The strongest man of the world in 2000 and 2002 who overpowered his rivals in an international grand prix in Norway on Saturday told IRNA, "My rivals in the international events have confessed that they just think of the silver medal."
Iran's Hercules said top lifters like Andriy Chemerkin of Russia took part in the Norwegian GP but the Almighty God helped him grab the title.
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Iran's Hercules Hossein Rezazadeh thanks God after lifting the weight successfully.
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"In my second clean-and-jerk effort, I kept 250kg above my head," said Rezazadeh, adding "I found it easy to set a new world record but refused to add the weight due to my coach's recommendation.
"We were terribly welcomed by people and weightlifting officials of Norway and my posters were everywhere in the city. Norwegian reporters conducted several interviews with me."
He said he would resume his training immediately to get ready for the Asian event in China and world competitions in Canada.
The determined Rezazadeh added, "No doubt, I will break the world's record in 2004 Athens Olympics qualifiers in Vancouver, Canada, if no unexpected event occurs."
Hossein Rezazadeh lifted the heaviest weights and title in +105kg category of the Norwegian Grand Prix Saturday night.
He managed to lift 455kg totally, standing top in Norway. Rezazadeh lifted 205kg in snatch and 250kg in clean and jerk.
Iran's beefy lifter was announced ‘Weightlifter of the Tournament.’
In first snatch move, Rezazadeh lifted 190kg and then tried 200 and 205kg successfully.
In his clean-and-jerk efforts, the weightlifter from Ardebil, northwestern Iran, firstly lifted 240kg and easily managed to tolerate 250kg in the second move.
He refused to try the third as his Bulgarian Coach Stoichev preferred not to ask for a heavier weight.
Russian weightlifter Andriy Chemerkin finished runner-up with a total of 425kg (185 and 240kg) and a Norwegian, Stein Grimst, took the third title as he totally lifted 375kg -- 180 and 195kg in snatch and clean and jerk, respectively.
On May 10, Rezazadeh was announced ‘Champion of Champions’ of Hungary's Grand Prix as he won three golds of the +105kg class.
In the world-class competitions that were sponsored by the International Weightlifting Federation, the top lifters participated but it was the invincible Iranian champion who stole the show.
Rezazadeh lifted 200kg in snatch and held 250kg above his head in a clean-and-jerk effort, winning the highest prize-money.
Two Polish heavyweight weightlifters bagged the +105kg silver and bronze medals with totally 420 and 417.5 kilograms.
Representing Iran in 105kg, Hossein Tavakkoli stood fourth as he lifted 170 and 210kg in snatch and clean and jerk respectively.
Tavakkoli won the 105kg gold in 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
Weightlifters from Ukraine, Austria and Turkey ranked first to third with 395, 395, and 387.5kg respectively. The Ukrainian weighed lighter than his Austrian rival.
Rezazadeh expressed hope to reign the +105kg weightlifting category for the coming years.
He burst spectacularly onto the international scene at the 2000
Sydney Olympics with a superhuman lift to defeat two legends of the
sport on the way to gold and the title of the ‘world's strongest man.’
The 24-year-old Rezazadeh took Olympic gold with a world record
total of 472.5kg (212.5kg in the snatch and 260kg in the clean and
jerk).
His 260kg lift was one of the heaviest in weightlifting history and proved too much for 1992 gold medalist Weller and 1996 winner Chemerkin who settled for silver and bronze respectively.
Rezazadeh won three gold medals in +105kg category of the 72nd World ٌٌٌWeightlifting Championships in Warsaw, Poland, as he totally lifted 472.5kg. He set a new world record in clean and jerk by 0.5kg as he lifted 263 kilograms.
On Jan 9, President Mohammad Khatami granted a ‘badge of courage’ to the Ardebili weightlifter.
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Iranian President Mohammad Khatami (R)grants a badge of courage to Hossein Rezazadeh. |
During a ceremony held in the presence of several ministers and other state officials at Hafezieh Cultural Complex, Khatami presented medals to 16 athletes of the land, including world-class weightlifter Hossein Rezazadeh, freestyle wrestler Alireza Dabir, and taekwondo champion Hadi Saei as a sign of acknowledging their efforts in sportsmanship.
Rezazadeh was voted as ‘Champion of Champions’ of Iran in the year 2002.
Association of Sports Writers, Reporters, and Photographers released the names of the best sportsmen of the country in 2002.
To name the top athletes, the association collected the votes of 350 sports writers of 32 sports periodicals.
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