EWF Introduces New Weight Categories for U15 & U23 Age Groups
Author:
The Evolution of Age Categories
The history of the European Weightlifting Championships dates back to 1896, when the first men’s championship took place in Rotterdam, Netherlands. For women, the first Europeans were held much later, in 1988 in San Marino.
Over the years, additional age categories have been introduced to develop young talent:
1975 – The first Junior Europeans in Marseille, France
1991 – The first U16 Europeans in Košice, Czechoslovakia, later transitioned to U15 from 2013
2003 – The introduction of the Youth Europeans in Dortmund, Germany
2009 – The launch of the U23 Europeans in Władysławowo, Poland
Today, the EWF has announced significant changes for the U15 and U23 divisions, aiming to enhance competition structure and talent development. During the EWF Executive Board meeting on March 3, 2025, a new set of weight categories for U15 and U23 lifters was proposed.
Following this, the IWF Congress in Manama, Bahrain, officially ratified these changes, which will take effect starting June 1, 2025.
Weight Categories for Senior and Junior
The weight categories for Senior and Junior divisions remain structured as follows:
Women:
- 48kg,
- 53kg,
- 58kg,
- 63kg,
- 69kg,
- 77kg,
- 86kg,
- +86kg
Men:
- 60kg,
- 65kg,
- 71kg,
- 79kg,
- 88kg,
- 98kg,
- 110kg,
- +110kg
Weight Categories for Youth
For the Youth (13-17 y.o.) divisions, the categories are slightly different:
Women:
- 44kg,
- 48kg,
- 53kg,
- 58kg,
- 63kg,
- 69kg,
- 77kg,
- +77kg
Men:
- 56kg,
- 60kg,
- 65kg,
- 71kg,
- 79kg,
- 88kg,
- 98kg,
- +98kg
Recognizing the importance of competition for young lifters, EWF has officially introduced the following weight categories for U15 & U23:
NEW Weight Categories for Youth
1. U15 Weight Categories
Women:
- 40kg,
- 44kg,
- 48kg,
- 53kg,
- 58kg,
- 63kg,
- 69kg,
- +69kg
Men:
- 52kg,
- 56kg,
- 60kg,
- 65kg,
- 71kg,
- 79kg,
- 88kg,
- +88kg
2. U23 Weight Categories
Women:
- 48kg,
- 53kg,
- 58kg,
- 63kg,
- 69kg,
- 77kg,
- 86kg,
- +86kg
Men:
- 60kg,
- 65kg,
- 71kg,
- 79kg,
- 88kg,
- 98kg,
- 110kg,
- +110kg
These new categories will debut at the 2025 Europeans for:
- U15 – Spain (July 2025)
- U23 – Albania (September 2025)
The EWF Congress in Chișinău, Moldova, will formally introduce these proposals for final approval. The goal is to increase competitiveness and support the long-term development of weightlifting in these key age groups.
🔻Find Your Best Training: Take Our Quiz!
Are you ready to learn and grow? Take our simple quiz to discover the right training program for you. Let us help you succeed — click below to start the quiz!
Author: Tanya Shaiko
News Editor, Olympic Lifting Enthusiast
Best Results: Snatch – 61 kg,
C&J – 78 kg
I’m Tanya, and I just can’t do without fitness. About six years ago, I got into Olympic weightlifting and instantly fell in love with it. Weightlifting is like no other sport – it’s just you versus the bar. Driven by my unwavering passion for an active lifestyle, I’ve been eager to share my personal journey and sports enthusiasm with others. As a journalist and photographer, my interests come full circle, adding an extra dimension to the news column that I curate. This way, I keep my readers updated with the latest happenings in the sports world.