IWF120y/24 – 1984: Dean Lukin, the only Olympic gold for Australia

In a country where Swimming is a national pride (the sport brought more than one-third of the medals won at the Olympics), Australia could however shine at the highest level in weightlifting on one occasion: in 1984. In Los Angeles – where the Olympic Games were boycotted by the Soviet Union and its traditional allies – Dinko (Dean) Lukin managed to bring home what is the sole Australian Olympic gold so far in our sport. Born in 1960 in Sydney, his family moved to Port Lincoln (South Australia) when he was only five. At 16, his talent for weightlifting was noticed by who would be his future coach, Leon Holme. Practically at the same time, he becomes a full-time fisherman, spending many months of the year at sea fishing tuna. His training conditions were far from ideal – in an old tin shed -, but he kept on improving his performances. Competing in the +110kg, he achieves his major international result in 1982, winning the gold (Total of 377.5kg) at the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane. Two years later, at the Olympics, Lukin snatches 172.5kg and then successfully lifts 240kg in the Clean & Jerk for a winning performance of 412.5kg. At the 1986 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games, he revalidates his title (392.5kg), in what would be his last international success. In 1985, he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Australia has three more Olympic weightlifting medallists: Vern Barberis (bronze in 1952), Robert Kabbas (silver in 1984), and Stefan Botev (bronze in 1996). Among women, there isn’t any podium presence for the time being: in Paris 2024, Eileen Cikamatana was close to a medal but ended up finishing fourth.