IWF120y/18 – 2008: Matthias Steiner (GER), lifting for gold and for his late wife

One of the most emotive moments in Olympic weightlifting history happened in 2008, at the Beijing Games, in the +105kg category. Born in Vienna, in 1982, Matthias Steiner initially represents his native Austria. In 2005, a conflict with his weightlifting national federation dictates his move to Germany, where he had met some months earlier a fan who had contacted him after watching his performances on TV. He gets married to her, but in July 2007, Susann tragically dies in a car accident. Despite the huge shock and some weight loss, Steiner continues training hard for the 2008 Olympics in the Chinese capital. Having obtained German nationality at the beginning of that year, he competes for his new country and is not the favourite for the gold (the best lifter on the way to Beijing was recent World and European champion Viktors Scerbatihs from Latvia). After finishing fourth in Snatch (203kg), Steiner takes maximum advantage of his most direct opponents’ failures in Clean & Jerk, and with a successful 258kg attempt, he clinches the Olympic title. His joy on the platform is euphoric – his moment of glory had arrived, after a 2008 silver in the Europeans (precisely behind the Latvian ace) and two seven placings, at the 2003 Worlds and 2004 Olympics. At the podium ceremony in Beijing, while receiving his medal, Steiner displays a photo of his late wife, causing a wave of unparalleled emotion in the venue. After the Olympic success, he wins three more medals at the highest level – in 2010, silver at the Worlds, and bronze at the Europeans, and in 2012, he is the runner-up at the continental level. He marries his actual wife in 2011 and retires from competition in 2013.

Photo credit: Olympics.com website