Greeks Call Rezazadeh Hercules

Hercules is a hero of classical myth, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, who possessed exceptional strength.

Rezazadeh shot to fame 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.’

He 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.

Targeting the Olympic title, the Iranian champion is determined to lift over 470kg to win the coveted gold medal of 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

“The lifter, who has eyed the gold has no alternative but to raise more than 470kg,” the Iranian Hercules said.

The 2000 Sydney Olympics gold medalist revealed his craving for the glittering gold of Athens Games, saying he will make every effort to win the title.

Rezazadeh won three gold medals in +105kg category of the 72^nd World Weightlifting Championships in Warsaw, Poland, in 2002 as he totally lifted 472.5kg. He set a new world record in clean and jerk by 0.5kg as he lifted 263 kilograms.

He set a new world +105kg snatch record at the 35th Asian Weightlifting Championships, which ended in China on September 14, 2003.

Iran stood top among 13 participating countries with 599 points and the host China and Indonesia finished runner-up and third with 514 and 493 points respectively.

Kazakhstan, Thailand, and North Korea stood fourth to sixth.

Rezazadeh improved the world's +105kg record by 0.5kg as he lifted 213kg in snatch.

With two golds and one bronze, Rezazadeh lifted 457.5kg and +105kg title in the 73rd World Weightlifting Championships in Vancouver, southwest of Canada, on Nov. 22, 2003.

The 24-year-old Rezazadeh failed to improve his own snatch record, 213kg, in his third effort for 213.5kg and bagged bronze with 207.5kg.

He retained the clean and jerk title, keeping 250kg above his head in the first move. The lifter did not succeed in handling 263.5kg -- 0.5kg above his own record -- in his second effort.

KK/SD/MA

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