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Foreword
The EWF loves new ideas; it wants to open up new directions in the areas of art and
culture, as it has done many times in the past. In 1999 and 2002, for example, it sponsored
the Art and Sport Triennial in the Republic of San Marino; in 2000 and 2002 it organized
art contests on the weightlifting theme; in 2001 it published (together with the IWF) the
book The Myth of Strength, written by Architect Livio Toschi, our historical and artistic
expert.
In 2005, to celebrate the Centenary of the IWF, we will organize a new contest for works
of art on the weightlifting theme, which will be judged by a special commission and voted
for on the EWF site by Internet users. The next special edition of the European Weightlifter
will be dedicated to this initiative.
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Alongside the Authors of these excellent texts (to whom we will award a certificate to
thank them for their valued collaboration) we share the satisfaction of having contributed
to spreading the knowledge of our great sport, born in the haze of myth and evolved into
modern times thanks to the overwhelming passion of strong and generous men.
We dedicate this publication, with immense gratitude, to the pioneers of weightlifting.
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March 3rd 2005, in Istanbul (Turkey), the
International Weightlifting Federation will
celebrate its centenary. The EWF has decided
to participate in this event by publishing a
special edition of its magazine, European
Weightlifter, dedicated to the history of the
8 European National Federations who have
reached 100 years. We open with a list of
the IWF Presidents each name alongside a photo.
The task of compiling the texts was assigned to 8 experts of great prestige, who in few
pages were able to recount a century of events, drawing attention to not only the Champions
and their victories and records, but also to the directors who have led those Federations
towards more coveted goals. Its gives for easy reading and will certainly be appreciated
for the immense energies the Authors spent on synthesizing, with sober yet effective
words, the many stories told and it will give all weightlifting enthusiasts a richly illustrated
historical panorama of the 8 great National Federations.
We believe the end result is very interesting and perhaps in the future with the contribution
of international experts, we will issue other publications on various themes.
Weightlifter
by
Waldemar Baszanowski and Marino Ercolani Casadei
Ewf President
Ewf General Secretary
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IWF Presidents
15.7.1912 - 06.06.1913
Provisional President:
Dr. TATICS Peter HUN
06.06.1913 - 23.08.1920
Dr. TATICS Peter HUN
23.08.1920 - 01.04.1923
ROSSET Jules FRA
01.04.1923 - 26.07.1924
LINDEN Willem J. M. NED
Dr. Tatics Peter
Rosset Jules
Linden Willem J.M.
Wortmann Dietrich
Nyberg Bruno
Johnson Clarence
Schödl Gottfried
Dr. Aján Tamás
HUN
FRA
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26.07.1924 - 07.07.1937
ROSSET Jules FRA
07.07.1937 - 13.09.1937
Provisional President:
LINDEN Willem J. M. NED
13.09.1937 - 14.07.1941
LINDEN Willem J. M. NED
14.07.1941 - 17.10.1946
vacant
NED
USA
17.10.1946 - 23.07.1952
ROSSET Jules FRA
23.07.1952 - 21.09.1952
WORTMANN Dietrich USA
21.09.1952 - 26.08.1953
Provisional President:
NYBERG Bruno FIN
FIN
USA
26.08.1953 - 06.09.1960
NYBERG Bruno FIN
06.09.1960 - 25.08.1972
JOHNSON Clarence H. USA
25.08.1972 - 08.12.2000
SCHÖDL Gottfried AUT
08.12.2000 - ...
Dr. AJÁN Tamás HUN
AUT
HUN
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The 115 Years of the
Austrian Weightlifting Federation
by Gottfried Schödl
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he beginning of strength sport activities in Austria may be traced back into the sixties
of the 19th Century. Professional strongmen displaying their athletic potential in the
circus, in market places and, most of all, in pubs of the Emperor city of Vienna gave the
motivation to a certain specialization. Whoever wished to be called the “Strongest of the
Strong” boasted his power using his own special equipment, and was busy inventing new
exercises to be able to establish world records. There were no standardized tools, rules were
not laid down, there was no distinction between bodyweight classes and, finally, an evaluation
of the performances by a qualified panel of judges was also absent. Not everything on offer
in terms of strength exercises in those pioneer times can be classified as “sport”, yet each
aristocracy, was enormous.
Although there were already a lot of clubs, the large variety of strength sport performances
were carried out without any common interests or any ties to a system or the obligation by
rules. Between 1880 and March 1890, as many as nineteen strength sport clubs were officially
registered in Vienna. Though the clubs were desirous to promote the strength athletic activities
to the rank of sport, they lacked a unified concept of what to do next. So, each club did what
its actually strongest members were performing at their best, and ideas for setting up new
world records were abundant. In those days, weightlifting was a sport without rules and an
activity of unlimited extremities. Whereas the decade of the eighties saw a dynamic
development as regards the number of clubs and membership, there was no progress in the
field of a harmonized exercise system and its evaluation according to unified rules. It became
more and more evident that a future-oriented development demanded the formulation of
targets and tasks – something that could not be accomplished by club managements and
athletes alone. The situation was crying out for a reunion of all those with an interest in
strength sports under a central controlling body. In this development stage it was Austria
that took the first step.
For the Austrian Weightlifting Federation the year 2005 should actually be a jubilee year. It
should namely celebrate its 115th anniversary. On 31st May 1890, the “Österreichische
Athleten-Bund”, founded in December 1889 in Vienna under the conduct of President Heinrich
Schlegel, was officially recognised by the Imperial and Royal Governorship. Its license
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enthusiasm. The public interest in strength performances, especially on behalf of the Viennese
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demonstration involving extraordinary power was good and celebrated with astonishing
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included concessions “for all types of strength sport activities”.
The reference to “all types of strength sport activities” was
necessary, because in addition to the actual weightlifting
exercises the practices in the clubs included wrestling, stick
or banner swinging, barrel throwing, juggling with heavy
objects and many others. On a world scale, this was the first
foundation of a national strength sport association. Nevertheless,
even in this new situation it was not yet possible to organise
the sport on a unified basis. Athletes, clubs and now even the
association were engaged in a prolonged dispute over extremely
contradictory opinions. The argument continued on an
international scale involving Germany, France and Italy. A
President
Heinrich Schlegel
whole generation of people interested in strength sports was
wasted in an irrational dispute about the possibilities how to go on best. The transition from
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power sport feats that would seem quite ridiculous today and had very little to do with sport
into a series of comparable exercises took a lengthy process. Although in the last decade of
the 19th Century world and European champion titles had been awarded and in 1896 in Athens
the first weightlifters had been celebrated as Olympic champions, the sport of weightlifting
was still in its infancy at the dawn of the 20th Century. The association, having changed its
name to “Österreichischer Athleten-Club-Verband” counted 76 Viennese clubs as its members,
at the turn of the century.
Let’s leave now the difficult phases of the foundation years and concentrate on a few interesting
details instead. During the years up to the Second World War, Austria excelled not only by
the outstanding performance of its athletes but also through the organisation of major
international competitions.
In the years 1897, 1907, 1912, 1914, 1929, 1954 and 1961 Vienna was the venue of European
Championships, and in the years 1898, 1904, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1920, 1923, 1938,
1954 and 1961 World championships were organised in the Austria capital.
In the medal statistics of the International Federation the Austrian Weightlifting Federation
recorded marvellous success with its athletes.
Olympic Games:
3 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze medals
World Championships:
32 gold, 27 silver, 34 bronze medals
Olympic Champion
Franz Andrysek
Olympic Champion
Hans Haas
European Championships:
28 gold, 27 silver, 34 bronze medals
Olympic Champion
Robert Fein
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Austrian weightlifters established
81 world records from 14th
August 1922 to 8th March 1941,
of these 43 best results in the
classical exercises of the total
consisting of press, snatch and
World Champion
Wilhelm Türk
World Champion
Josef Steinbach
World Champion
Josef Grafl
clean and jerk.
The Austrians had an increasing influence also on the conduct of international affairs by the
involvement of their officials elected to the various governing bodies:
In the IWF:
15.7.1912 – 7.6.1913
Franz Xaver Markones was member of
the Advisory Committee for the
7.6.1913 – 16.8.1915
Franz Koller was Member of the
Control Commission.
1.4.1923 – 25.7.1924
Robert Zimmermann was Member of
the Executive Committee.
1.8.1932 – 6.8.1936
Rudolf Oswald was Member of the
Executive Committee.
6.8.1936 – 15.7.1941
World Champion
Karl Swoboda
Alois Pertlicek was Member of the
Executive Committee.
17.10.1946 – 7.8.1948
Karl Mairinger was Member of the Executive Committee.
7.9.1960 – 15.10.1964
August Wunderer was Member of the Executive Committee and
Member of the Technical Committee.
15.10.1964 - 11.10.1968 Gottfried Schödl was Member of the Executive Committee.
11.10.1968 – 25.8.1972 Gottfried Schödl was Vice President.
25.8.1972 – 8.12.2000
Gottfried Schödl was president and since 8.12.2000 Honorary Life
President.
In the European Federation:
20.9.1969 – 31.12.1972 Gottfried Schödl was Founding Member, Vice President and
President of the Technical Committee.
7.7.1977
Gottfried Schödl became Honorary President.
19.10.1983 – 2.5.1987
Dr. Herbert Geisl was Member of the Medical Committee.
19.10.1983 – 13.5.1990 Karl Parth was Member of the Executive Committee.
2.5.1995 – 13.4. 1999
Gerhard Peya was Member of the Technical Committee.
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Federation.
