‎

International Competition Qualification Process

Preparing for International Competition: First Steps

We recommend that all athletes and parents read this guide if you are considering competing internationally. If you're a British athlete interested in or already competing internationally, you need to know the minimum eligibility criteria and anti-doping rules required to compete internationally. Find the link here

Submit a Declaration of Interest – Selection panels for every event see your answers on this form, so it's your chance to say which competitions you want to be considered for, share your goals, and explain why you think you should be selected. Find the link here.

International Competition Calendar

The international weightlifting calendar is managed by a number of key organisations. Athletes, coaches, and parents should all get to know these websites and check them regularly for updates.

International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) – calendar found here
European Weightlifting Federation (EWF) – calendar found here
Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation (CWF) - calendar found here

Planning & Prioritising Competitions - We recommend athletes, coaches, and parents read this guide carefully and consider how each competition fits in to an athlete’s long-term development plan. Find the link here

Consider: At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, 120 weightlifters competed, with 15 men and 15 women winning medals. The world's population in 2024 was 8.2 billion. Consequently, the likelihood of becoming an Olympic weightlifter is approximately 1 in 68 million (equivalent to the population of the UK), and the likelihood of becoming an Olympic medallist in weightlifting is approximately 1 in 273 million. While we are passionate about seeing British weightlifters succeed and defy these odds, we urge parents, coaches, and support teams to prioritise athletes' wider personal development when planning competition schedules. It is essential to ensure that athletes' academic and lifestyle requirements are met, thereby providing them with the best possible opportunities for athletic, professional, and social success in adulthood

Qualification Timeline - We aim to publish selection policies as soon as the IWF/EWF confirm the dates and locations of each year's competitions. Once a selection policy is published, we endeavour to adhere as closely as possible to the schedule outlined on the first page of each policy.

International Qualification Standards

2025 International Minimum Qualification Standards - New Weight Categories

Achieving the Minimum Qualification Standard (MQS) establishes eligibility for consideration only, it does not guarantee automatic selection for a team. Selection panels consider various factors, including an athlete's recent performance trajectory, potential for future development, strategic team requirements, and the level of competition expected at the event. For a detailed understanding of the selection process, athletes, coaches, and parents are directed to the official selection policy document for each competition (below), which outline all relevant criteria and the questions which selection panels must consider when selecting a team for each respective event.

Ranking standards are NOT minimum qualification standards – Ranking Standards are distinctly used to evaluate and compare athletes within the eligible pool. These standards, derived from historical performance data at international competitions, reflect the performance level required for medal contention. Selection panels use these rankings to inform final team selection, considering each athlete's medal potential at each event. Consequently, while meeting the Minimum Qualification Standard is a prerequisite, an athlete's comparison to the Ranking Standard is essential for successful selection.

Selection Policies

2026 Commonwealth Games Selection Policy: England Training Squad

2025 European Championships - Selection Policy

2025 World Youth Championship - Selection Policy

2025 World Junior Championships - Selection Policy

2025 European Youth & Under 15 Championships - Selection Policy

2025 European Junior & Under 23 Championships - Selection Policy

2025 IWF World Championships - Selection Policy

2025 British Weight Lifting Selection - Appeals Procedure

Choosing a Weight Category

As of the 1/June 2025 BWL recognises the following IWF weight categories (categories in red apply to Youth athletes only):

Women – 44kg, 48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, 69kg, 77kg, +77kg, 86kg, +86kg
Men – 56kg, 60kg, 65kg, 71kg, 79kg, 88kg, 98kg, +98kg, 110kg, +110kg

Development Athletes: Becoming a successful weightlifter demands time, perseverance, and sensible long-term decision-making. When choosing a weight category, it's crucial not only to consider your current performance but also your potential future performance. Typically, international medal-winning athletes peak between the ages of 25 and 28 (depending on their sporting history and weight category). If you're early in your journey, it's vital to consider factors that could influence your future international performance, such as your height relative to other international athletes in your category (are you significantly taller or shorter than your opponents?), your body composition (if you have very low body fat and struggle with energy levels, this could indicate under-fuelling and performance may increase by moving up a category), and your current rate of progress (if you're struggling to add kilograms to the bar and have addressed other obvious issues, such as technique, mobility, or strength then your nutrition and weight category could be something to review with a qualified nutritionist)

Performance Athletes: Occasionally, athletes at their peak (between 25 and 28 years of age) may need to make decisions that prioritise their short-term interests. For example, in the most recent Olympic qualification process, only alternate weight categories were included. Athletes in the non-Olympic categories faced difficult choices regarding whether to move up or down a category to maximise their chances of qualifying and performing at the Olympic Games. It's crucial that athletes facing these challenging decisions carefully weigh the risks and rewards, including the potential long-term health implications of weight cutting. Athletes confronting such difficult decisions should seek guidance from appropriately qualified nutritionists, dietitians, and sports doctors. This ensures they have a comprehensive understanding of the risks involved and can develop a sound strategy (aligned with best practice guidelines) with adequate expert support before committing to these decisions.

Athletes under 18: British Weight Lifting (BWL) strongly advises against weight-making practices in youth athletes. However, we recognise that athletes mature at different rates and recommend that any athlete (or parent/guardian of athletes under 18) considering 'making weight' contact an appropriately qualified nutritionist or dietitian for guidance. If you have concerns about a child's welfare regarding weight-making, we encourage you to report your concerns to BWL's Safeguarding team here and contact your GP.

For guidance on sports nutrition and safe weight-making practices, we recommend consulting the British Dietetic Association (BDA) website and the Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register (SENr) directory to identify appropriately qualified individuals. Find the link here