British Weight Lifting

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British Weight Lifting (BWL) is a trading name of the British Weight Lifters' Association Ltd (BWLA), [1] [2] the National Governing Body (NGB) in the United Kingdom for the sports of weightlifting and para powerlifting. [3] The Association was initially established in 1910. From 1911 [4] to 2003 [5] its name was the British Amateur Weight Lifters' Association (BAWLA); [4] and in 1957, it was incorporated as a limited company. [5] [6]

Contents

British Weight Lifting
Sport
Jurisdiction United Kingdom
AbbreviationBWL
Founded1910 (1910)
Affiliation IWF
Regional affiliation EWF
Headquarters Leeds, West Yorkshire
PresidentAngus Kinnear
CEO Matthew Curtain [7] [8]
Official website
britishweightlifting.org

BWL support a large network of weightlifting bodies, clubs and gyms across the United Kingdom, [9] as well as the thousands of people actively involved in Olympic and Paralympic weightlifting disciplines and people at every level of weight bearing activity. As a sport NGB, they are also committed to and responsible for greater inclusivity, improved governance, improved performance and being globally successful, winning medals at Olympics, Paralympics, World and Commonwealth events. [10]

Overview

BWL is responsible for developing participation and performance in the sports of weightlifting (also known as "olympic weightlifting") and para-powerlifting in the United Kingdom and to offer greater opportunities for a wider and more diverse range of lifters of all ages and abilities. [11]

They operate several initiatives aimed at encouraging people to learn the fundamental movement skills in olympic weightlifting and for all sport and physical activities. This includes coordinating and facilitating the set-up, running and growth of club infrastructure from national, regional, and sub-regional level.

Initiatives include regular campaigns aimed at encouraging people to start lifting. In 2018 they partnered with Oomph! to help tackle inactivity in people over the age of 55. [12] In 2019, Women in Sport and BWL launched Strong Is Not A Size, [13] to empower women to step into the weights areas of gym.

History

Weightlifting began to become an organised sport in the United Kingdom in the late 1800s, [4] with the Amateur Athletic Association (formed 1880), the Amateur Gymnastics Association (formed 1888), and the Wrestling Society. [4]

In 1910, the British Weight Lifters' Association was established in order to bring all amateur weightlifters into a united self-governing body. The new association was refounded in 1911 as the British Amateur Weight Lifters' Association (BAWLA). [4]

Today, the sport of competitive weightlifting (also known as "Olympic-style weightlifting") comprises two lifts: the snatch, and the two-part clean-and-jerk. But in the early years of organised amateur competitions there were many different types of lifts. [14] [15] In the 1960s and 70s, the competitive sport of powerlifting consolidated around the squat, bench press, and deadlift. [16] The BAWLA ran a powerlifting section, and was a founder member of the International Powerlifting Federation [17] (founded 1972), [18] and was the UK's original governing body for powerlifting. Later BAWLA's powerlifting section re-organised as an independent organisation – the GB Powerlifting Federation Ltd [17] (incorporated in 2008, [19] and trading as British Powerlifting) [20] – with BAWLA remaining the governing body for Olympic-style weightlifting and for para powerlifting, which made its debut in the 1964 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. [21]

In 2003, the Association returned to its original name of the British Weight Lifters' Association (BWLA), [5] [4] and today is known by its trading name of British Weight Lifting. [2] [1]

Competitions

The BWL competition programme has three tiers.

Competitions are set up for all age groups and weight categories from school age to masters (over 35's). Age groups for national competitions are, School Age, University and Colleges, Youth, Junior, U23 and Senior – Masters is 35+.

Tier 1 'British Championships'

Tier 1 is the highest standard of weightlifting in the UK and competitions are organised directly by BWL. Lifters from anywhere in the UK are eligible to compete. They must have met the qualification standard at any Tier 2 or Tier 3 competition.

Tier 2 'Home Nation Championships'

Each UK Home Nation (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) is responsible for its own national championships. All Tier 2 competitions hold equal standing across all four Home Nations. Most Tier 2 competitions have qualification standards to take part.

