Following the IWF’s statement on the addition of an 8th female weight class yesterday, the USAW has issued a statement regarding how it will incorporate the change. The expectation is that the 8th bodyweight category will be above the current 75kg weight class. This would mean the +75kg weight class would be bumped up.
The next IWF Congress meeting is scheduled to occur in October in Penang, Malaysia during the IWF Youth World Championships on October 19-25. The USAW has indicated that if the IWF approves the new weight class at this meeting, the 2016 American Open, Held December 8-11, would be the first USAW meet to offer the new weight class.
Any athlete who would qualify under the existing qualifying totals for the 75kg and +75kg weight classes would have the ability to move into the new weight class.
For 2017, USAW has set qualification totals between the 75kg and +75kg weight classes, if the IWF does what is anticipated.
| 2017 Qualifying Totals* | |||
| Existing 75kg | New Weight Category | Existing +75kg | |
| 2017 National Juniors | 144kg | 154kg | 160kg |
| 2017 Nationals | 189kg | 192kg | 194kg |
| 2017 National Youth 16-17 | 118kg | 122kg | 125kg |
| 2017 National University | 155kg | 159kg | 164kg |
| 2017 American Open | 176kg | 180kg | 184kg |
*if approved by IWF
With 6-7kg increases for each weight category, it is probably that we would see the IWF approve an 81 or 82kg weight class. It will be interesting to see how the new weight class at either of these weights pans out. With most in the +75kg weight class well over the 75kg mark, it will likely turn out that athletes from the existing 75kg would move up to the new weight class rather than athletes moving down from the +75kg class.