Weightlifter
Reactivation of the International
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In the years since 1945 the Austrian weightlifting sport found itself in a new, unusual situation
when it had to recognise that its successful tradition was no more than history. It lost touch
with the international top ranks. Hopes flaired up by European champion titles of Wilhelm
Flenner (in 90kg, 1953) and Franz Hölbl (in +90kg, 1954) to be able to continue the traditions
were frustrated. Though the present generation of athletes by far exceeds the performance
standard of the old masters, respectable international positions are only rarely achieved. So,
what remains is the memory of the good old days of Austrian strength sport. However, no
matter how modestly they may perform on the international stage, Austria’s weightlifters
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will not resign, nor give up.
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The Royal Belgian Weightlifting Federation
celebrates 100 years
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by Myriam Busselot
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uring the time that one could call "the modern time", Belgium was among the first
country to take part in the foundation of a federation, which would govern, on an
international level, the showdowns in general and weightlifting in particular.
Founded in 1899, the weightlifting club of Belgium, chaired by Mister PENASI, initially ran
the sport of weights and professional fighting.
Participant, in France, with the foundation of the international federation in 1920, under the
aegis of which the weights made their appearance the same year with the Olympic Games
of Antwerp, the weightlifting club of Belgium was divided, two/three years later, under the
In the first World Championships ever, 1891 in London, the Belgian Arthur François won a
bronze medal. This bronze medal result was repeated by Gustave Empain in 1903 and Robert
Allart in the world championships of 1949. In the European championships 1949, a certain
Hugo collected a bronze medal and Robert Allart a silver.
In 1956 Willy Claes came 9th at the Olympic Games in Melbourne. In the 1960 he came 8th
at the Olympics in Rome.
In 1964 in the European championships, Serge Reding conquered his first medal, a bronze
in the total. After taking the silver medal at the European championships of 1968, he also
collected the silver medal on the Olympic Games in Mexico 1968.
In 1969 on the European Championships Reding won the gold medal while Jean-Pierre
Vanlerberghe managed to snap the silver medal in the press (he placed 4th in total). In 1969,
1970 and 1974 Serge Reding conquered the silver medal in the World championships. In
1974 he also took the bronze in the European championships.
Over the years, weightlifting greatly evolved, in particular in the movements and the categories
of weight. There were 5 movements in 1922 (snatch 1 hand - contrary push 1 hand - snatch
2 hands - developed upright and jerk).
It is in 1972, at the O.G. at Munich, the congress of the International Federation of weightlifting
decided to maintain only the snatch and the jerk.
The Royal Belgian Weightlifting Federation continues to exist by ensuring the role of official
representing of the two Community federations, the Dutch federation and the French-speaking
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league of French boxing and the Belgian federation of the weights.
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impulse of its new leaders the brothers Pierre and Antoine MAKAR. They founded the Belgian
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League federation, at the BOIC and of all sports associations with National and International
vocation.
Until 1977, the federation was almost exclusively occupied with weightlifting. It was on
November 2nd of this same year that the Royal Belgian Weightlifting Federation joined the
rows of the Countries affiliated to the International Federation of Powerlifting (IPF) and to
the European Federation of Powerlifting (EPF).
The Royal Belgian Weightlifting Federation can be regarded as a "small sport federation";
it is currently made up of 21 clubs and enters some 500 affiliated athletes (both male and
female).
We cannot overlook the role of our leaders and particularly that which Pierre WITTENBOL,
successor of brothers MAKAR to the presidency of the R.B.W.F., managed to hold. International
referee and federal trainer during many years he was named Honorary President for life to
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thank him for the hours, the days and the years that he devoted to the service of the federation.
The following succeeded Pierre WITTENBOL in the function of President: André GAHIDE,
Maurice MICHIELSENS, George FAUQUEZ, Myriam BUSSELOT and Thierry
ZUTTERMAN.
On a sporting level, the greatest ambassador of the Belgian Weightlifting is our athlete Serge
REDING.
Serge REDING, Pierre WITTENBOL discovered and involved during the first years and
under the control of André DUPONT, technical director and trainer of the French-speaking
league, Serge Reding went on to compete in the European, World and Olympic Games.
His ranking list :
Year Category
Ranking
press
snatch
jerk
Total
1964 + 90 kg
3 in the European Championships
152.5
127.5
172.5
452.5
1968 + 90 kg
2 in the European Championships
182.5
140.0
205.0
527.5
1968 + 90 kg
2 in the Olympic games
195.0
147.5
212.5
555.0
1969 + 110 kg
European Champion
202.5
152.5
215.0
570.0
1969 + 110 kg
2 in the World Championships
202.5
152.5
215.0
570.0
1970 + 110 kg
2 in the World Championships
215.0
160.0
215.0
590.0
1974 + 110 kg
3 in the European Championships
175.0
225.0
400.0
1974 + 110 kg
2 in the World Championships
170.0
220.0
390.0
Serge collected 21 medals. He also obtained the national trophy of the Belgian sporting merit
in 1969.
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World Records
Year
Place
Press
Personal performances
Snatch
1970 Herbeumont 215.0
Jerk
222.0
1970 Zwevegem 218.5
1970
La Roche
1971
Lima
1973
Brussels
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Press : 228 kg
Snatch : 182.5 kg
226.5
228.0
Jerk : 235 kg
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Total 2 movements : 412.5 kg
182.5
In 1970, at Herbeumont (Belgium), Serge beat the record of the total, but it was not approved
because ALEXEEV would have beaten it a few minutes before!!!
Many people are convinced that Serge Reding, the incredibly massive Belgian weightlifter,
was physically capable of beating Alexeyev. He broke several of Alexeyev's records in minor
contests and many felt he would be the next champion. But every time he went head to head
"administrators", trainers, referees or they show the devotion and altruism throughout the
years quite simply because they like weightlifting.
Serge Reding
We noticed that many weightlifters are still
talking about Serge Reding, but it seems to be
rather difficult to find websites about this legend.
Many older weightlifters in the world can tell
great stories about him, but where else than in
Belgium can you find so many former colleague
lifters and fans.
Name: Serge REDING
Date of Birth: 23/12/1941 in Auderghem
Died: 28/6/1975 in Manila (Philippines)
at the age of 34
Occupation: Librarian in the national library
Category: Super heavy weight.
His bodyweight went up to +140 kg!
Height: 172 cm (5' 8")
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The leaders of the Royal Belgian Weightlifting Federation are all voluntary. They are
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against Alexeyev he seemed to choke and failed to duplicate his record lifts.
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Demeure Françoise
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Principal Belgian Weightlifters during the time – 1945 at our days
ALLARD Robert
CLAES Willy
BW
Year European Championships
World Championships
82.5
1949 Silver in Senior
Bronze senior
BW
Year
O.G.
82.5 kg 1956
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DEMEURE Françoise BW
Year European Championships
World Championships
67.5 kg 1992 4 junior + bronze for jerk
70 kg
1993 Junior Bronze
1994 Junior Bronze+silver for jerk
GOEGEBUER Tom
1997 6 senior
10 senior
69 kg
1998 10 senior
10 senior
BW
Year European Championships
World Championships
62 kg
1999 9 senior
4 participations
2001 9 senior
2002 5 senior
2003 10 senior
2004 5 senior
VAN LERBERGHE
BW
Year European Championships
World Championships
Jean-Pierre
90 kg
1969
4 senior
1970
Silver for press
Year European Championships
World Championships
ZUTTERMAN Thierry BW
82.5 kg 1964 6 senior
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A Concise History of Weightlifting in the Czech
Republic and Czechoslovakia
by
Jaromír Vítek, Karel Prohl and Petr Krol,
members of the CWA Executive Board
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from the IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch
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he present Czech Republic has passed through some changes since the public started
to go in for sports. At the beginning, Czechland (i.e. Bohemia and Moravia) belonged
to the Austrian-Hungarian Empire as a part of that multinational realm. After the breakdown
of the Empire (after the World War I in 1918) a new country - Czechoslovakia was established.
The country was made up of two main nations – Czechs and Slovaks and minorities like
German (the biggest), Hungarian and few others.
World War II interrupted the entity of Czechoslovakia in 1939, when Slovakia became
a separate country. After the end of war in 1945, Czechoslovakia arose again and lasted until
the second separation on January 1st, 1993. The reader is kindly asked to take these facts into
consideration whilst reading the following script.
The beginning of organized sport, or physical training activities was the 16th February
1862. Dr Miroslav Tyrs was the founder of a sport club “Sokol prazsky” (Prague Falcon).
Eight other affiliated branches were founded in various locations in the same year. The further
development was rapid – there were 25 registered clubs in 1865 and as many as 131 in 1871.
A schedule of exercises was drafted for eight weeks term in March 1862. The draft included
the time devoted to gym and individual exercises. A surprisingly big part involved barbell
exercises and wrestling. Both of them were included in “Heavy Athletics”.
Dr. Tyrs distributed weightlifting into three categories:
1. dumb-bells exercises
2. burdens – lifting of heavy barbells
3. resistances – rope pulling and force development
The first definition of barbell, formulated by
SOKOL coaches has been saved since those days: “a
barbell consists of two iron shots provided by square
holes, connected with a wooden handle”.
After the death of Dr. Tyrs in 1884, the new leader
decided to prefer physical training to sports. Some
officials came out against the efforts to reach top
performances in particular sport branches and requested
development of harmonic stature in a balance with mind
1985 - Bedrich Poula receives the Olympic collar
in the antic sense and emphasized patriotism.
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The development of particular sports, like cycling, fencing, soccer, lawn-tennis started after
the year 1885. The Czech Olympic Committee was founded, under the guidance of Dr. Jirí
Guth-Jarkovsky. The Czech Amateur Athletic Union (C.A.A.U.) comprising beyond track
and field, swimming, fencing, soccer, yachting and, of course, heavy athletics, were established
on the 8th May 1897. Heavy athletics included weightlifting, wrestling, boxing, rope pulling
and throws, which are now a part of track and field.
The milestone of weightlifting was the year 1893, when the self-sustaining Heavy Athletic
Union, outside SOKOL, was created by two outstanding heavy athletes Josef Balej (18641906) and Fridolin Hoyer (1868-1941). Both of them practiced various tough-guy exhibitions.