Tier 3 'Ranking Events'

Any club with a 'Licensed Club' affiliation to BWL or a Home Nation federation can apply to run a Tier 3 competition. Results feature on the BWL rankings list. This tier is suitable for both novice and experienced lifters and can be entered to qualify for Tier 1 and 2 competitions.

CompetitionsTiers
Regional Open Series3
Age Group Championships2
British Championships1
England Championships1
British Universities and Colleges Championships1

International qualification pathways

BWL outlines qualification pathways for weightlifters aspiring to enter the international competitions of the Olympics, Paralympics and Commonwealth Games. [22] BWL's athlete selection is determined by the totals lifted at specific competitions and by a selection panel. [23]

Home Nations federations

British Weight Lifting supports weightlifting and para-powerlifting in each of the UK's four Home Nations – England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland – [24] in partnership with the governing bodies specific to each home nation.

In Wales, the governing body for both sports is the Welsh Weightlifting Federation Ltd (incorporated 2013), [25] which trades as Welsh Weightlifting (Welsh: Codi Pwysau Cymru). In 2020, BWL and Welsh Weightlifting merged their memberships, with joint membership of both organisations for lifters in Wales. [26]

The governing body in Scotland is Weightlifting Scotland [27] (incorporated 2005). [28] In Northern Ireland it is Northern Ireland Weightlifting. [24] The governing body for England is organised as a sub-committee of British Weight Lifting. It is known externally as England Weight Lifting and internally as the England group. [29]

Courses and certifications

BWL deliver practical and online training programmes to weightlifters, coaches, instructors, and technical officials. Courses to help weightlifters improve technique and performance include Olympic Lifting Masterclass and Strength Training Masterclass. BWL's other programmes include: Continued Professional Development (CPD) courses; the British Weight Lifting DiSE programme—a Diploma in Sporting Excellence; and coaching courses and official licensing.

BWL run talent pathways for Olympic hopefuls, and participates in Sport Englands's Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS). The first national youth squad took place in Loughborough, 2016, [30] at which 12 young lifters were selected to attend BWL training camps throughout the year.

At the 2017 UK Coaching Awards, British Weight Lifting won UK Coaching's Coaching Culture of the Year Award – a shared win with England Rugby. [31]

Para powerlifting

Para Powerlifting made its debut at the 1964 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, featuring a handful of male competitors with spinal cord injuries. The sport now has hundreds of elite male and female participants from a variety of disability groups, representing more than 110 countries.

At the 2020, Road to Tokyo Para Powerlifting World Cup, Britain finished with four gold, two silver and three bronze medals. [32]

Para powerlifting became part of British Universities and Colleges Sport programme for the first time in 2021. [33]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olympic weightlifting</span> Sport

Weightlifting is a competitive strength sport in which athletes compete in lifting a barbell loaded with weight plates from the ground to overhead, with the aim of successfully lifting the heaviest weights. Athletes compete in two specific ways of lifting the barbell overhead. The snatch is a wide-grip lift, in which the weighted barbell is lifted overhead in one motion. The clean and jerk is a combination lift, in which the weight is first taken from the ground to the front of the shoulders, and then from the shoulders to over the head. The sport formerly included a third lift/event known as clean and press.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Powerlifting</span> Sport

Powerlifting is a competitive strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight on three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. As in the sport of Olympic weightlifting, it involves the athlete attempting a maximal weight single-lift effort of a barbell loaded with weight plates. Powerlifting evolved from a sport known as "odd lifts", which followed the same three-attempt format but used a wider variety of events, akin to strongman competition. Eventually, odd lifts became standardized to the current three.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weightlifting at the Summer Olympics</span>

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Paralympic powerlifting, also known as para powerlifting and para-lifting, is an adaptation of the sport of powerlifting for athletes with disabilities. The only discipline in Paralympic powerlifting is the bench press. The sport is governed by the International Paralympic Committee and is open to anyone with a minimum level of disability who can extend their arms within 20° of full extension during a lift. Powerlifting has been competed at the Summer Paralympics since 1984.

