Who Would Qualify for the Olympics if they started tomorrow? Overview of the Current Weightlifting Qualification Rating

On the 26th of July, the biggest sporting event in the world will begin in Paris, France, and it will give many athletes a chance to fulfill their lifelong dream of winning an Olympic medal. For weightlifters, the Olympic Games are the most anticipated competition, and it only happens once every four years, so its importance is amplified compared to that of the European and World Championships we witness every year. 

As the Games are coming closer, let’s take a look at the current athlete rankings to determine who would qualify if the Olympics were set to start tomorrow. 

Men’s Olympic Qualifying Ranking 

Let’s begin by looking over at the rankings for the men’s categories, starting from the lightest category of 61 kg and ending at the heaviest of 102+ kg.

Men’s 61 kg Category 

In the men’s 61 kg category, the current top ten looks like this: 

1. Fabin Li (CHN) – Total: 314 kg
2. Sergio Massidda (ITA)  – Total: 302 kg
3. Eko Yuli Irawan (INA) – Total: 300 kg
4. Theerapong Silachai (THA) – Total: 299 kg
5. Shota Mishvelidze (GEO)  – Total: 298 kg
6. John Ceniza (PHI)  – Total: 298 kg
7. Mohamad Aniq Bin Kasdan (MAS) – Total: 296 kg
8. Ivan Dimov (BUL) – Total: 293 kg
9. Thinh Van Vinh (VIE) – Total: 292 kg
10. Morris Hampton Miller (USA) – Total: 292 kg

The first eight competitors are likely already qualified, even before the IWF World Cup in Thailand, but the reality is that the difference between the 10th-placed Morris Miller and the 11th-placed Arley Calderon from Cuba is only 1 kg, which can easily be erased.

As we know, the IWF World Cup in Thailand is the last qualifying chance for the athletes, and it’s likely that we will see a battle between the current 10th and 11th-placed lifters, along with some changes in the top 10 rankings, as many of the athletes are only within a few kg of each other. 

Men’s 73 kg Category 

For the 73 kg category, the picture is very similar, as the current top 10 is: 

1. Rahmat Erwin Abdullah (INA)  – Total: 352 kg
2. Weeraphon Wichuma (THA)  – Total: 349 kg
3. Masanori Miyamoto (JPN)  – Total: 344 kg
4. Ritvars Suharevs (LAT)  – Total: 341 kg
5. Joohyo Bak (KOR)  – Total: 340 kg
6. Shi Zhiyong (CHI) – Total: 340 kg
7. Bozhidar Andreev (BUL) – Total: 338 kg
8. David Sanchez Lopez (ESP) – Total: 335 kg
9. Mirko Zanni (ITA) – Total: 335 kg
10. Muhammed Furkan Ozbek (TUR) – Total: 334 kg

Here, the difference between ten-placed Muhammed Ozbek and eleventh-placed Julio Ruben Mayora is only 1 kg, not to mention that the 12th and 13th-placed athletes are also 1 to 2 kg away from qualifying, and so nothing is guaranteed prior to the IWF World Cup in Thailand. At the last qualifying chance, we can expect a fierce battle in this category as current European Gold Medalist Bozhidar Andreev will also try to get a ticket to Paris. 

Men’s 89 kg Category 

In the first heavyweight category, the competition is just as fierce, with the current rankings looking like this: 

1. Dayin Li (CHN) – Total: 396 kg
2. Karlos Nasar (BUL)  – Total: 395 kg
3. Yeison Lopez (COL)  – Total: 390 kg
4. Keydomar Valenilla (VEN)  – Total: 385 kg
5. Mostafa Aliabadi (IRI) – Total: 384 kg
6. Antonino Pizzolato (ITA) – Total: 380 kg
7. Andranik Karapetyan (ARM) – Total: 377 kg
8. Karim Ibrahim Abokahla (EGY) – Total: 375 kg
9. Boady Santavy (CAN) –  Total: 372 kg
10. Petr Asayonak (AIN) – Total: 371 kg 

Similarly to the other categories we discussed so far, the difference between the last two and the next three lifters is only 1 or 2 kg, so it’s possible to see someone else entering the top 10 and qualifying at the IWF World Cup in Thailand. However, the battle for the top places and the Olympic gold medal will surely be tense as well, especially considering that only one kg separates Karlos Nasar and Dayin Li currently. 

