Wrestling weight classes
In many styles of wrestling, opponents are matched based on weight class.
Olympic and international weight classes
In international competition, men's freestyle wrestling, men's Greco-Roman wrestling, and female wrestling utilize following weight classes as of 2013:[1]
Men's freestyle wrestling
- 57 kg (125 lb)
- 61 kg (134 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 65 kg (143 lb)
- 70 kg (154 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 74 kg (163 lb)
- 79 kg (174 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 86 kg (190 lb)
- 92 kg (203 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 97 kg (214 lb)
- 125 kg (276 lb)
Men's Greco-Roman wrestling
- 55 kg (121 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 60 kg (132 lb)
- 63 kg (139 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 67 kg (148 lb)
- 72 kg (159 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 77 kg (170 lb)
- 82 kg (181 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 87 kg (192 lb)
- 97 kg (214 lb)
- 130 kg (286.5 lb)
Women's wrestling
- 50 kg (110 lb)
- 53 kg (117 lb)
- 55 kg (121 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 57 kg (126 lb)
- 59 kg (130 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 62 kg (137 lb)
- 65 kg (143. lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 68 kg (150 lb)
- 72 kg (159 lb) (non-Olympic class)
- 76 kg (168 lb)
International youth weight classes
For men's freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling
As of 2006, international freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling for male youths are divided into three age categories: Schoolboys, cadets, and juniors.[2]
Schoolboys (male youths aged 14–15, as well as male youths at age 13 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) compete in freestyle and/or Greco-Roman wrestling in the following 10 weight classes:[3]
- 29 to 32 kg (64 to 70 lbs)
- 35 kg (77 lbs)
- 38 kg (84 lbs)
- 42 kg (93 lbs)
- 47 kg (104 lbs)
- 53 kg (117 lbs)
- 59 kg (130 lbs)
- 66 kg (146 lbs
- 73 kg (161 lbs)
- 73 to 85 kg (161 to 187 lbs)
Cadets (male youths aged 16–17, as well as male youths at age 15 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) compete in freestyle wrestling and/or Greco-Roman wrestling in the following 10 weight classes:[3]
- 39 to 42 kg (86 to 92 lbs)
- 46 kg (101 lbs)
- 50 kg (110 lbs)
- 54 kg (119 lbs)
- 58 kg (128 lbs)
- 63 kg (139 lbs)
- 69 kg (152 lbs)
- 76 kg (167 lbs)
- 85 kg (187 lbs)
- 85 to 100 kg (187 to 220 lbs)
Juniors (men aged 18 to 20, as well as male youths at age 17 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) compete in freestyle wrestling and/or Greco-Roman wrestling in the following weight classes:[3]
- 46 to 50 kg
- 55 kg
- 60 kg
- 66 kg
- 74 kg
- 84 kg
- 96 kg
- 96–120 kg
Juniors over the age of 18 are allowed to participate in senior competitions with a medical certificate and parental authorization.[3]
For women's freestyle wrestling
As of 2006, female youth compete in freestyle wrestling on an international level in one of four age categories: Schoolgirls, cadets, and juniors.[4]
Schoolgirls (female youths aged 14–15, and female youths at age 13 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) compete in freestyle wrestling in the following 10 weight classes:[4]
- 28 to 30 kg or 61 to 66 lbs
- 32 kg or 70 lbs
- 34 kg or 74 lbs
- 37 kg or 81 lbs
- 40 kg or 88 lbs
- 44 kg or 97 lbs
- 48 kg or 105 lbs
- 52 kg or 114 lbs
- 57 kg or 125 lbs
- 57 to 62 kg or 125 to 136 lbs
Cadets (female youths aged 16–17, and female youths at age 15 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) compete in freestyle wrestling in the following 10 weight classes:[4]
- 36 to 38 kg or 79 to 83 lbs
- 40 kg or 88 lbs
- 43 kg or 94 lbs
- 46 kg or 101 lbs
- 49 kg or 108 lbs
- 52 kg or 114 lbs
- 56 kg or 123 lbs
- 60 kg or 132 lbs
- 65 kg or 143 lbs
- 65 to 70 kg or 143 to 154 lbs
Juniors (female youths aged 18 to 20, and female youths at age 17 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) compete in freestyle wrestling in the following eight weight classes:[4]
- 40 to 44 kg or 88 to 97 lbs
- 48 kg or 108 lbs
- 51 kg or 112 lbs
- 55 kg or 121 lbs
- 59 kg or 130 lbs
- 63 kg or 138 lbs
- 67 kg or 147 lbs
- 67 to 72 kg or 147 to 158 lbs
Scholastic weight classes in the United States
Elementary school
Elementary school students competing in wrestling have multiple ways weight classes are determined.
- "Madison system" - This is a popular tournament format where there are no weight classes and the tournament director pairs wrestlers into brackets (usually 8 or 16 man) based on weight at weigh-ins. This is a popular method because it discourages "weight cutting" in young athletes.
- Division-based system - In this system, the tournament director separates athletes by age (ex: Grade 2 and under, Grade 4 and under, and Grade 6 and under), and by weight class. Weight class and division is at the tournament director's discretion.
- Pure-weight based system - In this system, the athletes are not divided by age but rather just by weight class. This is rarely used because it pairs younger, less experienced athletes with older, more experienced athletes.
