Weightlifting has been an ever present at the Asian Games. The sport was introduced as a part of the Games in the first edition held in New Delhi. Since then it has missed just a single edition, in 1962.
There are 15 gold medals up for grabs in weightlifting - 8 in the men’s category and 7 in the women’s category.
Venue and Schedule
Weightlifting will be held from 20th August to 27th August at the Jakarta International Expo Hall A, Jakarta.
Events
Athletes from around the continent will be competing in separate weight classes. The men’s section has been divided in eight classes (56 kg, 62 kg, 69 kg, 77 kg, 85, kg, 94 kg, 105 kg, +105 kg) and the women’s section has seven classes (48 kg, 53 kg, 58 kg, 63 kg, 69 kg, 75 kg, +75 kg).
Weightlifting itself is divided in two categories - the clean and jerk and the snatch.
2018 Asian Games Weightlifting Teams
A total of 31 nations will be vying to earn medals in Weightlifting with a total of 182 athletes hoping to bring success to their nation. South Korea’s 19 player contingent is the largest of all. Not far behind are their peninsular neighbours North Korea with 13 representatives - same as Indonesia and Uzbekistan.
Thailand has also sent 15 athletes to the games. On the other end of the spectrum Bangladesh, Brunei, Qatar, Lebanon and Tajikistan have their hopes pinned on a single athlete.
Defending Weightlifting Asian Games Champions
China won seven gold medals in Incheon but they won’t be participating this time around due to a doping ban. Consequently, North Korea enter the Games with the best record of all the nations involved. They won four gold medals alongside three silver and two bronze in 2014, amassing a total of nine medals.
Indian Team at Asian Games - Weightlifting
India suffered a major loss when Mirabai Chanu failed to get fit in time, thus being unavailable for selection at the games. Sanjita Chanu (two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist) and Punam Yadav will also be big misses.
Rakhi Halder is the sole representative in women’s category and will compete in the 63 kg class. Much is expected of the 24-year-old having broken the national record in clean and jerk at the national championship earlier this year.
On the men’s side, Satish Sivalingam (77 kg) will lead the charge accompanied by Ajay Singh Shekhawat (77 kg) and Vikas Thakur (94 kg). However, not much is expected in terms of medals from the aforementioned trio.
Favourites for 2018 Asian Games Weightlifting
North Korea enter the Asian Games as favourites despite being without services of three of the four athletes who secured gold in Incheon. They have been banned on subsequent charges of doping. An unfortunate ban means that a lot of teams will have opportunities to make their mark on the event solely dominated by the Chinese. Among them are Iran, South Korea and Chinese Taipei.
