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Famous weightlifters

Top 7 greatest weightlifters in Olympics history (part 2)

Posted by Marie Curtis on
Top 7 greatest weightlifters in Olympics history (part 2)

4. Zhou Lulu (China)

The strongest woman in the world, Zhou Lulu achieved this feat in 2012 in a head-to-head tussle with Tatiana Kashirina from Russia beating her by 1 kg in total lift.

Zhou Lulu

The Russian woman had set the world record in her last attempt with a lift of 332 kg, then to be ousted soon after by Zhou Lulu in her final attempt when she claimed gold for China, securing the title of the world’s strongest in the women’s +75 kg class.

Olympic Medals: 1 Gold

World Championships: 1 Gold , 1 Silver

5. Leonid Zhabotynsky (Soviet Union)

Soviet weightlifter Leonid Zhabotynsky set 19 world records during his illustrious career. He also won Gold in the super heavy weight category in the Olympic Games 1964 and 1968.

In addition to his Olympic achievements, he also won four world championships and two European championships titles during his professional career.

Olympic Medals: 2 Golds

World Championships: 4 Golds, 1 Bronze

6.  Paul Anderson (USA)

Paul Anderson, considered as the strongest man of all time, is acknowledged to have dramatically changed the sport of powerlifting. He became an Olympic champion in 1956, World Champion and national champion for twice within only 4 years of turning pro.

The World Records’ Guinness Book listed Paul Anderson in its official release of 1985 as having backlifted 2845 kg, that became the basis of his reputation as the Strongest Man of the World.

Olympic Medals: 1 Gold

World Championships: 1 Gold

7. Hossein Rezazadeh (Iran)

Hossein Rezazadeh is the man who presently holds the world record in the super heavy weight class of professional weightlifting. By lifting a combined 472.5 kilos, he achieved this feat of strength in Sydney 2000.

The Iranian weightlifter won 2 golds in Olympic 2000 and 2004, 4 World Championships, and 5 Asian Championships during his distinguished career and has earned the title of the world’s strongest man for holding the world record for the heaviest total weight that was lifted by a professional weightlifter on a grand stage.

Olympic Medals: 2 Golds

World Championships: 4 Golds, 1 Bronze

Famous weightlifters

Top 7 greatest weightlifters in Olympics history (part 1)

Posted by Marie Curtis on
Top 7 greatest weightlifters in Olympics history (part 1)

Weightlifting is the sport in the Olympics that most tests the physical strength of an individual. Over the competitions of the years, we have seen great powerhouses and world records broken on the grandest stage of them all. However, there are some weightlifters who have gone one further step and etched their names in Olympics folklore. We enlist here the top 10 greatest Olympics weightlifters of all time.

1. Liu Chunhong (China)

Liu Chunhong is the only female Olympics weightlifter to win back-to-back gold medals in the same weight category. She won gold medals in the 69kg class both in the 2004 Olympics in Athens and in 2008 Olympics in Beijing.


Liu Chunhong

Especially, in 2008, she clinched the Gold setting Olympic records in both Snatch and, Clean & Jerk with lifts of 158kg and 128kg for a combined world record of 286kg.

Olympic: 2 Golds

World Championships: 2 Golds

2. Waldemar Baszanowski (Poland)

Polish weightlifter Waldemar Baszanowski competed in the 67.5kg class and won gold medals in two games in the 1964 and 1968 Olympics. In World Championships, he won 5 Gold and 5 Silver medals, a combined 10 medals that is more than any athlete in weightlifting history.

In 1993, Waldemar Baszanowski was inducted into the Hall of Fame of International Weightlifting Federation, sealing his name as one of the greatest weightlifters of all time.

Olympic: 2 Golds

World Championships: 5 Golds, 5 Silvers

3. Charles Vinci (USA)

American weightlifter Charles Vinci competed in the Bantamweight class and won two gold medals in the 1956 and 1960 Summer Olympics. In addition, he also won two gold medals in the 1955 and 1959 Pan American games.

Between 1955 and 1960, Charles Vinci set up to 12 World Records in the bantamweight class. He also held records in Snatch, In Press, Clean & Jerk, as well as in total weight lifted by any weightlifter in history.

Olympic: 2 Golds

World Championships: 2 Silvers.