IWF120y/88 – 2000: Iran celebrates its new star – Hossein Rezazadeh

Weightlifting symbolises strength, and the super heavyweight category is often associated with the ‘strongest men’ on earth. Lifters shining in this category are often elevated to a stardom status, both in the history of the sport and of their respective country. Hossein Rezazadeh, from Iran, is certainly a good example of this principle. Born in 1978, he started to shine at the end of the 1990s, with one bronze medal at the 1998 Asian Games, the gold at the 1999 Asian Championships, and another third place at the 1999 World Championships. Arrived in Sydney (AUS) for his first Games in 2000 (photo), Rezazadeh breaks the hegemony of Soviet/Russian lifters in the heaviest category, earning his Olympic title in 212.5-260-472.5. It was the initial highlight of an outstanding career that would include another Olympic victory in Athens 2004 and four World wins, from 2002 to 2006. He triumphed also in the 2002 and 2006 editions of the Asian Games. Moreover, the Iranian ace established six World Records during his career, with bests of 213kg in Snatch and 263.5kg in Clean & Jerk. In 2008, before the Games in Beijing, he was advised by his medical team to stop weightlifting, and much to the surprise of his fans, he announced his retirement. A true hero in his country, he was immediately invited to join the Iranian Weightlifting Federation as special advisor (then manager and coach) and initiated also a political career, namely as a member of Tehran’s City Council. Having won ‘Iran’s Sportsperson of the Year’ award on four occasions, he is the only athlete in his country to have achieved such an accolade.