Men’s 102 kg Category 

In the heavyweight 102 kg category, we also have a pretty dominant top 5, but still, there are chances for surprises. Currently, the qualifying ranking looks like this: 

1. Huanhua Liu (CHN) – Total: 404 kg
2. Ibrahim Elbakh (QAT) – Total: 400 kg
3. Yeonhak Jang (KOR)  – Total: 399 kg
4. Lesman Paredes (BRN)  – Total: 397 kg
5. Yauheni Tsikhantsou (AIN) – Total: 394 kg
6. Samvel Gasparyan (ARM) – Total: 394 kg
7. Irakli Chkheidze (GEO) – Total: 391 kg
8. Reza Dehdar (IRI) – Total: 390 kg
9. Tudor Bratu (MDA) – Total: 390 kg
10. Bekdoolot Rasulbekov (KGZ) – Total: 388 kg 

Similar to the lightweight categories, here, it’s safe to conclude that the top 7 athletes are already qualified, but the difference between the eighth place and the eleventh and twelve places isn’t huge, so that will give the currently lower-ranked athletes one last shot to qualify for Paris at the IWF World Cup in Thailand. 

Men’s 102+ kg Category 

Finally, for the last men’s category, we have a top 10 that is: 

1. Lasha Talakhadze (GEO) – Total: 474 kg
2. Gor Minasyan (BRN)  – Total: 464 kg
3. Varazdat Lalayan (ARM)  – Total: 462 kg
4. Ali Davoudi (IRI) – Total: 452 kg
5. Man Asaad (SYR) – Total: 445 kg
6. Rustam Djangabaev (UZB) – Total: 437 kg
7. Mohamed A.A Elsayed (EGY) – Total: 433 kg
8. Eduard Ziaziulin (AIN) – Total: 431 kg
9. Walid Bidani (ALG) – Total: 420 kg
10. Ali Ammar Yusur Rubaiawi (IRQ) – 419 kg

The difference here between the top-ranked athletes and everyone else is pretty huge. The gap between the fifth-placed Asaad and sixth-placed Rustam Djangabaev is 8 kg, which is unlikely to be shattered at the IWF World Cup in Thailand, and from there, the differences get even bigger.

The only new name we may see is if eleventh-placed Jo Seongbin manages to beat ten-placed Ali Rubaiawi, as the gap is only one kg. 

Women’s Olympic Qualifying Ranking 

With the women, we have five separate categories that we will go through, starting with the lightest 49 kg and finishing with the heaviest of 81+ kg. 

Women’s 49 kg Category 

In the lightest category, we have one clear dominant force, and everyone else is fighting for a spot in Paris. The current top ten looks like this: 

1. Jiang Huihua (CHN)  – Total: 216 kg
2. Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (IND)  – Total: 200 kg
3. Surodchana Khambao (THA)  – Total: 200 kg
4. Elizabeth Delacruz (USA) – Total: 200 kg
5. Mihaela-Valentina Cambei (ROU)  – Total: 198 kg
6. Rira Suzuki (JPN) – Total: 194 kg
7. Nina Sterckx (BEL) – Total: 193 kg
8. Beatriz Elizabeth Piron Candelario (DOM) – Total: 191 kg
9. Rosegie Ramos (PHI) – Total: 191 kg
10. Katherin Oriana Zarate (VEN) – Total: 190 kg

Here, the seven places are clear and will likely remain unchanged, but the rest of the qualifiers also look solid ahead of the final qualification event. The only possible place that can be overtaken is the tenth one, as the gap between Katherin Oriana Zarate and the eleventh-placed Lin Cheng Jing is 4 kg.

