Percentile Rankings And Normalization Of Performance For International Weightlifting Federation World Championships Competitors

Abstract

The present study provided percentile rankings and gender and weight class comparisons, for absolute and allometrically scaled Olympic Weightlifting (OW) performance, as well as Sinclair scores, for International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships competitors. Data from the IWF Senior World Championships for 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 were compiled. OW performance was allometrically scaled for body weight, and Sinclair scores were calculated based on IWF standards. Percentile rankings and gender and weight class differences were computed for absolute and allometrically scaled OW performance measures, as well as Sinclair scores. This study provided percentile rank values for absolute, allometrically scaled, and Sinclair scored OW performance with the weight classes implemented in 2018 by the IWF. OW performance increased with weight class. When allometrically scaled, the lightest and heaviest weight classes had the lowest OW performance, while Sinclair scores were similar across weight class. Men remained stronger than women for allometrically scaled clean & jerk and total, which was similar for gender-related comparisons of Sinclair scores, while allometrically scaled snatch was similar for men and women. The present results provide coaches and practitioners percentile rankings and allometric parameters that may be used to assess OW performance for elite-level weightlifting competitors.