The latter was a promoter of a Sports Institute at the famous Prague downtown Wenceslas
Square (Václavské námestí) on the 4th September 1908. He became the first professional
coach in Czechland and was definitely one of the first persons, who ran a business in this
field. This school offered the participants luxury not common in those days, like electric
lights, showers with hot and cold water, individual boxes for changing clothes. There were
two mottoes formulated by Mr. Hoyer: “Strong volition will find strength for whatever” and
“Permanent calm is an enemy of health”. Hoyer´s
Institute was the only one for a long time not only in
Czechland, but in the whole Austrian-Hungarian Empire
as well. Mr. Hoyer educated athletes also in other sports.
His physical education was used by police, military
police, army officers and other members of armed
forces.
The weightlifting training was certainly completely
different in comparison to the present training courses.
Weightlifting exhibitions evoked more a variety show
than a sport contest.
Human pyramids, bridges, antique groups, roundabouts
were very attractive items of the programme. Barbells
were iron, stone, concrete made buckets, bags filled
with sand. The bar was not rotating, of course. There
Skobla Jaroslav
was no limit given to fantasy in this sense. Mostly
persistency was desired. Body weight was unlimited. The strong men of those days made
challenges to the spectators. One hand lifts were common. Some lifts were carried out by
one, or a few fingers only. Two hand press, snatch and clean and jerk were a part of this system
too.
That style penetrated into more developed countries, like England, France, Germany and,
first of all Austria, which was the same country, into the Czech region.
At the turn of the century present-day weightlifting was introduced. After that, the rules
and training system changed considerably. International contests were developed. Prague
was the host of famous foreign lifters, first of all from Germany and Austria. Let us recall a
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few names, like Karl Swoboda, Georg Hackenschmied,
Jakub Koch, Josef Grafl, Wilheml Türk and others.
The oldest clubs were C.K.S. Karlín (1885), A.C.
Praha (1890), C.A.C. Královské Vinohrady (1893), S.K.
Slávia (1894), A.C. Sparta Praha (1895) and A.C. Plzen
(1985). Czech Athletic Club, established in Brno in 1987,
is remarkable for a famous athlete, Gustav Fristensky,
who was well known abroad as well. Only C.A.K.
Královské Vinohrady, under the name Bohemians Praha,
and Athletic Club Zizka Plzen as Slavoj Plzen exist up
to the present day. All the other clubs of those days ceased.
The first recorded weightlifting contest, where the
Czech Champion was decorated took place on the 22nd
July 1894 in Prague. Josef Soukup was the winner. He
Zdrazila Hans
was born in 1869, butcher by profession and worked at
an abattoir. He was the strongest man in Czechland and contributed greatly to weightlifting
development. He was able to kill an ox by one hand stroke. He jerked 145 kg, 104 kg one
arm jerk. Mr. Soukup was recorded as the Czech Champion in 1893 already. Since that date,
the Czech Championships have taken place every year. More than 1200 Czech Champions
are registered in record lists, naturally in the mentioned periods 1918-1939 and 1945-1992
Czechoslovak Champions. Since 1955 the youngsters up to 18 years category have appeared.
Some further age distribution among youngster, has been made later on, starting on the
international level with World Junior (up to 20 years) Championships in 1975. Eventually,
the master’s category was set up. Now, lifters have an opportunity to compete their whole
life.
Czech Masters have achieved great success on the international scene since the category
has been introduced internationally. In connection to this, we would like to mention first of
all one name – Karel Saitl (born 1924). He was a member of the Czechoslovak National
Weightlifting Team many years ago, but did not stopped his activities after retirement from
the National Team and has been competing ever since. He celebrated his 80th birthday in
2004 and 60 years of active weightlifting. He received the title of longest lifting athlete at
this occasion. He was 15 times Czechoslovak Champion and 35 times Champion in Masters
Category. Some others, having been Czech representatives in the past too, are still taking part
in Masters events both on European and International level. The most famous names are Karel
Prohl, Oldrich Lexa, Jan Hellebrant. Women Masters do not lag behind and regularly win
World and European Masters medals as well. Two lifters were ranked into the International
Hall of Fame – Karel Saitl and Oldrich Lexa, as well as Miloslav Gliz in the category of
officials.
International activities are very important in every country and Czech lifters displayed
remarkable achievements too. The first attendance of our lifter in a European Championship
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was recorded in 1909 in Dresden. Adolf Welz won the bronze medal in Total for 244 kg (three
lifts – one hand snatch, two hands press and jerk). Vaclav Becvar was the first European
Champion in 1933 Essen with 552,5 kg in Total (five exercises). The Total consisted of left
hand and right hand snatches, press, snatch and both hands clean and jerk).
The first attendance on World Championships is dated in 1904 Vienna, where Josef Ludvik
took the seventh place, regardless bodyweight. The first World Championships medal was
fought out by Bohumil Durdis in 1923 Vienna in the body weight category up to 67,5 kg.
Jaroslav Skobla won gold on the same Championship in the category up to 82,5 kg.
The first attendance of a Czech lifter on Olympic Games was dated in 1920 Antverpen
(Ludvik Wagner). We had to wait for the first Olympic medal for four years more. Bohumil
Durdis got bronze in the 67,5 kg category in Paris 1924.
Naturally the Olympic Games are the most appreciated event, of course. There were three
Olympic Champions from our country, i.e. Jaroslav Skobla in Los Angeles 1932 (category
+82,5 kg), Hans Zdrazila in Tokyo 1964 (category up to 75 kg) and Otto Zaremba in Moscow
1980 (category up to 100 kg). Two Silver medals were conquered by Vaclav Psenicka (1932
Los Angeles and 1936 in Berlin) and three Bronze, beyond the mentioned Durdis again Skobla
(1928 Amsterdam) and Dusan Poliacik (1980 Moscow). In the IWF ranking in Olympic
Medals distribution, our Association takes the sixteenth place among all IWF member countries.
A picture of the level of Czech Weightlifting can be found in the number of World Records
broken by Czech athletes. Hans Zdrazila was the World Record holder in Clean& Jerk three
times in the Category up to 75 kg (in 1963-1964), Vaclav Psenicka senior twice in Snatch up
to 82,5 kg (in 1928) and Otto Zaremba four times – twice in Snatch and twice in Total up to
100 kg (1981).
Among Juniors, Rudolf Strejcek broke the World Record in Snatch in the cat. 100 kg in
1970, Pavel Khek in Snatch in the +110 kg in 1976 and Jiri
Zubricky in Clean & Jerk in the same category in 1984.
Beside these World Records some other top world
performances were reached, but not officially recognized.
The medals in World Championships comprises three
gold, three silver and fifteen bronze in Total, connected with
the names Anton Baraniak, Vaclav Becvar, Bohuslav Braum,
Milos Ciernik, Bohumil Durdis, Bruno Matykiewicz, Dusan
Poliacik, Karel Prohl, Karel Saitl, Otto Zaremba, Hans Zdrazila
and Jiri Zubricky (in alphabetic order). Furthermore, two gold,
eleven silver and twenty-four bronze medals in individual
lifts were acquired, with a contribution of two more athletes
– Jan Nagy and Lubomir Vymazal.
Two juniors became World Champions in Total – Jiri
Zubricky (+110kg) in 1984 and Petr Hudecek (up to 110 kg)
in 1985. Milos Ciernik got Silver, and five lifters got Bronze
Otto Zaremba
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– Vladimir Bolom, Jaroslav Jokel, Roman Polom, Jaroslav
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Two Gold Medals, nine Silver (also Pavel Khek) and
twelve Bronze Medal in individual lifts have to be added
to the final result, thanks to some other lifters like Pavel
Chvojka, Marian Ciernik, Ladislav Kovacs, Imrich
Rusnyak, Ondrej Rusnyak, Petr Solar and Oldrich Sobotka
as well.
The history of women weightlifting is considerably
shorter. Therefore, it does not contain as many names as
the men statistics. Still Czech women reached some
remarkable results. Sona Vasickova was the first successful
woman having got Silver Medal in the +75 kg Category
Radka Sevcikova
in 1991. Radka Sevcikova won, to some surprise of many
weightlifting experts, the title of European Champion in Total (up to 75 kg) in 1999. Veronika
Buronova was the most successful woman junior lifter, when she got bronze medals in the
category up to 63 kg in 1998.
Naturally, a number of coaches in the mentioned successes must be presented too. The
coaches of National Weightlifting Team were chronologically: Josef Balej, Fridolin Hoyer,
Antonin Bina, J.A. Pipal, Vaclav Zverina, Frantisek Kopriva, Slava Sindelar, Rudolf Urban,
Jaroslav Kulhanek, Frantisek Mensik, Josef Matejcek, Artur Jezek, Josef Sofron, Josef Hantych,
Bedrich Poula, Vaclav Peterka, Antonin Dresl (men and women), Emil Brzoska, Karel Duspiva,
Frantisek Skarda, Jan Vondrak, Jiri Vodrazka, Miroslav Kozel (women) and Miroslav Vrbka.
Some of them were outstanding lifters too and affected the course of Czech Weightlifting
from others positions as well. Let us emphasize two of them at least. Antonin Dresl was the
National Coach in the period 1963-1978. He contributed considerably in developing the
methodology and structure of weightlifting training. Emil Brzoska was his successor in 1979
– 1988 and one of the main creators of Czechoslovak successes in Weightlifting in the eighties.
Referees cannot be neglected in any sport. The Czech weightlifting referees have been
working since the beginning of Olympic Weightlifting and appreciated internationally, taking
part on European and World Championships at various positions, including Juries.
