Weightlifting

Weightlifting has long been used as a measure of strength and power, with its roots tracing back to ancient Egyptian and Greek civilizations. What began as a test of might evolved into a formalised sport in the 19th century and earned its place on the global stage as one of the original sports at the inaugural Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. Despite its seemingly straightforward objective—lifting a barbell overhead in one or two movements—weightlifting is an incredibly complex and technical discipline. It requires not only raw strength, but also explosive speed, flexibility, coordination, and precise timing. Athletes spend years perfecting their technique to lift with maximum efficiency.

Olympic weightlifting competitions are divided into bodyweight categories to ensure fair competition. Each category serves as a standalone event and consists solely of a final round. At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, men and women competed in five weight classes each. For men, these ranged from 61kg to over 102kg; for women, from 49kg to over 81kg. The sport features two types of lifts: the snatch, where the barbell is lifted overhead in a single continuous motion, and the clean and jerk, a two-part movement in which the bar is first lifted to the shoulders (clean), then thrust overhead (jerk). Each athlete has three attempts in each lift, and the best successful lift in each is combined to form the final score.

Qatar’s rise in the sport has been led by Fares Ibrahim, a groundbreaking figure in the nation’s Olympic history. He made his debut at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where—at just 18 years old—he finished eighth in the highly competitive 85kg category. He returned stronger than ever at Tokyo 2020, where he delivered a commanding performance to win Qatar’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in weightlifting, in the 96kg category. Fares not only brought pride to Qatar, but also inspired a new generation of weightlifters across the region.