Wrestling dates back thousands of years to ancient Greece and is now one of the most well-known Olympic Combat Sports. Nowadays, Women’s Wrestling is a rapidly expanding sport with a long and illustrious history and an exciting tournament scene that employs various weight classes.
Weight divisions are a significant factor in all levels of women’s Wrestling, from high school and collegiate competition in the United States to international contests governed by the United World Wrestling.
Here are the ten women’s international wrestling weight categories:
- 50 kg (110 lbs)
- 53 kg (117 lbs)
- 55 kg (121 lbs)
- 57 kg (126 lbs)
- 59 kg (130 lbs)
- 62 kg (137 lbs)
- 65 kg (143. lbs)
- 68 kg (150 lbs)
- 72 kg (159 lbs)
- 76 kg (168 lbs)
This blog post will take you in-depth into the women’s wrestling weight divisions, including the weight limits and how they are determined. So let’s get started!
What Are the International Women’s Wrestling Weight Classes?
Wrestling for women has a long history, with evidence of female wrestlers dating back to ancient civilizations like Egypt and Greece. Today, female Wrestling has gained more clout and popularity, thanks to the massive efforts of the United World Wrestling (UWW).
Women compete primarily in college and freestyle wrestling in top international championships with outstanding results.
Women’s Wrestling, like men’s, consists of physical activity between two opponents attempting to gain control and pin their opponent to the mat. Indeed, Women are divided into many Weight classes to ensure that the contest is fair and evenly balanced.
The United World Wrestling (UWW) employs ten weight classes for female freestyle wrestlers in its competitions. They range from 50 kilograms (110 pounds) to 76 kilograms (168 pounds).
| Women’s wrestling weight classes in kilograms | Women’s wrestling weight classes in pounds |
|---|---|
| 50 kg | 110 lbs |
| 53 kg | 117 lbs |
| 55 kg | 121 lbs |
| 57 kg | 126 lbs |
| 59 kg | 130 lbs |
| 62 kg | 137 lbs |
| 65 kg | 143 lbs |
| 68 kg | 150 lbs |
| 72 kg | 159 lbs |
| 76 kg | 168 lbs |
What Are the Women’s Wrestling Olympic Weight Divisions?
Women’s Wrestling debuted in Freestyle at the XXVIII Olympiad in Athens in 2004. On the other hand, men’s Wrestling has been contested in the Games since Athens in 1896.
Freestyle wrestling is one of the most exciting and physically demanding Olympic combat sports. It attracts female wrestlers from all over the world and is well-liked by fans of all ages.
In the Olympic freestyle wrestling event, women wrestlers participate in a single-elimination tournament to determine the gold, silver, and bronze medalists in each weight class.
There are six weight classes in women’s freestyle wrestling at the Olympics, ranging from 50 kilograms (110 pounds) to 76 kilos (168 pounds), as mentioned in the following table.
| Women’s Olympic wrestling weight classes in kilograms | Women’s Olympic wrestling weight classes in pounds |
|---|---|
| 50 kg | 110 lbs |
| 53 kg | 117 lbs |
| 57 kg | 126 lbs |
| 62 kg | 137 lbs |
| 68 kg | 150 lbs |
| 76 kg | 168 lbs |
Aside from that, Wrestling was one of the first Olympic martial arts to attain gender equality in competition, with men and women competing in the same weight categories and receiving the same number of gold medals.
Related Article: Martial Arts at Paris 2024 Olympics (A Closer Look)
What Are the Youth Women’s Wrestling Weight classes?
Youth women’s Wrestling is a developing and fascinating sport that allows young female athletes to compete and improve their abilities on the mat.
Youth female wrestlers develop stable physical and mental health since the sport involves excellent discipline, strength, and quickness.
Furthermore, Wrestling teaches essential life qualities like collaboration, sportsmanship, and goal planning. In addition, it may give young women a sense of empowerment and confidence that can carry over into other aspects of their lives.
Wrestling programs for females are provided in many schools and community groups, and there are also club teams and competitions for those looking to flourish in grappling matches.
But, women players must find a strong coach or mentor who can assist them in understanding the principles of the sport. Also, they must understand the various youth wrestling weight classes, among other rules.
Here are the various youth female wrestling weight classes for international competitions hosted by the United World Wrestling (UWW).