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Helena Wong Kar Mun is a Singapore weightlifter. Wong competes in the female 53 kg weight class. She debuted at the 2010 Commonwealth Games which was held in Delhi in Oct 2010. She made history at the Games by becoming the first ever woman weightlifter to be selected by Singapore to take part in a major athletic event. She was placed 8th at the Games, her first international competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Epstein</span> Australian Paralympic weightlifter and powerlifting coach

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Paralympic powerlifting classification is the system designed for disability based powerlifting to ensure that there is level competition across a range of disabilities. Categories are broken down based on weight. The sport's classification is governed by International Paralympic Committee Powerlifting. People with physical disabilities are eligible to compete in this sport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weightlifting</span> Sport or exercise

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References

  1. 1 2 "Privacy Policy". britishweightlifting.org. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  2. 1 2 Report of the Directors and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2020 for British Weight Lifters Association "British Weight Lifters’ Association trading as British Weight Lifting is a company limited by guarantee."
  3. ↑ "How We Are Run". ParalympicsGB .
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "About BWL | British Weight Lifting - A Brief History". British Weight Lifting. 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-07-18.
  5. 1 2 3 "BRITISH WEIGHT LIFTERS ASSOCIATION - Overview". Companies House. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
  6. ↑ "About BWLA". BWLA - British Weight Lifters Association. 4 June 2004. Archived from the original on 2004-06-07.
  7. ↑ "BWL APPOINTS MATTHEW CURTAIN AS NEW CEO / GENERAL SECRETARY". British Weight Lifting. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
  8. ↑ "Board Members and Staff". British Weight Lifting. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
  9. ↑ Pamben, Deven (29 Sep 2017). "British Weightlifting to officially endorse gyms". Health Club Management .
  10. ↑ "What is a Governing Body?". Sport Northern Ireland .
  11. ↑ "BWL Strategy 2016 – 2021" (PDF). British Weight Lifting.
  12. ↑ "Sports Governing Bodies Launch New Scheme To Beat Older Adult Inactivity And Loneliness With Fun And Games". Oomph! . March 22, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Women In Sport and British Weight Lifting Launch #StrongIsNotASize Campaign". Active Black Country . July 7, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Ronald Walker -". Legendary Strength. 2013-09-06. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  15. ↑ "The History of Weight Sports: How They Evolved Since 1900". Breaking Muscle. 8 November 2012. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  16. ↑ "The History of Powerlifting". Taylor's Strength Training. 2018-01-10. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  17. 1 2 "About British Powerlifting". www.britishpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  18. ↑ "History - International Powerlifting Federation IPF". www.powerlifting.sport. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  19. ↑ "GB POWERLIFTING FEDERATION LIMITED - Overview". Companies House. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  20. ↑ "Organisation". www.britishpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  21. ↑ "Para Powerlifting". britishweightlifting.org. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  22. ↑ "BWL International Qualification Pathways".
  23. ↑ Kechacha, Ramsey (May 13, 2016). "British Weightlifting's Olympic selection policy 2016 explained…". Under The Bar .
  24. 1 2 "Home Nations". britishweightlifting.org. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  25. ↑ "WALES WEIGHTLIFTING FEDERATION LTD. - Overview". Companies House. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  26. ↑ "Weightlifting Wales and British Weight Lifting Continue to Strengthen Partnerships". Weightlifting Wales.
  27. ↑ "About Us". Weightlifting Scotland.
  28. ↑ "WEIGHTLIFTING SCOTLAND - Overview". Companies House. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  29. ↑ "About Us". England Weight Lifting.
  30. ↑ Kechacha, Ramsey (March 10, 2016). "Future Olympic hopefuls take part in British Weight Lifting youth development camp at Loughborough University". Under The Bar .
  31. ↑ "Winners announced at 20th anniversary of UK Coaching Awards". UK Coaching . December 1, 2017.
  32. ↑ "Para Powerlifting World Cup: Louise Sugden shines as GB top medals table". BBC Sport . February 23, 2020.
  33. ↑ "BUCS Para Powerlifting". British Universities and Colleges Sport .
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