Women’s 59 kg Category 

The 59 kg category is pretty competitive with a top ten that currently looks like this: 

1. Shifang Luo (CHN)  – Total: 247 kg
2. Kamila Konotop (UKR) – Total: 236 kg
3. Fernanda Alvarez Caicedo (COL)  – Total: 234 kg
4. Mauude Charron (CAN)  – Total: 233 kg
5. Kuo Hsing-Chun (TPE)   – Total: 232 kg
6. Rafiatu Lawal (NGR) – Total: 225 kg
7. Hidilyn Diaz (PHI) – Total: 224 kg
8. Janeth Gomez (MEX) – Total: 223 kg
9. Maria Venegas Valera (VEN) – Total: 222 kg
10. Taylor Nicole Wilkins (USA) – Total: 221 kg

In this category, the gap between the first five and the sixth place is 7 kg and more, so it’s unlikely that anyone will re-enter the top ten, but there’s a chance that there will be changes among currently as the gaps between them are 1, 2 or 3 kg. 

Women’s 71 kg Category 

One of the most interesting categories is the women’s 71 kg, where the top ten is incredibly intriguing: 

1. Liao Guifang (CHN) – Total: 273 kg
2. Olivia Reeves (USA)  – Total: 262 kg
3. Paola Palacios Dajomes (ECU) – Total: 261 kg
4. Elena-Loredana Toma (ROU) – Total: 256 kg
5. Vanessa Sarno Palomar (PHI) – Total: 249 kg
6. Neama Said Fahmi Said (EGY) – Total: 246 kg
7. Mari Leivis Perinan Sanchez (COL) – Total: 244 kg
8. Wen-Huei Chen (TPE) – Total: 243 kg
9. Siuzanna Valoodzka (AIN) – Total: 242 kg
10. Marie Josephe Fegue (FRA) – Total: 241 kg

In this category, the top nine are clear and qualified, with almost no chances of anyone breaking into it. However, the tenth place could be up for grabs in Thailand, as the gap between Marie Fegue from France and eleventh-placed Amanda Da Costa is only 3 kg. 

Women’s 81 kg Category 

The women’s heavyweight category is always interesting, but we have here a clear first-placed athlete and several others fighting for the other spots: 

1. Liang Xiaomei (CHN) – Total: 284 kg
2. Sara Samir Ahmed (EGY) – Total: 268 kg
3. Solfrid Amena Koanda (NOR)  – Total: 266 kg
4. Tamara Salazar Arce (ECU)   – Total: 265 kg
5. Eileen Cikamatana (AUS)  – Total: 261 kg 
6. Ayamey Damiana Medina Roca (CUB) – Total: 254 kg
7. Marie Josephe Fegue (FRA) – Total: 253 kg
8. Yudelina Mejia Peguero (DOM) – Total: 252 kg
9. Martha Ann Rogers (USA) – Total: 252 kg
10. Laura Nascimento Amaro (BRA) – Total: 247 kg 

As with many of the other categories, the only possible spot to be challenged at the IWF World Cup in Thailand is the tenth one, as the gap between Laura Amaro and eleventh-placed Kim Suhyeon and twelfth-placed Dayana Chirinos Leon is 2 and 3 kg, respectively, so it seems like it might get overcome easily.

It is possible, however, that we see changes in the way the current top 5 are placed in the ranking, as the difference between the second, third, and fourth lifters is very small.

Women’s 81+ kg Category 

In the final women’s category, we again have more of the same with a pretty dominant top 10: 

1. Li Wenwen (CHN) – Total: 315 kg
2. Hyejeong Park (KOR) – Total: 295 kg
3. Emily Campbell (GBR)  – Total: 287 kg
4. Chaidee Duangaksom (THA)  – Total: 286 kg
5. Mary Anne Lappen (USA) – Total: 283 kg 
6. Lisseth Betzaida Ayovi Cabezas (ECU) – Total: 276 kg
7. Halima Abdelazim Abbas (EGY) – Total: 275 kg
8. Solfrid Koanda (NOR) – Total: 272 kg
9. Sipaia Iuniarra (SAM) – Total: 264 kg
10. Crismery Dominga Santana Peguero (DOM) – Total: 263 kg

It will be difficult for any of the other athletes to break into the top ten of the rankings with one competition left, considering that the gap between the 10th and 11th place is 3 kg.

However, still the final spot for Paris is the only one left for grabs. During the IWF World Cup in Thailand, Nurul Akmal (currently eleventh) will have to show her best performance if she wants to overcome a 3 kg gap and qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris. 

If you want to learn more about all of these athletes or the results of the latest competitions, make sure to check out our blog. As always, for more weightlifting content, you can also follow us on YouTube and on our social media platforms.