Middle school
Wrestling weight classes for middle (junior high) school in the United States vary from state to state and are not regulated by the NFHS. Students may compete in scholastic wrestling in one of the following weight classes:
- 78 lb
- 86 lb
- 93 lb
- 103 lb
- 110 lb
- 117 lb
- 124 lb
- 134 lb
- 142 lb
- 152 lb
- 165 lb
- 185 lb
- 275 lb
Alternatively, some other states use these weight classes for middle school:
- 70 lb
- 75 lb
- 80 lb
- 86 lb
- 92 lb
- 98 lb
- 104 lb
- 110 lb
- 116 lb
- 122 lb
- 128 lb
- 134 lb
- 142 lb
- 150 lb
- 160 lb
- 172 lb
- 205 lb
- Heavyweight (up to 245 lb)
Still other states use the following weight classes:
- 75 lb
- 80 lb
- 85 lb
- 90 lb
- 95 lb
- 100 lb
- 105 lb
- 110 lb
- 115 lb
- 122 lb
- 130 lb
- 138 lb
- 145 lb
- 155 lb
- 165 lb
- 185 lb
- 210 lb
- Heavyweight (up to 240 lb)
And still other states use the following weight classes:
- 78lbs
- 84lbs
- 90lbs
- 95lbs
- 102lbs
- 110lbs
- 116lbs
- 123lbs
- 128lbs
- 135lbs
- 145lbs
- 155lbs
- 171lbs
- 190lbs
- 285lbs
High school
High school students in the United States competing in scholastic wrestling do so in the following 14 weight classes set by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS):[5]
- 106 Ib (~48 kg)
- 113 lb (~51 kg)
- 120 lb (~55 kg)
- 126 lb (~57 kg)
- 132 lb (60 kg)
- 138 lb (~63 kg)
- 145 lb (~66 kg)
- 152 lb (~69 kg)
- 160 lb (~73 kg)
- 170 lb (~77 kg)
- 182 lb (~83 kg)
- 195 lb (~89 kg)
- 220 lb (100 kg)
- 285 lb (~130 kg)
- Heavyweight class was unlimited before 1988-89; capped at 275 lb (~125 kg) from 1988-89 through 2005–06.
The AAU has its own weight classes for their freshman/sophomore tournaments:
- 103
- 108
- 117
- 124
- 130
- 135
- 140
- 145
- 150
- 157
- 165
- 176
- 194
- 220
- 300
Other states have additional or modified weight classes, such as:
- 99 lb (in the state of New York;[6])
- 98 lb (in the state of Montana;[7])
- 105 lb (in place of the 103 lb weight class) in Montana.[7]
The state of Louisiana has different weight classes than the standard classes listed above. The classes include:
- 106
- 113
- 120
- 126
- 132
- 138
- 145
- 152
- 160
- 170
- 182
- 195
- 220
- HWT (285)
Collegiate weight classes in the United States
College and university students in the United States competing in collegiate wrestling do so in the following 10 weight classes set by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA):[8]
- 125
- 133 lb
- 141 lb
- 149 lb
- 157 lb
- 165 lb
- 174 lb
- 184 lb
- 197 lb
- Heavyweight (183 lb to 285 lb)[9]
Also:
- 235 lb (Only the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA), which governs college wrestling for institutions outside of the NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA, currently allows this weight class, which ranges from 174 lb to 235 lb.)[10]
The NCWA has also approved the following eight weight classes for its women's division:[10]
- 105 lb
- 112 lb
- 121 lb
- 130 lb
- 139 lb
- 148 lb
- 159 lb
- 200 lb
See also
References
- FILA announces new Olympic and non-Olympic weight classes and rule changes The Mat, TeamUSA, 17 December 2013
- International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (2006-12-01). "International Wrestling Rules: Greco-Roman Wrestling, Freestyle Wrestling, Women's Wrestling" (PDF). p. 11. FILA. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
- International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (2006-12-01). "International Wrestling Rules: Greco-Roman Wrestling, Freestyle Wrestling, Women's Wrestling" (PDF). pp. 11, 12. FILA. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
- International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (2006-12-01). "International Wrestling Rules: Greco-Roman Wrestling, Freestyle Wrestling, Women's Wrestling" (PDF). p. 55. FILA. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
- "Weight classes changed in high school wrestling," National Wrestling Coaches Association, April 27, 2011. Accessed 4-28-2011.
- New York State Public High School Athletic Association (2010-08-01). "2010-2012 NYSPHSAA Handbook" (PDF). pp. 122-23. NYSPHSAA. Retrieved 2011-08-14.
- Montana High School Association (2010-08-01). "2010-11 Montana High School Association Handbook" (PDF). p. 205. MHSA. Retrieved 2011-08-14.
- National Collegiate Athletic Association (2008-08-01). "2009 NCAA Wrestling Rules and Interpretations" (PDF). p. WR-10. NCAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 19, 2009. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
- The minimum allowed weight for the Heavyweight class is 184 lb for the NCWA. "2008-09 NCWA Wrestling Plan" (PDF). p. 14. NCWA. 2008-09-01. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-12-19. Retrieved 2008-11-20.
- National Collegiate Wrestling Association (2008-09-01). "2008-09 NCWA Wrestling Plan" (PDF). p. 14. NCWA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-12-19. Retrieved 2008-11-20.