Olympic weightlifting, or Olympic-style weightlifting, often simply referred to as weightlifting, is a sport in which the athlete attempts a maximum-weight single lift of a barbell loaded with weight plates.
Solomon Islands sent a delegation to compete at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea from 17 September to 2 October 1988. This was the island nation's second time participating in a Summer Olympic Games, following their debut four years earlier. Solomon Islands competed at these games in track and field, archery, boxing, and weightlifting, with one competitor in each category. Only Benjamin Fafale, the weightlifter, completed an event final, finishing 22nd in the middleweight category.
Tonga sent a delegation to compete at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia from 15 September to 1 October 2000. Sydney was Tonga's fifth consecutive appearance at a Summer Olympic Games. The Tongan delegation to Sydney consisted of two track and field athletes; Toluta'u Koula and Ana Siulolo Liku; and weightlifter Tevita Kofe Ngalu. Neither of the track athletes advanced beyond the first round of their events, while Ngalu came 13th in the men's 105 kg category.
Switzerland competed at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. 77 competitors, all men, took part in 45 events in 13 sports.
The Cook Islands sent a delegation to compete at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain from 25 July to 9 August 1992. This was the island nation's second appearance at a Summer Olympics, following the 1988 Summer Olympics. The delegation to Barcelona consisted of two competitors, track and field athlete Mark Sherwin and weightlifter Sam Nunuke Pera. Sherwin failed to advance out of his heat in the men's 100 meters, while Pera did not complete a lift in the men's 100 kilograms category.
Nauru competed in the Olympic Games for the first time at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States from 19 July to 4 August 1996. The delegation consisted of three weightlifters; Quincy Detenamo, Gerard Garabwan, and Marcus Stephen. Their best performances were by Detenamo, who came 20th in the men's 76 kg category and Garabwan who finished 24th in the men's 91 kg event. Stephen failed to finish his event, but would later become President of the Republic.
Ernest Cadine was a French weightlifter who won a gold medal at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp.
Nauru competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics, that were celebrated in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. Nauru was represented by the Nauru Olympic Committee, and was the only nation out of 204 participating nations and territories that sent only a single athlete, and was one of 117 that won no medals at the Games. The sole athlete to represent the nation was Itte Detenamo, who participated in the weightlifting, and was the flag bearer in both the opening and closing ceremonies. This was the same number of athletes as at the 1996 Olympics, when Marcus Stephen represented the country in the same sport, but was a decrease from the nation's last appearance at the Games when three athletes were sent to Athens. Nauru earned a berth for the weightlifting event in the Oceania and South Pacific Olympic Weightlifting Championships in 2008 and a chance to send participants in swimming and athletics events, but chose to send only a weightlifter. Itte Detenamo competed in the Group B of heavyweight class, fifteenth and last event of the weightlifting. He did not earn a medal, but finished with a personal best.
The men's light heavyweight event was part of the weightlifting programme at the 1928 Summer Olympics. The weight class was the second-heaviest contested, and allowed weightlifters of up to 82.5 kilograms. The competition was held on Sunday, 29 July 1928.
The men's featherweight was a weightlifting event held as part of the Weightlifting at the 1920 Summer Olympics programme. 1920 was the first time weightlifting was divided into weight categories. Featherweight was the lightest category, including weightlifters weighing up to 60 kilograms. A total of 14 weightlifters from 11 nations competed in the event, which was held on 29 August 1920.
The men's lightweight was a weightlifting event held as part of the Weightlifting at the 1920 Summer Olympics programme. 1920 was the first time weightlifting was divided into weight categories. Lightweight was the second lightest category, including weightlifters weighing up to 67.5 kilograms. A total of 12 weightlifters from 10 nations competed in the event, which was held on 29 August 1920.
The men's middleweight was a weightlifting event held as part of the Weightlifting at the 1920 Summer Olympics programme. 1920 was the first time weightlifting was divided into weight categories. Middleweight was the median category, including weightlifters weighing up to 75 kilograms. A total of ten weightlifters from seven nations competed in the event, which was held on 30 August 1920.
The men's heavyweight was a weightlifting event held as part of the Weightlifting at the 1920 Summer Olympics programme. 1920 was the first time weightlifting was divided into weight categories. Heavyweight was the heaviest category, including weightlifters weighing over 82.5 kilograms. A total of six weightlifters from five nations competed in the event, which was held on 31 August 1920.
The men's Greco-Roman light heavyweight was a Greco-Roman wrestling event held as part of the Wrestling at the 1920 Summer Olympics programme. It was the third appearance of the event. Light heavyweight was the second heaviest category, including wrestlers weighing up to 82.5 kilograms.
The men's freestyle light heavyweight was a Catch as Catch Can wrestling, later freestyle, held as part of the Wrestling at the 1920 Summer Olympics programme. It was the first appearance of the weight class. Light heavyweight was the second-heaviest category, and included wrestlers weighing up to 80 kilograms.
The men's light-heavyweight event was part of the weightlifting programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The weight class was the second-heaviest contested, and allowed weightlifters of up to 82.5 kilograms. The competition was held on Wednesday, 23 July 1924.
The men's light-heavyweight event was part of the weightlifting programme at the 1932 Summer Olympics. The weight class was the second-heaviest contested, and allowed weightlifters of up to 82.5 kilograms. The competition was held on Saturday, 30 July 1932. Four weightlifters from three nations competed.
Weightlifting was introduced to Armenia in the late 1920s and became widely practiced after World War II. Today, it is one of the country's most popular sports. The first weightlifters from Soviet Armenia made successful appearances the international stage in the 1970s. Vardan Militosyan won a silver at the 1976 Olympics, and later Yurik Vardanyan became an Olympic, World and European champion through the late 1970s and the early 1980s. Oksen Mirzoyan and Yurik Sarkisyan rose to top positions in the 1980s. After its independence from the Soviet Union, Armenia successfully held its weightlifting traditions and continues to be one of the strongest nations in Europe. In 2008, the Armenia team placed first at the European Championship. In the 2008 Summer Olympics Armenia won three bronze medals. Tigran Gevorg Martirosyan is Armenia's only world champion with his successful appearance in 2010.
The men's light heavyweight event was part of the weightlifting programme at the 1936 Summer Olympics. The weight class was the second-heaviest contested, and allowed weightlifters of up to 82.5 kilograms. The competition was held on Monday, 3 August 1936.
The men's 82.5 kg weightlifting competitions at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London took place on 11 August at the Empress Hall of the Earls Court Exhibition Centre. It was the sixth time the light-heavyweight class competition was held, all at 82.5 kg.
