| Weightlifting at the Games of the XXVI Olympiad | |
|---|---|
| Venue | Georgia World Congress Center |
| Dates | 20–30 July 1996 |
| Competitors | 243 from 77 nations |
| Weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 54 kg | |
| 59 kg | |
| 64 kg | |
| 70 kg | |
| 76 kg | |
| 83 kg | |
| 91 kg | |
| 99 kg | |
| 108 kg | |
| +108 kg | |
The weightlifting competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta consisted of ten weight classes. [1]
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Greece (GRE) | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 2 |  China (CHN) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 |  Russia (RUS) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 |  Turkey (TUR) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 |  Ukraine (UKR) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 6 |  Cuba (CUB) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 |  Germany (GER) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 8 |  Bulgaria (BUL) | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 9 |  North Korea (PRK) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 10 |  Kazakhstan (KAZ) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 |  Australia (AUS) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Hungary (HUN) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Poland (POL) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Romania (ROU) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (14 entries) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 | |
A total of 236 weightlifters from 77 nations competed at the Atlanta Games:
The Pacific island nation Nauru first competed at the Summer Olympic Games in the 1996 games in Atlanta. It is the least populated nation in the 206-member International Olympic Committee. The nation is mainly known for its weightlifting tradition and all seven athletes that had competed for Nauru at the Olympics before 2012 were weightlifters. The nation has never participated in any Winter Olympic Games.
Aruba sent a delegation to compete at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States from 19 July to 4 August 1996. This was Aruba's third appearance at a Summer Olympic Games since separating from the Netherlands Antilles. The Aruban delegation consisted of three competitors, track and field athlete Miguel Janssen, weightlifter Junior Faro, and cyclist Lucien Dirksz. Janseen was eliminated in the first round of the men's 200 metres, Faro finished 21st in the men's middleweight, and Dirksz failed to finish his event.
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.
The Solomon Islands sent a delegation to compete at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States from 19 July to 4 August 1996. This was the nation's fourth appearance at a Summer Olympic Games. The delegation to Atlanta consisted of four athletes, three in track and field: Selwyn Kole, Primo Higa, and Nester Geniwala'a; and one in weightlifting: Tony Analau. None of the athletes made their event final.
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.
Syria first participated at the Olympic Games in 1948. Syrian diver Zouheir Shourbagi, the sole competitor, placed 10th in the men's platform. Syria then missed the next four Olympiads. Syria returned to the Games in 1968, and has sent athletes to compete in all but one Summer Olympic Games, missing the 1976 Games. Syria has never participated in the Winter Olympic Games.
Albania first participated at the Summer Olympic Games in 1972. After that, Albania boycotted the next four games for political reasons, as part of the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott, 1984 Summer Olympics boycott and the isolationist stance of Albania at the time. They returned for the Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics and have appeared in all games since then. Albania made their Winter Olympic Games debut in 2006. Albania normally competes in events that include swimming, athletics, weightlifting, shooting, and wrestling. They have been represented by the Albanian National Olympic Committee since 1972.
El Salvador first competed in the Olympic Games at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico. It has participated in every Games of the Olympiad since that time, excluding those held in 1976 and 1980, when the nation joined the American-led boycott in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The nation has never participated in the Olympic Winter Games and has not earned a medal at any Games of the Olympiad.
These are the results of the men's 59 kg competition in weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. A total of 20 athletes competed in the event.
These are the results of the men's 64 kg competition in weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. A total of 36 athletes competed in the event. Winning the gold medal, Turkey's Naim Süleymanoğlu became the first weightlifter in history to win three consecutive Olympic titles.
These are the results of the men's 70 kg competition in weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. A total of 28 athletes entered this event. The weightlifter from China won the gold, with a combined lift of 357.5 kg.
These are the results of the men's +108 kg competition in weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. A total number of 19 athletes competed in this event. The weightlifter from Russia won the gold, with a combined lift of 457.5 kg.
These are the results of the men's 76 kg competition in weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. A total of 24 athletes entered this event. The weightlifter from Cuba won the gold, with a combined lift of 367.5 kg.
These are the results of the men's 83 kg competition in weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. A total of 20 athletes entered this event. The weightlifter from Greece won the gold, with a combined lift of 392.5 kg.
These are the results of the men's 91 kg competition in weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. A total of 25 athletes entered this event. Each weightlifter had three attempts for both the snatch and clean and jerk lifting methods. The total of the best successful lift of each method was used to determine the final rankings and medal winners. The weightlifter from Russia won the gold, with a combined lift of 402.5 kg.
These are the results of the men's 99 kg competition in weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. A total of 28 athletes entered this event. The weightlifter from Greece won the gold, with a combined lift of 420 kg.
These are the results of the men's 108 kg competition in weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. A total number of 24 athletes entered this event. The weightlifter from Ukraine won the gold, with a combined lift of 430 kg.
Nauru competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. The country's participation in Brazil was its sixth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics since its debut at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Nauru's delegation included two participants: Ovini Uera, a judoka in the men's middleweight judo category; and Elson Brechtefeld in the men's 56 kg weightlifting competition. Uera qualified as Nauru's top-ranked judoka, in the IJF World Ranking List through a quota slot from the Oceania Judo Union. Brechtefeld qualified by grant from the International Weightlifting Federation of an unused quota place. Uera was eliminated by Varlam Liparteliani in the round of 16 and Brechtefeld finished 15th in his event.
David Andrew Liti is a New Zealand weightlifter, who won the gold medal in the +105 kg event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. His total lift of 403 kg was a Commonwealth Games record.
Nauru competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The country's participation in Tokyo marked its seventh appearance at the Summer Olympics since its debut in 1996.
