Topic: IWF should REVISE the Weight Classes!

[Terry Thompson]

~ Objective: Men's weight classes under Shvy would run from 60 to 120.  Women's would run from 50 to 85.

 ~~ This Study will examine TWO sets of proposed Weight Classes:
... (1) There is NO increase in the number of classes for either sex.  Men would still have 7 classes under Shvy., and Women would have 6.
... (2) You get 1 additional weight class under Shvy for both sexes!

(1)  ..........MEN...................................WOMEN
............Coefficient:..........................Coefficient:
.............1.122462..............................1.111962
...Weights will be rounded off to: ...nearest 10th of a kg. AND nearest kg.
...............60/60...................................50/50
..............67.3/67................................55.6/56
..............75.6/76................................61.8/62
..............84.9/85................................68.7/69
..............95.2/95................................76.4/76
............106.9/107................................85/85
.............120/120..................................Shvy.
...............Shvy.

* The ONLY obvious advantage of the above system is that it would probably be more acceptable to the I.O.C., since it doesn't add any weight classes.  The gap between weight classes is LARGER, for both sexes, than what we have now!
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(2) ..........MEN...................................WOMEN
...........Coefficient:...........................Coefficient:
.............1.10409...............................1.092467
Again, bodyweights rounded off to: Nearest 10th of a kg. AND nearest kg.
...............60/60...................................50/50
.............66.2/66.................................54.6/55
.............73.1/73.................................59.7/60
.............80.8/81.................................65.2/65
.............89.2/89.................................71.2/71
.............98.4/98.................................77.8/78
...........108.7/109.................................85/85
.............120/120..................................Shvy.
...............Shvy.

* With Growth Hormones added to our meats, milk & produce, new generations of people have been growing LARGER than their parents!  This set of weight classes is MUCH fairer to the athletes, since the gap between classes is nearly the same (for both sexes) as what we have now.  Men under Shvy. can weigh up to 264.55#, and Women, up to 187.39#.  Another feature that might make the IOC happy is that Chinese Women PROBABLY wouldn't "Monopolize" the heaviest classes at future Senior Worlds & Olympics.
~~ My recommendation is that INSTEAD of rounding each weight class off to the nearest kg., round them off to the nearest TENTH of a kg.!  That would give Weightlifting the most practical, compatible, user-friendly set of weight classes of ANY current weight class sport!  Much closer than those rounded off to the nearest kg., or for that matter, the nearest pound!

......Range under Shvy........................Range under Shvy.
......Presently: 56-105.........................Presently: 48-75
...........(49 kgs.).....................................(27 kgs.)
.......Revised: 60-120...........................Revised: 50-85
...........(60 kgs.).....................................(35 kgs.)
TOTAL: 11 more kgs..............................8 more kgs.
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~~~ Your thoughts on this?

[Mike Wittmer]

Terry, I like your weight classes more than the current set up, but you won't see it happen.  They've changed too much, to often in the last few years.  Weren't there changes in three straight Olympics, '92, '96 and '00?  Plus, there are too many smaller people throughout the rest of the world.

Personally, I'd like the see the old 52-SHWT, 10 class format again.  But,it won't happen either.

[Terry Thompson]

~ CORRECTION ~ I made a mistake! . .  :oops:

 ~~ It's true that the #2 set of weight classes would be MORE accurate & uniformly distributed than other weight-class sports, but...
When it comes to user-friendly, PL has more to offer!  They're not LIMITED to a certain number of classes by the I.O.C./Olympic Games, so they have MORE for both sexes.  At SENIOR PL competitions, Men's classes (under Shvy) run from 114# to 308#!  Senior Women's classes run from 97# to 198#!  Now, promoters can't hold an entire Sr. Nat'ls. Comp. in one weekend, like we can.   But I've gotta admit - you're gonna accommodate lifters of far more bodyweights than WL!  Therefore, PL should be considered MORE user-friendly.
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 ~~ Mike, That's a good point about the IWF!  However, this arbitrary "Minimum age for WLs is 13 from now on!" is going over like a lead balloon!  They've made A LOT of Countries MAD at them - us included!  Maybe they'll want to do SOMETHING to redeem themselves.   Doing this would definitely help!