Eventually, every organization needs a leader, who steers the boat on the water level. The
Czech Weightlifting Association is controlled by its Executive Board, having 9 members,
elected every four years on the National Congress. It has a broad extent of duties – organizing
of contests for all age categories, development of weightlifting, providing financial conditions,
education of athletes, coaches, etc. The Presidents of Czech (or Czechoslovak) Weightlifting
Federation were, again in a chronological sequence: Frantisek Maly, Rudolf Schindler, Antonin
Fric, Antonin Bina, Vaclav Zverina, Frantisek Mensik, Josef Matejcek, Josef Hantych, Jaroslav
Hasek, Frantisek John, Bedrich Poula, Jaromir Vitek, Petr Hron, Ladislav Adamec, Frantisek
Skarda, Vaclav Zazvorka and Emil Brzoska. You might notice some names also in the foregoing
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part.
Internationally, the Czech Weightlifting has been well known owing to many official
activities – organizing tournaments, matches and, last but not least, World and European
Championships. It was since 1913 (European Championships in Brno) until 2002 twelve
World and/or European Championships men, women and juniors, respectively. Out of those,
three European Masters Championships were organized in the Czech Republic.
The memberships within the IWF began on the 15th July 1912 (under the name Bohemia).
Only seven national weightlifting federations had affiliated earlier. On the 23rd August 1920,
the Czechoslovak Weightlifting Federation was registered (with ten other national federations).
The name Rudolf Schindler from Bohemia can be noticed among the first IWF Officials on
the 6th June 1913. Mr. Schindler disappeared in 1920 from the list. After an eight year
interruption, Josef Purckner was elected as a Bureau Member.
He was substituted by Frantisek Mensik, who was elected as Vice-President in 1932.
After an interruption caused by war years, he came back in 1946 and remained as a highly
appreciated personality until 1956. In this year Bedrich Poula was elected a Bureau Member
and took the position of Vice-President in 1968. He remained there until 1984, when he left
the IWF Executive Board and was nominated IWF Honorary Vice-President. In the period
1971 – 1980 he chaired the Technical Committee.
Bedrich Poula was one of the founders of the European Weightlifting Federation in 1969
and became the EWF Vice-President too. Karol Wiener and Jaroslav Cech from Czechoslovakia
were helpful to him during the EWF foundation. They worked in the EWF Medical and
Auditors Commission respectively. Bedrich Poula was active as the Vice-President till 1977
and was nominated the EWF Honorary Life Vice-President this year. He prepared his successor
Jaromir Vitek for the international activities, who was elected EWF Executive Board Member
in the same year. Jaromir Vitek was an EWF Executive Board member till 1991, when he
decided not to run for an EWF position anymore. He
was nominated EWF Honorary Member along with
Karol Wiener.
At present two Czech officials are active in the
EWF. For many years, Jiri Michl has been a medical
Committee Member, who is known as a frequent
“Doctor on Duty” at many European and World
Championships. Petr Krol, former outstanding lifter,
was elected Technical Committee Member at the last
EWF Electional Congress.
Jaromir Vitek, for the first time, was elected IWF
Executive Board Member in 1984 in Los Angeles. He
has been working in the same position till now, during
the last term as the IWF Legal Commission chairman.
The only exception was the period 1996 – 2000, when
Jaromir Vitek
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G E R M A N Y
1896 kicks off with the victory of Hans Beck.
113 years since the foundation of the first German Federation
by Hilmar Burger
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hirtenn years ago, in 1991, Germany celebrated its first anniversary of “100 years
of weightlifting”. Two international events took place in that year: the Senior World
Championships in Donaueschingen, the first Championships with men and women competing
together and the Junior World Championships in Wolmirstedt.
A century ago, on 6th June 1891 in Duisburg, one of the first national sporting federations
of heavy athletics in the world was founded - the Deutschen Athleten-Verband (DAV). In
as a consequence of the Second World War, sparked off a parallel development of German
weightlifting. The Deutsche Athleten-Bund (DAB) was founded on 23rd October 1949 in
the Federal Republic and on 4/5th June 1969 in Bremen, the German Federal Federation of
Weightlifting (BVDG) was established. Meanwhile in East Germany in 1958, the Federation
of German Weightlifting in the DDR (DGV) was set up which in 1990 then changed its name
to the Deutscher Verband für Gewichtheber und Fitness
(DVGF). There were some similarities in the early
years, for example the Pangermanic championships
of the 50’s and the qualifying event for the Olympic
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team of the whole of Germany in 1956, 1960 and 1964.
After the reunification, the BVDG, that celebrated 35
years of activity in 2004, became the Weightlifting
Federation for a united Germany.
The centenary in 1991 was an occasion to look back
on a glorious past including the success of athletes
such as Olympic Champion Kurt Helbig (1928), Josef
Straßberger (1928), Rudolf Ismayr (1932), Josef
Manger (1936), Karl-Heinz Radschinsky (1984), Rolf
Milser (1984) and Joachim Kunz (1988).
young Ronny Weller followed in their footsteps. In
2000 Weller was named the best weightlifter of the
century. Six time World Champion, Milser will go
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1919 it was changed to the Deutsche Athleten Sportverband (DASV). The division of Germany
Helbing Kurt
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down in history. Other German World Champions were:
Nikolaus Winkler, Otto Walther, Heinrich Schneidereit,
Johann Zebrowsky, Hans Fromberger, Heinrich Rondi, Eugen
Ruland, Hans Abraham, Alfred Anschütz, Rudolf Thamme,
Albert Meyer, Wilhelm Köhler, Eugen Wiedemann, Philip
List, Josef Straßberger, Karl Mörke, Georg Liebsch, Josef
Manger, Adolf Wagner, Stefan Grützner, Helmut Losch,
Rainer Dörrzapf, Peter Wenzel, Jürgen Heuser, Rudolf Mang,
Gerd Bonk, Jürgen Hesuer, Franklin Zielecke, Jürgen Ciezki,
Karl-Heinz Radschinsky, Michael Hennig, Andreas Letz,
Andreas Behm. Joachim Kunz, Senno Salzwedel, Manfred
Nerlinger, Ronny Weller, Marc Huster, Ingo Steinhöfel and
Josef Strassberger
Oliver Caruso.
Weightlifter
members of the International and European Federations
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In 1991 in Donaueschingen, the work of the German
the Germans currently represented in these organs.
was much appreciated. They included August Köttgen,
Albert Stolz, Franz Veltum, Richard Preuß, Ernst August
Kampmann, Josef Hergl, Otto Schumann, Wolfgang, Peter,
Hans-Günter Hofmeister, Kurt Wegmann, Dr. Bernd Dörr,
Harry Roewer, Prof. Dr. Edgar Weidner, Herbert Ehrbar
and others. Claus Umbach, the President of the German
Weightlifting Federal Federation BVDG and of the German
Athletic League DAB, holds the highest position amongst
Ismayr Rudolf
The 1991 World Championships were held in Germany
and on that occasion the international events of great
importance which took place in the country were
remembered: The 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, the 1972
edition in Munich; the World Championships in 1905 in
Berlin and Duisburg, the 1907 edition in Frankfurt/M, 1910
in Düsseldorf, 1911 in Stoccarda, Berlin and Dresden, 1913
in Breslau, 1955 in Munich, 1966 in Berlin, the 1972
Olympic Games in Munich and the 1977 edition in Stuttgart.
In 1991 the Senior World Championships took place in
Donaueschingen and the Junior World Championships were
Manger Josef
held in Wolmirstedt.
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In 1909, the first European Championships were held
in Dresda. Following that edition, Lipsia (1911),
Offenbach (1921), Neunkirchen (1924), Munich (1930),
Essen (1933), Munich (1955), Berlin (1966), Berlin
(1976), Karl-Marx-Stadt (1986) and Riesa (1998). It is
also to be said that Germany has committed itself to the
development to international events such as the BalticCup tournament, the Donau Cup and the European Union
Championships, the Blue Sword Cup in Meißen and the
world famou “Kalikristall” Juniors in Wolmirstedt.
However, there have been other important events in the
history of German and International weightlifting. In the
Huster Marc
beginning only men were the stars of this story. The first
Champion was Nikolaus Winkler from Dortmund, winner
in Berlin in 1905. Regarding the first titles of European
and World Championships, the Germans can shout victory
in the first edition of 1896 in Rotterdam thanks to Hans
Beck from Landshut. For the DDR, Joachim Kunz from
the then-called Karl-Marx-Stadt won the first Olympic
gold in Seoul 1988. He was also the first German World
Champion in 1977 in the World Juniors and Europeans.
The first World Champion for the DDR was in 1971 in
Lima – Stefan Grützner from Chemnitz who is now a
coach. Karl Arnold won the title of first European
Hilser Rolf
Champion for the DDR in Szombathely in 1970.
In 1984 in Los Angeles, Karl-Heinz Radschinsky
from Langen became the first Olympic
Champion of Federal Germany. The first title
of World Champion for the BRD was won in
Munich 1972 by Rainer Dörrzapf from
Mutterstadt. In 1970, Rudolf Mang from
Bellenberg became the first European
Champion. In 1991 in Kosice, Swen Schneider
from Chemnitz won the first gold medal for
Germany in the Under 16 European Champions.
Radschinsky Karl Heinz
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Amsterdam by Kurt Helbig from Plauen. The first World
Weightlifter
Olympic gold medal in weightlifting was won in 1928 in
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From the 1990’s women began to participate on the
successful international scene of German weightlifting.
In 1998, Berlin athlete, Monique Riesterer originally
from Lörrach won the title of Senior European Female
Champion in Riesa. Kalmar in 2001 was the scene of
the European Juniors, won by Maleike Schäfer from
Neulussheim. In La Coruna in 1998, Nicole Trux from
Pfungstadt was the first German to win the title at the
Girls Under 16 European Championships.
The last decade has been the “golden age” for Germany.
Since 1992, under the
Mantek, bronze medallist for the DDR in 1980, there
Weller Ronny
has been a string of successes. It is a period that has
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brought the BVDG more than 100 international medals.
