IWF120y/1 – 2000: Women compete in the Olympics

While the sport was included in the inaugural edition of the Games, in 1896 in Athens (GRE), only men’s events were contested for over 100 years. In 2000, in Sydney (AUS), the door was finally open to women, reflecting the evolution of weightlifting in the five continents. That important premiere was highlighted by the participation of 85 lifters from 47 countries, competing in seven bodyweight categories. China dominated operations with four titles, but three individual stories emerged from the competition: when winning the 75kg event, Maria Isabel Urrutia (podium photo) became the first Olympic gold medallist (all sports included, men and women) for Colombia; Soraya Jimenez (MEX, 58kg), was the first-ever female winner for her country in the Games; and in the 69kg category, the bronze of Karnam Malleswari also represented the inaugural women’s podium presence in the history of the Olympics for India.