What Are the Top Olympic Weightlifting Records?

Clean the floor at your next trivia night with these records and fun facts about Olympic weightlifting 

We’ve seen many sports come and go at the Summer Olympic Games, but one has, so far, withstood the test of time: Olympic weightlifting (the sport’s status for the 2028 Games remains up in the air, but more on that later). 

At the inaugural 1896 Games in Athens, Greece had a one-handed weightlifting event¹ in addition to the two-handed competition. 

Just like the sport itself, the Olympic weightlifting records book has a long and storied history. In this article, we’ll go over its latest chapter to show you who holds the snatch, clean and jerk, and overall total records. 

What Counts as an “Official” Olympic Weightlifting Record?  

For this article, we’re looking at world records recognized by the International Weightlifting Federation, which is the governing body for Olympic weightlifting. There are other weightlifting federations out there and Olympic weightlifting events that aren’t overseen by the IWF, where there may have been heavier lifts than the ones listed here. 

We’ll do our best to let you know of heavier lifts accomplished outside of IWF events. 

It should also be noted that the IWF restructured its weight classes in 1993, 1998, and 2018², each time nullifying prior records. 

A Note on Weight Classes

Olympic weightlifting, like wrestling, is split up into different weight classes to prevent a 150-pound lifter from competing against a 250-pound lifter. 

The weight classes for men are: 55 kg, 61 kg, 67 kg, 73 kg, 81 kg, 89 kg, 96 kg, 102 kg, 109 kg, 109+ kg.

The weight classes for women are: 45 kg, 49 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 64 kg, 71 kg, 76 kg, 81 kg, 87 kg, 87+ kg.

What is the “World Standard”?

There are a few spots on this list where you’ll see “world standard” in lieu of a record holder. In these cases, the IWF has determined³ that lifters in that weight category must exceed a predetermined “world standard” for that lift by at least 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) for it to count as a world record. 

So when you see “world standard,” it’s because nobody has broken that standard as of this writing.

Who Holds the Olympic Weightlifting Record for Men? 

We’ll start off with the men’s Olympic weightlifting records for the snatch, clean and jerk, and overall total, showing the results for each weight class. 

We’ll show you their record, name, the year they were born, country, and when and where they accomplished that record. 

55 kg

61 kg

67 kg

73 kg 

81 kg

89 kg

96 kg 

102 kg

109 kg

109+ kg

No surprise from the list below, but Georgian super heavyweight Lasha Talakhadze is the king of Olympic weightlifting both on and off the platform. In addition to his certified records, Lasha has an Instagram video in which he can be seen clean and jerking 595 pounds for an unofficial weightlifting world record.  

Who Holds the Olympic Weightlifting Record for Women? 

Now we’ll go over the Olympic weightlifting records for the women’s weight classes. 

45 kg 

49 kg

55 kg 

59 kg 

64 kg 

71 kg

76 kg 

81 kg

87 kg

87+ kg 

Russian lifter Tatiana Kashirina actually set a heavier record at the 2014 IWF World Weightlifting Championships, hoisting a barbell with 155 kg (341.7 pounds) on the snatch and a 193 kg (425.4 pounds) clean and jerk. Shortly after those lifts, however, the IWF restructured its weight classes, which caused a change in the “heaviest” record for both lifts.

How Long Has Olympic Weightlifting Been in the Olympics?

Olympic weightlifting was a part of the inaugural 1896 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, as well as the 1900 Games in Paris¹. The sport would not be seen in the Games again until 1920, and it has been a part of the Summer Games ever since. 

Its status in the 2028 Games, scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, is in doubt due to concerns with the IWF’s governance. The organization has been plagued with allegations of corruption and covering up doping cases, and at one time had three interim presidents³ in as many days. 

The International Olympic Committee, which has the final say on what sports are included in the Winter and Summer Games, has said⁴ there’s a “pathway” for Olympic weightlifting to be included in the 2028 Games if the IWF addresses the doping allegations and implements a “change of culture” in its leadership⁴. 

The IOC will make a final decision in 2023. 

It wasn’t until the 2000 Sydney Games that the Olympics added a women’s Olympic weightlifting event¹.

Who Are the Most Successful Olympic Weightlifters? 

According to the Guinness Book of World Records⁵, Vasily Alekseyev (who at the time was from the Soviet Union) and Bulgarian Naim Süleymanoglu share the title for the most gold medals at the IWF World Championships with 22 each. 

Alekseyev racked up his medals in the now-defunct 110 kg weight class between 1970 and 1977, and Süleymanoglu won his medals in the 60 and 64 kg classes between 1983 and 1995. 

Pyrros Dimas, of Greece, has the most Olympic medals to his name, with three golds and a bronze. Chen Yanqing of China and Hsu Shu-Ching of Taiwan share the women’s Olympic record with two gold medals each¹. 

Who Are the Oldest People to Compete in Olympic Weightlifting?

Belgium’s Tom Geoegebuer set the world record⁶ for the oldest active Olympic weightlifter at the 2016 Rio Games when he was 41 years old.

The IWF has a masters category⁷, which is open to anyone 35 years or older. 

References 

1. Rahul Venkat, Olympics.com, April 2021. Weightlifting in Olympics: Everything you need to know
2. New Bodyweight categories approved by the IWF Executive Board. International Weightlifting Federation. (2018, July 5). Retrieved December 6, 2023, from 
3. WR explanation. International Weightlifting Federation RSS 092. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2023
4. IOC. (2022, May 21). LA28 initial sports programme to be put forward to the IOC session – olympic news. International Olympic Committee. Retrieved December 6, 2023
5. Most gold medals at the weightlifting IWF World Championships (male). Guinness World Records. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2023
6. Oliver, B. (2016, August 8). Weightlifting: Veteran Belgian Lifter slams cheats and calls Time. Reuters. Retrieved December 6, 2023

Welcome to IWF-masters weightlifting. Official IWF Masters Site. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2023

Anthony O'Reilly, CPT, CNC

Anthony O'Reilly is a NASM-certified nutrition coach and personal trainer whose work has been featured in Muscle & Fitness and BarBend, and previously was an award-winning reporter and photographer for newspapers on Long Island and Queens, NY. After spending most of his life overweight, he dropped 80 pounds and took control of his health and fitness. Outside of work, he still enjoys Little Debbie cakes but offsets them with rigorous hikes and workouts. He's an avid Manchester United supporter, through thick and thin.

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