Led by the new Executive Committee with President Claus Umbach, the BVDG has made
great process in the development of the Federation. In the electoral congress held in November
2004, they presented a weightlifting Federation with a new look to the future and the following
key points:
- The Stabilisation and Development of the Federations
and clubs;
- The encouragement to compete in all sectors with the
aim of obtaining international success;
- The establishment of a “strong skills centre”;
- More professional management and federation
structures;
- Anti-doping struggle, both national and international;
- Improvement of the image and attraction of
weightlifting.
Prof. Claus Umbach - President BVDG
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he history of Weightlifting in Great Britain, as
with many European countries goes back into
antiquity and initially centred around the lifting of Stones
and other awkward objects. Stone lifting in particular
occurred in many countries, but in Britain the most famous
example was the lifting of the Dinner Stones.
Many other lifting and strength feats were displayed in
circuses and music halls. The famous Italian performer
Atilla, Donald Dinnie and Eugenn Sandow as being
responsible for the birth of weightlifting, and weight
training for physical excellence, in Britain.
In the early days of the mid-nineteenth century many
dubious claims were made as to the weights lifted.
Equipment was designed to be difficult to lift and suspect.
Launceston Elliot
Each individual Strongman had his own “knack” of lifting
such objects and would issue challenges and wagers to
the public to try to emulate his powers. Most general
weightlifting and training however took place in
gymnastics clubs and there was also a close association
with the sport of wrestling.
On March 28th 1891, an International Competition was
held at the Café Monica in London. The lifts were made
with dumb-bells at fixed weights and mainly for
repetitions. Seven competitors from Europe took part and
at the end of the event Edward Lawrence Levy was
declared Champion. The Athlete Institute of London, the
organising body, awarded a Certificate of Merit to “Edward
Lawrence Levy, Amateur Champion Weight Lifter of the
Lawrence Levy
World”. For many years there were doubts that this first
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strongmen and we must look to such men as Prof. Louis
Weightlifter
Felice Napoli, born in 1820, greatly influenced British
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International Competition was a true World
Championships, but it is now accepted as being so.
In 1896 in the first Olympic Games of the modern
era, Launceston Elliot won the first place medal
(silver at that time) for the one handed lift and second
place medal (bronze) for the two handed lift.
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Championships was made in 1902 but this failed
when only one foreign lifter competed and so it was
declared a British event. There were many great
strongmen of the period and also disputes and
troubles between them. The great Szalay, lost legal
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Jimmy Haliday
battles with Sandow over pupils and equipment.
Szalay, though Hungarian, can be described as the
Father of British Weightlifting. He was a great trainer, formulator of rules, the introducer of
body weight categories into the sport and founder of a Weightlifting Association.
Much of British Weightlifting was tied into other sports at the time. Launceston Elliot was
a member of the Birmingham Club and took part in other athletic events in which he competed
in the 1986 Olympic Games. An independent Association was formed by Prof. Szalay in
1901 called the British Weight Lifters Association and later in that year the name was changed
to the British Amateur Weight Lifters’ Association to make a clear distinction between the
amateur sportsman and the professional exhibitions to be seen in circuses and music halls.
Even so, their first Association had strong
links with physique contests and wrestling
and it was really little more than a club. This
Association did not properly function after
1904 but reformed in 1910. The B.W.L.A.
was formed in 1910 for the express purpose
of banding all amateur weight lifters into a
united self-governing body. This step was
rendered necessary owing to the chaotic
conditions, which had arisen in the “World
of Weights” by the reason of false and
exaggerated claims made by certain sections
of the Weight Lifting fraternity (B.W.L.A.
handbook 1957).
D. Mercer
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These early days saw the birth of a sport with firm
rules and regulations and a determination to
overcome the wild claims made by many of the
professional performers. Similar developments were
taking place in Europe and America. The sport was
beginning to take on a truly international place in
World and Olympic sport.
After the First World War interest in weightlifting
in Britain declined and the standards were poor but
with the sport coming back into the Olympic Games,
Britain sent a team to Paris in 1924. Our results were
not good the best, seventh place being achieved by
Martin Louis
World record on the snatch and came second to the great German lifter Manger in the 1935
European Championships.
At the 1948 Olympic Games in London, Britain won Silver and bronze medals for Julian
Creaus and Jimmy Haliday respectively. In the late 1950’s Louis Martin came to Great
Britain. He was undoubtedly our greatest ever lifter. He had started as a body builder and
was encouraged to take up weightlifting. In 1959,
coached by Oscar State, he won his first World
title beating the famous Russian Arkardi Vorobyev.
He won four World and European titles and silver
and bronze Olympic medals and held several World
records. He is also an intellectual and lover of
poetry and music. With him, at the time, were
several other very good lifters including Precious
McKenzie, who came to Britain from South Africa.
The 1960’s were a very positive time for British
Weightlifting.
Oscar State OBE had become secretary of the FIHC
(now the IWF) in the 1950’s following the successful
organisation of Weightlifting at the 1948 Olympic
Wally Holland
1987-1999 EWF President
Games in London. He was assisted at the time by
Dave Harfield. Earlier, as British secretary, he had
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until the mid thirties that we again produced a lifter of real merit. Ronald Walker held the
Weightlifter
Alf Baxter in the featherweight division. It was not
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appointed Al Murray to be National Coach. Al developed
technical coaching methods based on mechanics and
scientific principles of overload. He had great influence
in the development of weightlifting coaching worldwide
and was in much demand to run clinics abroad. In addition
to British lifters he coached the Irani Namdjou and the
Canadian Doug Hepburn to World titles.
Oscar brought many innovations to International
competitions. He organised World Championships
superbly announcing every lifter in their own language.
He organised Coaching Conferences, International
Coaching Clinics, Referees Clinics and published
Newsletters and the World Ranking lists. He employed
coaches to visit many countries to bring up to date
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David Morgan
coaching techniques and methods to support their
systems. Alexandr Falamyev and I visited several European countries at this time. He was
succeeded by Tamas Ajan at the I.W.F. Congress in Montreal Olympic Games in 1976.
Wally Holland became President of the European Federation in the 1980’s, a post he held
for several years and brought his own special innovations and enthusiasm to European
Weightlifting.
Weightlifting in Great Britain has come a long way since the early days and has had influence
on the sport in many ways worldwide. Our own standards have varied from time to time. In
the 1980’s and early 90’s our women Weight Lifters did very well in pioneering their sport,
achieving first class results in World and European competitions ad did David Morgan and
Dean Willey in particular. At present our leading
lifter is Michaela Breeze who competed in the Athens
Olympic Games with credit. It is, however, very
difficult to support our lifters as they deserve. I am
sure that many of you reading this have the same
problems as we encounter in Great Britain, of
financial restraints on what is a minority sport in
many European countries, limiting its development.
However, our enthusiasm for a wonderful sport
remains and Great Britain is proud to have made a
contribution from the earliest beginning to the present
time and will continue to support our weightlifting
family to the best of our ability.
Michaela Breeze
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The Italian Federation
founded in Milan, January 18th 1902
by Livio Toschi
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he Marquis Luigi Monticelli Obizzi in 1890 founded
the Club Atletico Milanese, which soon became the
most renowned weightlifting society in Italy. A very young
Monticelli, was a successful swimmer, gymnast, fencer and
canoeist. At the age of 20, whilst undertaking naval studies
in Genoa, he began to train with weights and in 1885, having
returned to Milan, he enrolled in the Forza e Coraggio. Later,
during his frequent trips abroad, he also took up French boxing
(savate). In 1896 he came 2nd in an International competition
in Amsterdam behind the German Johannes Schneider, who
weighed 113 kg against Monticelli’s 71 kg. In the Italian
The Marquis
Weightlifting Championships he came 3rd in 1897 and 1900,
Luigi Monticelli Obizzi (1863-1946)
2nd in 1901 and 1902.
On the initiative of the Marquis, on May 2nd 1897 the first National Championship was disputed
in Milan, with a single category: the winner was Enrico Scuri from Pavia, who won 5 titles
and one second place ranking in six years, defeated only by the Roman Stanislao Ruggeri in
1900. Scuri’s last success was in 1902 in his hometown, where he beat Monticelli.
The categories then became three, as well as the “absolute” title, beginning from the 1907
Championship: light weights, up to 70 kg; medium weights, up to 80 kg; heavy weights, above
80 kg. This innovation obviously brought about a considerable increase in the number of competitors.
On April 4th 1899, the first International weightlifting competition in Italy (3rd World Championship
according to IWF) was held in the Dal Verme theatre in Milan.
It was organised by the Club Atletico Milanese, sponsored by
La Gazzetta dello Sport, and won by the Cossack Sergei Elisseev
ahead of German Johannes Rödl and our own Scuri.
In 1902 Monticelli Obizzi believed that the moment had come
for weightlifting and Graeco-Roman wrestling to break away
from the Gymnastic Federation and to set up an independent
body. Supported by Aristide Muggiani and Cesare Viganò,
on January 18th, the Federazione Atletica Italiana was founded
in Milan and Obizzi was the effective President up to March
1911 and Honorary President from December 1911.
His successors were Mario Cermenati from 1911 to 1913 (seat
Enrico Scuri (1868-1935)
in Rome), Silvio Brigatti from 1913 to 1915 (seat in Milan),
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Luigi Silvio Ugo from 1915 to 1925 (seat in
Genoa), Antonio Turri, Pietro Locatelli and Luigi
Torretta from 1925 to 1927 (seat in Milan). In 1929,
under the presidency of Augusto Turati, the seat
was transferred definitively to Rome. The following
were the Presidents of the Federation: Riccardo
Barisonzo from 1930 to 1941, Giovanni Valente
from 1941 to 1943, Giorgio Giubilo from 1946 to
Scuri’s barbell
1952, Valente once again from 1952 to 1964, Carlo
Zanelli from 1967 to 1981, and then Matteo Pellicone was elected.
