- Weightlifting: open to men only, with 10
weight classes from 54 to over 108 kg. - Wrestling: Greco-Roman and freestyle compe-
tition, open to men only, with 10 weight classes
from 48 kg to over 130 kg, giving a total of 20
competitions.
In addition, strength and speed are vital com-
ponents of the sprint events on the track and of
all field events, including long jump, high jump,
triple jump, pole vault, shot, discus, javelin,
hammer throw. In cycling, there are sprint
events on the track for men and women. In the
Winter Olympic competition, speed skating and
bobsleigh (two-man and four-man) also require
similar characteristics: indeed many speed
skaters are also top class cyclists, and bobsleigh
competitors often compete at 100 m on the track
in the summer. It is clear that sports in this group-
ing account for the majority of medals awarded
at the Olympic Games.
Non-Olympic sports involving similar charac-
teristics and demands include a variety of
martial arts (karate, Tae Kwondo). Bodybuilding
training follows broadly similar principles,
although the training loads and numbers of
repetitions performed may be somewhat differ-
ent and the demands of competition are also
different.weightlifting and power events 623
Fig. 47.1In all weight category
sports, a high power to mass ratio
is essential. Increasing body mass
moves the competitor up into a
higher weight category. (a) Photo
© Allsport; (b) photo © Allsport /
J. Jacobsohn.
(a)(b)