I love the Olympics and my favorite sport to watch is the weighlifting.  
Olympic weightlifting, is an athletic discipline in the modern Olympic programme in which the athlete attempts a maximum-weight single lift of
Watching those athletes is very awe inspiring.  How long has weighlifting been an Olympic sport?
Not sure of the actual dating! We also have the Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight on three lifts: 
I have seen that!  It makes me sore just to watch.  Are there any well known Olympic lifters I should be aware of?
Mark Henry
Mark Jerrold Henry (born June 12, 1971) is an American powerlifter, Olympic weightlifter, strongman, and retired professional wrestler, who is currently signed to WWE under a Legends contract. He also works backstage as a producer. He is a two-time Olympian (1992 and 1996) and a gold, silver, and bronze medalist at the Pan American Games in 1995. As a powerlifter, he was WDFPF World Champion (1995) and a two-time U.S. National Champion (1995 and 1997
Olympic weightlifting
Olympic-style weightlifting, or Olympic weightlifting, often simply referred to as weightlifting, is an athletic discipline in the modern Olympic program in which the athlete attempts a maximum-weight single lift of a barbell loaded with weight plates.
The two competition lifts in order are the snatch and the clean and jerk. The snatch is a wide-grip, one-move lift. The clean and jerk is a close-grip, two-move lift. Each weightlifter receives three attempts in each, and