The Federation concentrated on weightlifting, Graeco-Roman wrestling, catch-as-catch-can,
judo and karate, and it changed its name various times: in 1933 it became Federazione Italiana
Atletica Pesante (FIAP), in 1974 Federazione Italiana Lotta Pesi Judo (FILPJ), in 1994
Federazione Italiana Lotta Pesi Judo Karate (FILPJK). In 2000 it split to become Federazione
Italiana Judo Lotta Karate e Arti Marziali (FIJLKAM), presided by Pellicone, and Federazione
Italiana Pesistica e Cultura Fisica (FIPCF), presided by Andrea Umili. We will obviously
limit our story to the events that concern weightlifting, dividing it into two parts: before and
after the Second World War.
***
Up to the Second World War
Italian Championships
The first National Championship of the FAI up until the Great War was held in Pavia in May
1902, in Milan in 1903, 1906, 1907, 1909 and 1914, in Turin in 1904, in Verona in 1910, in
Genoa in 1913, in Rome - the only non-Northern city - in 1908 and 1911.
From 1897 to 1943, also including the 5 prior to the founding of the FAI, a total of 40 National
Championships were disputed. The fire fighter Carlo Galimberti won 18 consecutive titles
from 1921 to 1939, the year in which he tragically died whilst fulfilling his duty.
In Milan on July 1st 1934 the first Italian Team Championship took place and the winners
were the G.S. Fire fighters of Milan. Up until 1943 a total of 9 Championships were disputed,
all won by Milan teams.
National Team
On November 6th 1921 the Veloce Club in Milan saw the first
International weightlifting event of the National Team, who was
forced to succumb to the strong Swiss Team (but we had our revenge
in the return on December 18th 1926 in Genoa). The third encounter
in this period was disputed on April 5th 1935 in Paris against France,
who defeated us outright. On March 5th 1938 in Geneva and on
June 7th 1942 in Pavia our National Team claimed two victories
over the Swiss.
The FAI crest
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European and World Championships
Italy took part in the European Championships in 1930, 1931, 1933 and 1934. In 1934 Genoa
hosted the continental event (on November 10th and 11th, Giardino d’Italia theatre), in which
33 athletes from 9 nations participated. Apart from a prestigious organisational success, we also
clinched the title in the featherweight thanks to Attilio Bescapè, a 4th place with Galimberti and
5th place with Gabetti.
Bescapè (2nd) and Berretta (6th) represented Italy in the 1938 World Championship in Vienna.
Olympic Games
At the “intermediate” Games in Athens in 1906 Tullio
Camillotti, from the Associazione Ginnastica of Padova,
participated in the weightlifting event (28 athletes from 10
nations), coming 2nd behind the Austrian athlete Joseph
Steinbach.
Excluded from the 1908 and 1912 Olympics, weightlifting
was once again present with 5 categories in the 1920 Antwerp
edition: 53 athletes from 14 nations competing. Our 5 lifters
had resounding success: Filippo Bottino won gold in the
heavyweight, Pietro Bianchi silver in the middleweight, Carlo
Gatti (featherweight) and Giulio Monti (lightweight) came
fourth, Gino Mattiello (middle-heavyweight) came fifth. The
Tullio Camillotti (1880-1958)
competition was made up of three exercises: snatch with one
arm, clean and jerk with one arm and with both arms. Italy
received a prestigious acknowledgement when Luigi Silvio Ugo was elected Vice-President of
the Fédération Internationale Haltérophile.
At the weightlifting tournament in Paris in 1924, held at the Vélodrome d’Hiver, 107 athletes
participated from 16 nations. The FAI lined up 15 lifters, winning 3 gold medals with Pierino
Gabetti in the featherweight, Carlo Galimberti in the
middleweight (world record in the press with both arms:
97.5 kg) and Giuseppe Tonani in the heavyweight, who
with 517.5 kg also set the world record in the five
exercises: snatch and clean and jerk with one arm, press,
snatch and clean and jerk with both arms.
Four years later, in Amsterdam, 95 athletes from 19
nations competed in three exercises: press, snatch and
clean and jerk with both arms. The FAI sent 6 lifters,
winning 2 silver medals with Gabetti and Galimberti.
Galimberti (2nd to the Frenchman Roger François by
only 2.5 kg), in fact undoubtedly the greatest Italian lifter
of all time, was flag bearer of the Italian Team. Galimberti
Gabetti, Galimberti and Tonani
with coach Taliani
in the middleweight, with 105 kg, and Giuseppe Conca
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in the featherweight (neck and neck German Hans Wölpert),
with 92.5 kg, set the world records in the press. At the congress
in Amsterdam, the Marquis Monticelli succeeded Ugo as VicePresident of the FIH.
At the weightlifting event in Los Angeles 1932, in the Olympic
Auditorium, 29 athletes from 8 nations took part. The FAI lined
up 4 lifters, winning a silver medal (Galimberti), a bronze
(Pierini), a 4th and 5th place (Gabetti e Bescapè). At the congress
in Los Angeles Barisonzo was elected Vice-President of the
FIH and Salvatore Gallo member of the Bureau.
The weightlifting tournament in Berlin in 1936 took place in
Carlo Galimberti (1894-1939)
the Deutschlandhalle, where 80 athletes from 15 nations were
present. The FIAP, with its 4 lifters, only reached 6th place with Galimberti. Pierini and
Galimberti took part in their fourth Olympic Games in Berlin.
Let us take a look at the collection of medals won by the Italian Federation before war broke
out. In weightlifting we had participated in the 5 Olympics held from 1920 to 1936, taking
home 4 gold (Bottino, Gabetti, Galimberti and Tonani), 4 silver (Bianchi, Gabetti and Galimberti
2) and one bronze (Pierini). Moreover, we had also taken part in the 1938 World Championship
winning one silver medal with Bescapè, and in 4 European Championships, winning one gold
medal with Bescapè and 2 silver with Galimberti.
We must also bear in mind the world records set by Bottino in Genoa in 1922 (press) and by
Gabetti in Milan in 1927 (snatch, 2 records), besides those already mentioned set by Conca,
Galimberti (2) and Tonani.
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After the Second World War
Italian Championships
On October 6th 1946, the Italian Championships came back to life in Brescia, reaching its 99th
edition in 2004. Galimberti, as it was said previously, won 18
national titles, Bescapè and Mannironi 15.
On June 28th 1958, during the Championship held in Lavis
(Trento), Sebastiano Mannironi brought up to 111 kg the snatch
world record in the featherweight category.
The first Women’s Championship was held in Borgomanero
(Novara) on October 14th 1989, with 51 athletes from 28 clubs.
In the 16 editions held as of today, Katia Iacuzzo won 11 titles.
National Team
On June 15th 1947 in Varese, the National Team drew 3-3 with
Austria in the first International meeting post-war. The subsequent
encounter with Hungary in Budapest (March 6th 1948) ended
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with the exact same score. Then followed a defeat to Austria
in Vienna (May 30th 1948) and a victory against Switzerland
in Geneva (July 16th 1949).
In July 1949 the FIAP took on its first foreign coach, New
Zealander Val Osmond.
1951 World Championships poster
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The Italian Federation has participated in the weightlifting
section to 11 out of 14 editions disputed from 1951 to 2001,
winning a total of 22 gold medals, 22 silver and 16 bronze.
Bearing in mind only the total, not the single exercises, Norberto
Oberburger has won 3 gold medals, Roberto Vezzani 2 gold
and one silver, Mannironi and Peppino Tanti 2 gold, Anselmo
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European Championships
From May 3rd to 7th 1960, in the Palazzo del Ghiaccio in Milan, FIAP hosted a European
Championship for the second time: Mannironi won silver in the featherweight and Alberto
Pigaiani clinched a bronze in the heavyweight. Thanks also to the placing of Spinola (4th),
Grandi (5th) and Borgnis (5th), Italy was third in the ranking of nations.
The third European Championship in Italy was disputed in the sports venue of the Bentegodi
club in Verona from May 29th to June 6th 1974 (with 159 athletes from 25 nations). No medal
and great disappointment for the unimpressive attempts of the 9 Italian lifters.
From June 16th to 19th 1988, the first European Women’s Championship took place in San
Marino: 68 athletes from 13 nations competed in the 9 categories. Roberta Sforza won the
gold medal in the 44 kg (both in the total and in the snatch and clean and jerk exercises).
From October 5th to 8th 1994, the VII European Women’s Championship (with 94 athletes
from 20 nations) and the XX Junior Men’s European
Championship was held in Palazzetto FILPJ in Ostia. Silver
medals for Danila Manca in the snatch and for Melania Locci
in the clean and jerk.
Lignano Sabbiadoro (Udine) in August 1999 hosted the IX
M/F Cadet European Championship.
In the European Championships, Italian athletes won a total
of 5 gold medals, 16 silver and 18 bronze. Of this total women
athletes took home one gold (Sforza), 2 silver (Manca and
Giganti) and 2 bronze (Dola and Manca). The more decorated
men being Mannironi (one gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze) and
1960 European Championships logo
Ermanno Pignatti (1, 1, 3).
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Silvino one gold and 2 silver.
The event has been held twice in Italy: in September 1963 in Naples (but weightlifting was
excluded from the competition) and in June 1997 in Bari.
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World Championships
The first post-war congress of the Fédération
Internationale Haltérophile was held in Paris on October
17th and 18th 1946, on the occasion of the World
Championship. While Germany and Japan were
expelled from the FIH, Italy encountered no problems
also thanks to prestige of Giuseppe Merlin, who was
then elected member of the Bureau.
