Is it time to tweak Women's FS weight classes?

[matter7172]

Watching Kennedy Blades at this year's Final X, I'm of the strong opinion that she is battling weight. She came out fast in both matches and took down Gray fairly easily. Then she visibly faded in both matches and looked totally gassed. I don't recall seeing her do that in other matches over the years.

She is at the highest weight class for women (76kg) and seems to be having trouble keeping that weight - or at least her wrestling is consistent with that problem. She can't go to a higher weight class. She certainly is not carrying a lot of excess weight. I'm thinking that as more women wrestle at a younger age and with the general trend of people getting bigger through better nutrition, etc. that the weight classes are too bunched up at the lower end (50, 53, 55, 59, 62) and end too early (76). It's time to spread out the lower end (so 50-62 cover four weight classes instead of five - 50, 54, 58 and 62) and add an 80kg class.

Btw, never get tickets over the wrestlers' entrance area like we did for Final X this year. We got blasted with fog 2 times for each weight class and eventually decided to move to another area.

 

[nittinsc]

Watching Kennedy Blades at this year's Final X, I'm of the strong opinion that she is battling weight. She came out fast in both matches and took down Gray fairly easily. Then she visibly faded in both matches and looked totally gassed. I don't recall seeing her do that in other matches over the years.

She is at the highest weight class for women (76kg) and seems to be having trouble keeping that weight - or at least her wrestling is consistent with that problem. She can't go to a higher weight class. She certainly is not carrying a lot of excess weight. I'm thinking that as more women wrestle at a younger age and with the general trend of people getting bigger through better nutrition, etc. that the weight classes are too bunched up at the lower end (50, 53, 55, 59, 62) and end too early (76). It's time to spread out the lower end (so 50-62 cover four weight classes instead of five - 50, 54, 58 and 62) and add an 80kg class.

Btw, never get tickets over the wrestlers' entrance area like we did for Final X this year. We got blasted with fog 2 times for each weight class and eventually decided to move to another area.

I imagine there are more examples than just Kennedy Blades, and might be more in the near future. Amit Elor is only 19 and wrestling 72 kg. Her frame appears like it could easily add more muscle mass as she continues to mature. She might be facing a hard cut to 76 kg in a few years. Women's collegiate wrestling already has two weight classes above 76 kg: 170 lb/77.1 kg and 191 lb/86.6 kg.

 

[HawkFan1986]

Watching Kennedy Blades at this year's Final X, I'm of the strong opinion that she is battling weight. She came out fast in both matches and took down Gray fairly easily. Then she visibly faded in both matches and looked totally gassed. I don't recall seeing her do that in other matches over the years.

She is at the highest weight class for women (76kg) and seems to be having trouble keeping that weight - or at least her wrestling is consistent with that problem. She can't go to a higher weight class. She certainly is not carrying a lot of excess weight. I'm thinking that as more women wrestle at a younger age and with the general trend of people getting bigger through better nutrition, etc. that the weight classes are too bunched up at the lower end (50, 53, 55, 59, 62) and end too early (76). It's time to spread out the lower end (so 50-62 cover four weight classes instead of five - 50, 54, 58 and 62) and add an 80kg class.

Btw, never get tickets over the wrestlers' entrance area like we did for Final X this year. We got blasted with fog 2 times for each weight class and eventually decided to move to another area.

There should be more international weights for women, just the same as there should be 10 Olympic weight classes.

I’m not sure about the women’s weight classes, but I think the men’s weights were skinnies during Olympic years as part of a compromise to keep wrestling in the Olympics. It’s a shame that a compromise needed to be reached in the first place given that wrestling is the oldest sport and it’s origins date back to the very first Olympics.

Unfortunately I can foresee a scenario in the near future where fans and notable wrestlers alike will once again have to fight for its rightful place in the games.