U15 Female Wrestling Weight Categories
Female wrestlers aged 15, 14, and 13 with a medical certificate and parental permission have ten U15 weight divisions. They vary in weight from 29 kilograms (64 pounds) to 66 kilograms (146 pounds), as seen below.
| Girls U15 international freestyle wrestling weight divisions in kilograms | Girls U15 international freestyle wrestling weight divisions in pounds |
|---|---|
| 29 to 33 kg | 64 to 73 lbs |
| 36 kg | 79 lbs |
| 39 kg | 86 lbs |
| 42 kg | 93 lbs |
| 46 kg | 101 lbs |
| 50 kg | 110 lbs |
| 54 kg | 119 lbs |
| 58 kg | 128 lbs |
| 62 kg | 137 lbs |
| 66 kg | 146 lbs |
Cadets Female Wrestling Weight Categories
Female youth wrestlers aged 17, 16, and 15 with medical certification and parental approval have eleven cadets’ weight divisions approved by United World Wrestling (UWW). They vary in weight from 36 kilograms (79 pounds) to 73 kilograms (161 pounds), as noticed below.
| Cadets girls wrestling weight classes in kilograms | Cadets girls wrestling weight classes in pounds |
|---|---|
| 36 to 40 kg | 79 to 88 lbs |
| 43 kg | 95 lbs |
| 46 kg | 101 lbs |
| 49 kg | 108 lbs |
| 53 kg | 117 lbs |
| 57 kg | 126 lbs |
| 61 kg | 134 lbs |
| 65 kg | 143 lbs |
| 69 kg | 152 lbs |
| 73 kg | 161 lbs |
Junior Females Wrestling Weight Classes
Female youth wrestlers aged 20, 19, 18, and 17 with a medical certificate and parental permission have eleven junior weight divisions approved by United World Wrestling (UWW). They vary from 50 kilograms (110 pounds) to 76 kilograms (168 pounds), as witnessed below.
| Junior girls wrestling weight divisions in kilograms | Junior girls wrestling weight divisions in pounds |
|---|---|
| 50 kg | 110 lbs |
| 53 kg | 117 lbs |
| 55 kg | 121 lbs |
| 57 kg | 126 lbs |
| 59 kg | 130 lbs |
| 62 kg | 137 lbs |
| 65 kg | 143 lbs |
| 68 kg | 150 lbs |
| 72 kg | 159 lbs |
| 76 kg | 168 lbs |
What Are the Various Weight Classes for Women’s Collegiate Wrestling?
Women’s collegiate Wrestling is a developing and exciting sport that allows female athletes to participate at the university level. Women’s college wrestlers, like men’s, are separated into weight classes to promote fairness and safety for all athletes.
The NCWA features eight weight classes for its female student wrestlers, based on collegiate regulations rather than the freestyle ruleset used in NCAA women’s wrestling.
| NCWA Women’s Weight classes in lbs | NCWA Women’s Weight classes in kg |
|---|---|
| 105 lbs | 47.6 kg |
| 112 lbs | 50.8 kg |
| 121 lbs | 54.9 kg |
| 130 lbs | 59 kg |
| 139 lbs | 63 kg |
| 148 lbs | 67.1 kg |
| 159 lbs | 72.1 kg |
| 200 lbs | 90.7 kg |
Another regulatory organization for women’s collegiate Wrestling is the Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA). It uses ten weight divisions for female student wrestlers based on freestyle rules (NCAA-recognized) instead of collegiate regulations.
| WCWA Women’s Weight classes in lbs | WCWA Women’s Weight classes in lbs |
|---|---|
| 101 lbs | 45.8 kg |
| 109 lbs | 49.4 kg |
| 116 lbs | 52.6 kg |
| 123 lbs | 55.8 kg |
| 130 lbs | 59 kg |
| 136 lbs | 61.7 kg |
| 143 lbs | 64.8 kg |
| 155 lbs | 70.3 kg |
| 170 lbs | 77.1 kg |
| 191 lbs | 86.6 kg |
Conclusion
Women’s Wrestling is a fast-growing sport with prominent and exciting Olympic and international tournaments that include various weight classes.
Weight classes are essential in women’s Wrestling because they allow for fair and competitive fights between athletes of similar size and weight.
Understanding the various weight classes and their significance is crucial whether you are a collegiate or world-level athlete, a coach, or an organization looking to promote and support the growth of women’s Wrestling.
Related Article: Weight Classes in Wrestling (All You Need to Know!)
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the Olympics Have Women’s Wrestling?
Women’s Wrestling has been a component of the Olympics since 2004 at the Athens Summer Games.
Female Wrestling has become a popular and thrilling Olympic event, with many bright and competent athletes battling for gold and the opportunity to represent their country on the world’s most significant stage.
How Many Weight Classes Are There in Women’s Wrestling at the Olympics?
Women wrestlers compete in six weight classes at the Olympics, the same number as men.
- 50 kg (110 lbs)
- 53 kg (117 lbs)
- 57 kg (126 lbs)
- 62 kg (137 lbs)
- 68 kg (150 lbs)
- 76 kg (168 lbs)