The 1951 World Championship was contended in
Palazzo del Ghiaccio in Milan from October 26th to
28th, with 60 athletes present from 14 nations. The
event saw the Italian Team in 5th place (2nd of the
Europeans, just one point behind France). Added to
Sebastiano Mannironi (born in Nuoro in 1930)
the competitive success was a great organisational
success, unanimously recognised. The president of the FIHC, Rosset, was full of praise for
our federation.
As the Championship was also valid for the European classification, Ettore Amati and Pignatti
won the continental title, Luciano Zardi the silver and Augusto Fiorentini the bronze medal.
And while we are on the subject of World Championship in Milan, there is a curious fact. In
1950 the FIH decided to add bodybuilding to its activity, assuming the name (up to 1968)
Fédération Internationale Haltérophile et Culturiste. Consequently, during a World
Championship in Paris, in Palais de Chaillot, the first competition for the most beautiful
athlete in the world was held. The FIAP did not like the contest and therefore they refused
to organise a second edition in 1951.
In November 1957, the World Championship was held in Teheran and Mannironi won the
first medal of a fantastic series: 1957, silver; 1958, bronze; 1959, bronze; 1961, silver (ex
aequo with the Russian Minaev, with whom he shared the European title).
From June 14th to 21st 1981, the FILPJ organised the VII
Junior World Championship in Lignano Sabbiadoro, and
a perfect organisation tourned out as usual. The X Junior
World Championship was also held in Lignano Sabbiadoro,
from May 19th to 27th 1984: Pietro Puiia won a bronze
in the 67.5 kg.
In July 2003 the Palasport in Pavia hosted the World
University Championship: Katia Iacuzzo won 3 bronze
medals in the 69 kg (total, snatch and clean and jerk).
At the Senior World Championships in the total, the Italian
athletes won one gold medal (Oberburger), 4 silver (Bescapè,
De Genova and 2 Mannironi) and 6 bronze (Oberburger,
Pigaiani, 2 Mannironi and 2 Silvino).
1974 European Championships poster
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Olympic Games
Having dismissed the 1948 and 1952 Games without
any great results, the FIAP sent 4 lifters to the Olympics
in Melbourne 1956, winning two bronze medals with
Pignatti (middleweight) and Pigaiani (heavyweight).
The unfortunate Mannironi had to abandon the
competition because of an injury while he was ranked
second. Merlin (elected in 1948) was confirmed VicePresident of the IWF.
The FIAP participated in the Roman Olympics in 1960
with 7 lifters, who competed from September 7th to10th
in the Palazzetto dello Sport. The spoils however were
scarce: only one bronze medal thanks to Mannironi.
At the 1964 Tokyo Olympics the weightlifting event
Anselmo Silvino (born in Teramo in 1945)
was disputed in the Shibuya Public Hall. The FIAP was
represented by Grandi and Mannironi, who came 5th, improving the Italian records in the
press and total of the 3 exercises.
Four years later, in Munich, the FIAP lined up 6 lifters and, after a 12 year break, they won
a bronze medal with Silvino (and a 5th place with Vezzani). As from 1964 to 1984 the
International Federation had decided to let the Olympics qualify as a World Championships,
Silvino also won the world bronze medal.
The FILPJ, present at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics with 5 lifters, conquered the gold medal
in the 110 kg with Oberburger, as described by Gianni Brera: “Splendid and impressive. He and
no others I imagine would have wanted the renowned Fidia as a model to carve out the exaggerated
features of Hercules”. Oberburger also won the world gold medal. Aldo Bergamaschi, already
a member of the IWF Bureau since 1968, was elected as the first Vice-President. In 1987 he
was also assigned the position of Honorary President of the European Weightlifting Federation.
At the Olympics, the Italian athletes have won a total of 5
gold medals (Bottino, Gabetti, Galimberti, Tonani and
Oberburger), 4 silver (Bianchi, Gabetti and 2 Galimberti) and
5 bronze (Pierini, Pigaiani, Pignatti, Mannironi and Silvino).
Galimberti, Pierini and Oberburger have participated in the
Games 4 times.
Palazzetto and Olympic Centre
In the presence of 2,000 spectators, on April 25th 1990, the
Palazzetto FILPJ in Ostia (the first great sports complex built
in Rome since the 1960 Olympics), was inaugurated. Beside
President Pellicone, the Mayor Franco Carraro and the
President of the CONI Arrigo Gattai made speeches. The
image is unusual and striking: some compared the Palazzetto
Norberto Oberburger
(born in Merano in 1960)
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to a gigantic samurai helmet, others to a large sail.
The building rises on an area of almost 16.000 m2, with a
circular plan and a 64 m diameter and a parterre measuring
44 x 28 m. The supporting structure is made up of 32 curved
pillars in reinforced concrete and of ceiling ribs in treated
pinewood. The plant has a sophisticated electronic scoreboard.
Outside there is a car park that can hold 900 cars.
From March 27th to 29th 1992 at the Palazzetto FILPJ the XX
of European Community Championship was held, the third
on Italian soil (in 1974 and 1980 the seat was Udine): 11 men’s
nations and 9 women’s nation took part. Our team did not go
beyond 5th place in the men’s ranking and 4th in the women’s,
1994 European Championships poster
despite the success of Danila Manca in the 44 kg.
On December 18th 1992, in the presence of the CONI President, the FILPJ Olympic Centre
was inaugurated in Ostia. The Centre, located beside the Palazzetto, with the sea in front and
a pinewood at its back, stood on a common ground of over 21,000 m2 and it will soon expand
onto a neighbouring area of 9,000 m2.
From April 7th to 9th 1995 the annual meeting
of the IWF Executive Board was held in Rome:
the first day was held in the Hall of Honour in
the CONI building at the Foro Italico, the second
and third day at the FILPJK Olympic Centre. The
President and Secretary of the IWF, Schödl and
Ajan, congratulated Pellicone declaring that
“never, in their long career as directors, had they
Aerial view of the Palazzetto and
Olympic Centre FIJLKAM-FIPCF in Ostia
seen such a vast Centre, perfectly structured in
every detail: technically, logistically and sanitary”.
Medal by the artist Silvia Girlanda
for the FIPCF centenary
In 2002, to celebrate the Centenary, the FIJLKAM and the
FIPCF spared no pains: a film (realised by the Press Office),
a richly illustrated historical volume (by Livio Toschi),
two medals (by Silvia Girlanda), posters, postcards,
cancellations and much more, including an exhibition
entitled CentenArte, organised by Architect Toschi and
sponsored by the CONI School of Sport and by the
Olympic Museum of Lausanne. The event was a great
success and it was the prelude to the opening of the
FIJLKAM Museum, another brilliant initiative of the
untiring President Pellicone, who with a safe hand has
led the Federation to the most prestigious goals.
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Koninklijke Nederlandsche Krachtsportbond
Royal Dutch Strength Sport Federation founded July 12th 1903
by Piet van der Kruk
Participant (weightlifter) of the 1968 Olympic Games.
Former president of the Koninklijke Nederlandsche Krachtsport Bond
(Royal Dutch Strength Sports Association)
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Eugen Sandow
Although pioneers hoped weightlifting would become a
popular sport, a sport for all ‘common people’, it never did. On the contrary; the sport had to
‘struggle’ through the next hundred years. While there were about 1,000 active weightlifters
per year in the first 50 years of weightlifting in the Netherlands, from about 1980 there are
only about 250 a year on average.
Eugen Sandow in the Netherlands
German ‘strongman’ Eugen Sandow, a.k. Friederich Wilhelm Müller (1867-1925), who came
to Amsterdam in 1887, had a big influence on the development of weightlifting in the Netherlands.
Joined by his friend and training partner Louis Atilla, he lived in Amsterdam for a while.
Together with some enthusiastic locals they started a club in the city-centre. This club was
actually the first weightlifting club in the Netherlands.
Eugen Sandow introduced the members of the club to a training program he named after
himself. Sandow and Atilla also went into the country to spread their knowledge on weightlifting.
Their methods proved to be very popular amongst a lot of young people.
After this promotional tour the first real weightlifting clubs were founded: Hercules-Rotterdam
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In the early days of weightlifting, mainly student and young
academics were attracted to the sport. Around 1890 however,
weightlifting lost its high status and students from the higher
social classes no longer wanted to be associated with the
sport. From 1890 to 1910 it was mostly self-employed
workman/ labourers like tailors and carpenters who were
able to do weightlifting as a sport, since they were financially
independent and had enough spare time to train. From 1910,
the working classes joined the sport.
Weightlifter
n the Netherlands, weightlifting started to develop
in the major cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den
Haag and Delft around 1875.
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(1891), Arena-Utrecht (1893), HollandiaAmsterdam (1893), Kracht door OefeningAmsterdam (1895), Sandow-Delft (1896),
Hercules-Dordrecht (1896), De HalterAmsterdam (1899), Door Oefening
Verbetering-Rotterdam (1900) and
Hercules-Den Haag (1900).
Rules and regulations
During the first decades, there were no
The first board from the Dutch Weightlifting Federation
specific rules for weightlifting
competitions. Organisers of competitions made their own rules, which often led to chaos and
confusion amongst athletes. On the 12th of July 1903 the Nederlandsche Krachtsportbond
(Dutch Weightlifting Federation) was founded in Den Haag to set down rules and regulations.
The initial board members were W.Segers, President (Amsterdam), W.van Elst, Secretary (Den
Haag), A.N.J.Hangkart, Treasurer (Den Haag), J.van Moppes (Amsterdam), G.van Elst (Den
Haag), J.Nauta (Amsterdam) and L.van Es (Den Haag).
After going through a lot of problems in 1905, the board introduced the first set of national rules
and regulations concerning weightlifting competitions. Although this solved the problems in the
Netherlands, internationally there was still no solution. The Dutch board believed in the importance
of internationals rules and regulations for weightlifting competitions and took initiative to realize
this. On the 10th of June the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Italy founded the “AmateurAtleten-Weltunion”(World Amateur Athletes Federation) in Duisburg, Germany.
