kg (141 lbs), 71 kg (157 lbs), 76 kg (168 lbs), 81 kg (179 lbs), 87 kg (192 lbs), and +87 kg (+192 lbs) categories.

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How is weightlifting done?

The first Olympic lift, the snatch, requires an athlete to use a single movement to pick up and lift the barbell above their head. For a successful clean and jerk, the rules of Olympic weightlifting require the athlete to pick up and lift the barbell to their chest (the clean), pause, and then extend their limbs to lift the barbell above their head (the jerk). At this point, the athlete must keep the barbell above their head until the buzzer is sounded.

Olympic female weightlifters

One of the best Olympic weightlifters of all time is Chinese Olympic lifter Chen Yanqing. Yanqing won her first Olympic gold medal in the 58 kg category during the 2004 games, and her second at the Beijing 2008 Olympic games. During the 2006 Asian Games, she broke three records after successfully lifting 251 kg total, snatching 111 kg and 140 kg in the clean and jerk category.

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Who won the 2021 Olympics female weightlifting competition?

The Olympics 2021 weightlifting winners list includes greats such as Wenwen Li, Maude Charron, Tamara Yajaira, Hidilyn Diaz, and Zhihui Hou. In summary below, stick around to discover the best current Olympic weightlifters according to the official Olympics website.

Who is the best female weightlifter in the Olympics?

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Mirabai Chanu holds the record in the World Championships in the 48kg weight class after beating her record after snatching 85kg and 109kg in the clean and jerk category. Her win, the second Indian gold after Karnam Malleswari's 1995 gold medal, earned her the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and the Padma Shri awards from the Indian government.

Which Indian weightlifter won 7 medals in World Championship?

Nicknamed the Hercules of India, Kunjarani Devi raked up numerous medals between 1989 and 1997 and won seven silver medals at the World Championships. In addition, Kunjarani won two bronze medals at the Asian Games (1990 and 1994) and three gold medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Which British female weightlifter won in the 2022 Commonwealth Games?

Jubilant fans and vibrant pyrotechnics marked Emily Campbell's historic victory at the women's weightlifting event in the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Campbell performed flawlessly, lifting a combined 286kg (630.5 lbs), a Commonwealth Games record, and her best. The former receptionist had predicted her performance in an interview before the games, saying,

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“To lead out the home nation in a home (Commonwealth) Games is a privilege. The reason we came here was to perform on the stage. To get that perfect performance. Yeah, you could call that a perfect (Commonwealth) Games.”

In 2021, Emily Campbell also won silver in the women's +87 kg weight category in the Olympic games. She set a new personal best record during the event, winning Britain its first Olympic medal in 37 years.

Like India and China, the United Kingdom has also produced some of the best women's weightlifting champions. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, English female weightlifters such as Zoe Smith, Fraer Morrow, Jess Gordon-Brown, and Sarah Davies represented their home country, grabbing several silvers on their way to glory. Here is a summary of Britain's medals at the games.

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Who are the best American Olympic weightlifters in 2022?

American female weightlifters such as Katherine Nye, Sarah Robles, Mattie Rogers, and Jourdan Delacruz have broken records in various international events, including the Olympics. Although the U.S.A. does not compete in Commonwealth Games, the Olympic Games, World Championships, World Junior Championships, and the Pan American Games have put Team U.S.A. on the map.

Sarah Robles is undoubtedly the GOAT of female weightlifting. Robles, who served as team U.S.A's captain for the 2020 Tokyo Games, is the first American woman to bring home two Olympic medals in addition to her four Pan American Championship victories. According to the International Weightlifting Federation, here is a summary of the 2022 rankings of top American lifters based on the Pan American Championships.

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African female weightlifters

The October 2022 African Weightlifting Championships held in Cairo, Egypt, were dominated by Seychellois and Egyptian lifters. Unfortunately, a recent report by Pina revealed that qualification systems set and approved by the IWF and the International Olympic Committee disqualify lifters from Africa from the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games. Have a look at the best performers at the Africa Weightlifting Championships.

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Why are female weightlifters fat?

Several theories, such as extensive training and diet, have been suggested to explain why professional weightlifters tend to put on large amounts of weight. In an interview with Coach, an Australian sports scientist, Greg Haff, said,

"Mass moves mass as such, bigger athletes can move bigger weights."

A high-caloric diet has also been suggested as the reason why weightlifters get big bellies. However, these athletes have to contend with stereotypes about obesity. Legendary lifter Sarah Robles admitted to struggling with the public's perception of her body image in an interview with Tokyo 2020. She said,

“People on the street see me and think I’m one of the 60 per cent of Americans who are overweight or obese. They have no idea about my athletic prowess.”

What does weightlifting do to a woman's body?

As a sporting activity or gym routine, weight lifting and weight training have many benefits for women, such as increased bone density, strength, and weight loss. Additionally, the sport can prevent common problems facing women, such as osteoporosis, arthritis, poor stability, and lower back pain.

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Female weightlifters face a variety of challenges throughout their careers. However, they remain a source of inspiration for women of all ages and walks of life.

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