IWF120y/14 – 1992-2004: Pyrros Dimas, a hero in Greece and in weightlifting

Being the most decorated Olympian in Greece, the birthplace of the Games, is an honour all Hellenic athletes aspire to have. This special status is for the time being reserved for a hero, arguably one of the best weightlifters of all time, Pyrros Dimas. Born in 1971 in Himara (Albania), to ethnic Greek parents, he soon demonstrates a great ability for the sport and moves in the beginning of the 1990s to Athens. At his first Olympic participation – Barcelona 1992 – Dimas gets the gold in the 82.5kg, with a total of 167.5-202.5-370. After this success, he is received like a hero at the Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens (the one hosting the 1896 first Olympics of the modern era), but the world (and Greece) had only witnessed the start of a legendary journey that would include two more gold (Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000) and one bronze medal (Athens 2004) – the most significant harvest in the history of Olympic weightlifting. Competing at home, and suffering from a knee injury, the “Lion of Himara” (as he was also known), Dimas considers this last podium appearance as the most special one in his career. After the awards ceremony, in a crowded and ecstatic arena, he leaves his weightlifting shoes on the platform, as a sign of his retirement after these so inspiring Games. The fans in the stands, in a several-minute standing ovation, scream his name and this moment is widely seen as the most touching one in the two weeks of the Olympics. With personal bests of 180.5kg in Snatch, 215kg in C&J, and 392.5kg in Total, Dimas was also world champion on three occasions (1993, 1995, and 1998) and is presently an IWF Vice-President. Between 2012 and 2015, he is also a member of the Hellenic Parliament.