National Championships
The first Dutch National Weightlifting Championships took place on the 7th of April 1893 in
Amsterdam. After that, a national competition was organised every year. Until 1910 these
competitions were mostly held in the open air. This was hardly an ideal situation given the
Dutch climate; quite a few competitions had to be cancelled due to the rain. Because of this
the competitions gradually ‘moved’ towards reception
rooms in cafes. Since there were no dress rooms or
shower facilities, this was not the best of solutions. It
was not until 1960 that better facilities like sports
centres became available for weightlifting competitions.
Now there are even clubs who have their own club
house and training facilities.
Piet van der Kruk
A prominent role in international weightlifting
The Netherlands played a prominent role in the
international development of weightlifting. The first
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European Weightlifting Championships took place in
Rotterdam, where German weightlifter Hans Beck became
the first European Weightlifting Champion. He jerked 135
kg, pressed 130 kg and reached 27 repetitions on 70 kg
during the last exercise.
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In 1953, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the association, the Governor officially
recognised the good work of the members and officials
by granting the right to carry the word “Royal” as a part
of the title of the association, a singular honour for any
governing body.
The best Dutch weightlifters
Four Dutch weightlifters became European Champions:
Philip de Haas in 1898 and1900, Frits Zinsmeester, Jonas
Wijn in 1902 and Jan Smeekens in 1951. In total, twenty
Dutch weightlifters competed in six Olympic Games (in
1920, 1924, 1928, 1948, 1952 and 1968). Three of them
won bronze medals: August Scheffer in 1928, Jan Verheijen
1928 - August Scheffer (bronze medal 75kg.)
in 1928 and Bram Charité in 1948.
Olympic Games, Amsterdam
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The organisers of the World Championships Weightlifting
in Amsterdam in 1896 did not worry about the fact the first
1948 - Abraham (Bram) Charité,
bronze medallist
modern Olympic Games would take place in Athens only
one day after. Plenty of people turned up for the World Championships, both athletes and
audience. More than 100 weightlifters competed in these championships. In the A-class on
the 5th and 6th of April six weightlifters from three different countries competed, the same
number of weightlifters (but from five different countries) competed in Athens on the 7th of
April. Overall, the weightlifters performed better in Amsterdam than they did in Athens.
The Olympic Games in 1928 were held in Amsterdam. Officials of the Dutch Weightlifting
Federation did an extremely good job organising these games. Right next to the Olympic
stadium, the first sports hall specifically designed for weightlifting was built. Unfortunately,
this sports hall was demolished not long after the games.
There were also a couple of Dutch officials in the IWF: siblings George and Walter van der
Elst (from 1905 to 1912), Thijmen van Deutekom (from 1920 to 1932), Willem Johannes
Marie Linden (from 1923 to 1941) and Jules Perel (from 1948 to 1956).
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No less than ten European championships were organised
in the Netherlands. The European Championships took
place in Rotterdam (in 1896,1898,1900,1901 and 1903),
Den Haag (in 1902, 1906 and 1948), and Amsterdam (in
1904 and 1905).
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1919 - Amsterdam Athletic Club Hercules
Dutch weightlifting in 2004
The Nederlandse Olympische Gewichthef Bond (NOGB, Dutch Olympic Weightlifting
Association) is an independent organisation and one of the divisions of the Koninklijke
Nederlandsche Krachtsport Federatie (KNKF, Royal Dutch Strength Sport Federation). In
2004 the Netherlands had eight weightlifting clubs with about 150 active weightlifters. Dutch
weightlifters that achieve a certain level are allowed to compete in European and World
Championships.
On the last Sunday of December every year, the current President Jac van de Graaf organises
an international competition in his hometown Veldhoven called ‘De Laatste Kans’, ‘The Last
Chance’. There is a lot of interest in this competition. Although most participants are from the
Netherlands, there are also participants from Belgium and Germany.
In 2004 the first ever Dutch publication (book with cd-rom) about Olympic Weightlifting was
published by writer and weightlifter Tom Bruijnen from Amsterdam.
Weightlifting in the Netherlands is a small but still very lively sport. With the enthusiastic
team of officials currently in the board of the Dutch Olympic Weightlifting Association, the
future looks bright.
Bram Charité (left) and Piet van der Kruk. The last Dutch athletes
who participate in Olympic games. Bram Charité, Olympic games
1948 London. Bronze medal in the heavy weight. Piet van der Kruk,
Olympic games 1968 Mexico. 9th place in the heavy weight.
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Weightlifting in Russia
by Yuori Sandalov, RWF First Vice-President
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of weightlifting in Russia.
That day in St. Petersburg, under the leadership of Doctor
Vladislav Kraevsky, the weights training hall was opened. The
aim of such was the propaganda of muscle development. Training
was held three times a week. The athletes executed the press
with one and two hands, the snatch and the clean and jerk with
Kraevsky and very soon similar training halls were opened in
Moscow, Riga, Tver, Kiev,
Odessa and other cities.
Grigory Novak
Kraevsky trained the first coaches and by the end of the
nineteenth century, the athletes of the Russian clubs began
to produce results achieving fame as the strongest
weightlifters in the world.
From 1897 the Russian weightlifters began to organize the
Championships in their country.
In December 1912 the Russian representatives of numerous
individual weightlifting
Dr. Vladislav Kraevsky
clubs met in St. Petersburg
and decided to unite forces.
The 31st of December 1912 became the founding day of the
All-Russian weightlifting Union. Ludwig Chaplinsky was
elected to fulfil the functions as Union President.
In the summer of 1913, the All-Russian Union became a
member of the World Amateur Union of Weightlifters.
In Berlin, by execution of the Union Congress, Chaplinsky
became the secretary of the Executive Bureau and it was
decided that the forthcoming World Championships be held
Vorobiev Arcady
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Weightlifting enthusiasts from all over Russia emulated Vladislav
Weightlifter
the Doctor strictly controlling doses and loads.
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in St. Petersburg. However, due to the events of the First
World War, the Championships did not take place.
Magazines “Russian Sport” and “Hercules”, where
methodical material, competition reports, lists of records
and medical recommendations were regularly published,
played a main role in the development of Russian
weightlifting.
Before the Revolution of 1917, 26 out of the 50 records
registered by the World Union were set by Russian
weightlifters.
Up until 1913 the weightlifters competing in the Russian
Championships were not divided into bodyweight
Vlasov Yuri
categories, but after 1913
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Weightlifter
the participants were split into the following categories:
1 -
70 kg
2 -
80 kg
3 - +80 kg
After the Revolution, the first Russian Championships were
held in March 1918 in Moscow, but unfortunately there was
a poor turnout and it was only in the 1930’s in the USSR that
weightlifting began to develop very quickly alongside the
Zaabotinsky Leonid
sports equipment: barbells, platforms, etc.
It was registered that by the first of May 1941, the Russian
athletes had set 27 world records in the sport.
During the Second World War (1941-1945), development
of the Russian weightlifting was postponed but not entirely
forgotten.
On October 19th, 1946 at the World Championships in Paris,
Grigory Novak became the first Russian World Champion.
It was the beginning of a triumphal procession of the Russian
athletes on the international scene.
Over the 58 years since that remarkable date when Russian
sportsmen first stepped onto the world platform, they have
competed in the Olympic Games 13 times, won 28 gold
medals, 17 silver and 9 bronze and they have taken part in
Vasily Alexeyev
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the Senior World Championships 45 times
where they have won 104 gold, 64 silver
and 29 bronze in total.
As for the Junior World Championships,
the results show 30 gold medals, 28 silver
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and 14 bronze.
In that period, Russian athletes set
hundreds of world records and we are
Petrov Alexei
proud of our record holder Vasily Alexeev
with a total of 79 world records.
As for the Russian representatives, I would like to point out that they were regularly elected
to work in the International Weightlifting Federation: as Vice-Presidents – Konstantin Hazarov,
Committee – Arkady Vorobiev, Anatoly Mikheev; as members of the Medical Committee Vitaly Semenov. The Russian referees took part in the
Olympic Games, World and European Championships.
The Russian Weightlifting Federation was the initiator
of the European Weightlifting Federation in 1969. Our
Federation did its best for the development and
consolidation of the EWF. Konstantin Artemiev and
Alexander Falomeev made a valuable contribution to
the setting up of the EWF and the elaboration of the
constitution and rules.
The Russian Weightlifting Federation Presidents
Ludwig Chaplinsky - the founder of the Federation
(1913 - 1916)
No information is available from 1917 to 1953
Gromov Mikhail
(1953 - 1960)
Konstantin Artemiev
(1960 - 1969)
Viktor Polyakov
(1969 - 1993)
Israil Arsamakov
(1993 - 1998)
Vyacheslav Klokov
(1998 - 2001)
Yuori Zakharevich
(2001 - 2003)
Nikolay Parkhomenko
(2003 - present day)
2000, Sydney - The IOC President Samaranch
speaking with the President of the russian
Federation Nikolay Parkhomenko accompanied
by Vice-President Vyacheslav Klokov
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Vorobiev, Yuori Sandalov, Vyacheslav Klokov; as members of the Scientific and research
Weightlifter
Alexei Medvedev, Nikolay Parkhomenko; as members of the Technical Committee – Arkady
R
1
8
9
3
U
S
S
I
A
R
U
S
S
I
A 42
In conclusion, I would like
to point out that in spite of
the difficult period in the
development of our country
(the disintegration of the
USSR), the members of the
Russian Weightlifting
Federation made enormous
efforts to resume
weightlifting in Russia and
the results of the recent
Olympic Games in Athens
Rigert David
Chemerchin Andrei
showed the progress of our athletes: 10 participants, 8 of whom brought home medals and
EUROPEAN
Weightlifter
one crowned Olympic Champion.