I have been competing in the sport of weightlifting since 2005. I have been lucky enough to have represented Ireland internationally in such competitions as the EU Championships, European Senior Championships, World University Championships and European Small Nations Championships.
I am currently ranked no.1 in Ireland in the 69kg & 77kg weight categories and I have also been lucky enough to have set many Irish national records in both of the aforementioned weight categories. I plan to train and compete for quite a number of years to come and during this time compete in the Senior World Championships and possibly even the Olympic Games.
Olympic Weightlifitng
Olympic Weightlifting is one of only a few sports to span accross three centuries. Weightlifting requires high levels of strength, speed. power, co-ordination, balance and flexibility. It is widley recognised in the sports industry as one of the most 'sport-specific' types of training and is used to great exents by athletes from rugby, athletics and basketball to name but a few.
Competitive Olympic Weightlifting is comprised of two lifts:
1. The Snatch
2. The Clean and Jerk
The Snatch
In the Snatch athletes are required to lift the barbell from the platform to overhead in one movement. This requires a very high level of technique, speed and flexibility.
The Clean and Jerk
This is a two-part lift where the athlete lifts the barbell firstly to the shoulders and then from the shoulders to an over head position. Again high levels of speed, technique and flexibility are involved. Sometimes referred to as ‘the king of lifts’, this lift is the true test of an athlete’s strength.