S.W.O.L. began as an ambition to bring more women into the sport of olympic weightlifting in Scotland. This year we will be hosting a series of events and will be developing key intiatives to bring the sport to more women across the country.
S.W.O.L. - Scottish Women in Olympic Lifting
Purpose
To provide a structure to enable women in Scotland to connect with, and support each other through the sport of Weightlifting.
To grow the sport in Scotland by identifying and removing barriers to participation.
To provide pathways for keen athletes of all ages/abilities to make the sport inclusive and not just focussed on performance pathways (with the assumption that these pathways could ultimately lead to performance at junior/youth/senior/masters levels)
To get more female WLS members to get actively involved in growing the sport, not just as athletes but as coaches, technical officials and event organisers.
Meet the Team!
Get to know the powerhouse women behind Weightlifting Scotland. Sarah Ann, the driving force and Competition & Media Director at WLS, is a successful masters lifter. Hannah, a dedicated weightlifter and social media guru, brings her passion to the team. Rachel, the website manager, is a masters lifter based on the Isle of Skye, determined to promote Olympic lifting in rural communities.
Context
​
Weightlifting is a growing sport, particularly amongst females who have been traditionally underrepresented in strength-based sports. Recent success (and the resulting raised profile) specifically of female athletes within home nations teams at international and local competitions has caught the attention of potential weightlifters across all age groups. This is an ideal time to capitalise on this and get more females involved in the sport. Weightlifting is a sport suitable for any stage of life. It provides the chance for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to utilise skills already acquired through other sports and activities.
​
-
Sports such as gymnastics, dance, acro, diving and ice-skating are an ideal foundation for Weightlifting, but any activity which requires good body awareness, technical skill development and persistence will give an individual a good start in the sport.
-
Younger females often disengage from sport in the early teenage years & Weightlifting would provide a pathway back into an activity. It could provide a fresh start, a chance to develop greater body positivity, to increase physical and mental strength and to access opportunities to have positive in-person social interaction within a community.
-
Weightlifting is a very adaptable sport which offers neurodiverse individuals the chance to develop physical fitness, improve emotional regulation, and provide access to meaningful social connection in a way which suits each individual. Weightlifting is structured, repetitive and goal-oriented - the emphasis on perfecting technique makes the sport especially well-suited to those who thrive on clear rules and enjoy seeing consistent progress.
-
For females in mid-life and beyond, weightlifting can significantly help to get through the tricky years of hormonal changes and will minimise loss of strength, muscle mass, power, agility, balance, mobility and cognitive function which can all naturally diminish with age. It also provides a new focus in a time of life where individuals are looking for a new challenge and/or self-development opportunities. The chance to travel with an active purpose at varying levels of masters competitions and meet like-minded individuals is not something you can do in many other sports.The focus of this committee will be to ensure Weightlifting is an accessible and inclusive sport for the enjoyment and bene%t of all and will therefore not focus on competition or performance pathways.
After the success of our trip to Austria last year we have decided to host our first ever event and to kick off what is set to be a great year in Women's weightlifting in Scotland. If you're keen or even just curious
If you can't make this one but would like to be kept up to date with future events please drop your email to: women@weightliftingscotland.com
