– EVENTS: 52kg (114 1/2 pounds), 56kg (123), 60kg (132), 67.5kg (149), 75kg
(165), 82.5kg (182), 90kg (198), 100kg (220), 110kg (242), over 110kg (over 242).
– FORMAT: Medals are awarded in each weight class. Should two or more lifters reach the same total, the man with the lowest body weight is considered the winner.
The snatch, which is the more challenging of the two lifts, begins with a lifter gripping the bar with his palms down. He pulls the bar from the platform in one continuous motion above his head with both arms extended. A competitor must complete his lift with his feet on the same line.
Competitors in the clean-and-jerk take the bar from the platform and briefly hold it at the shoulder while coming to an erect stance. Then they bend their knees, rise on their toes and separate their legs while driving the weight upward and thrusting it over their heads.
– MEDAL WATCH: A medal is a long shot for the U.S. Super heavyweight Mario Martinez, fourth in Seoul, had a 375kg performance in December. Late bloomer Mark Henry, another super heavyweight, could do well. He has a 362.5kg total. The Unified Team should dominate. In the 1991 world championships, the former Soviet Union won five of 10 weight classes. China, Germany and Bulgaria should do well.
