Post by vincedecker on Aug 14, 2010 12:51:37 GMT -5
Time to geek things up a little:
Who are your top 5 all time? Everyone on my list is retired and has a completed body of work. This off the top of my head, so excuse my misspellings and possibly inaccurate recollections:
1. Vasily Alexeev - took the unlimited class to new frontiers, over 80 world records.
2. Naim Sulemanoglu - the original and greatest pocket hercules. Most gifted lifter ever (body proportions, genetics, etc) - but he also made the most of his gifts. He would have been the only 4 time olympic gold medalist if not for the boycott in '84.
3. Yurik Vardanian - 405 total at 82.5. Maybe the greatest single meet ever.
4. Pyrros Dimas - 4 time olympic medalist. Mr. consistency and amazingly strong and fast.
5. This is my most controversial: Andre Kurlovich - 480 competitive total (diff meets) at 130 BW. Could've been credited with lifting 478.5 at the same meet if not for a more-than-close miss of his 266 jerk at the 1987 WWC. Outlifted other greats that weighed nearly 100lbs more than he did.
Honorable mention:
Yuri Zakharevich - if it wasn't for Mr. Kurlovich, he coulda won world and olympic titles as a 115 - 120kg superheavy.
Akakios Kakiasvilis - Part of the great 2 headed greek monster of the 90's. 235 C&J at 90, 3-time olympic gold medalist?
Hosein Reza Zadeh - Greatest superheavy of the 21st century. Perhaps should have challenged the all time snatch and jerk records.
Yanko Rusev - a great Builgarian lifter of the 70's, multiple world championships with huge lifts for his BW. Look him up.
Blagoy Blagoev - 195 snatch at 90 bw. Many world titles.
Norbert Schemansky - I think this is the great American lifter who medaled in the olympics at age 40!
Halil Mutlu - 2nd greatest pocket hercules ever. Dominant.
David Rigert - the main reason the press was banned. He cold do some crazy contortionist acts with huge weights in the press. Inspired many Americans (believe it or not) to do weightlifting because of his physique.
Obviously, I have a strong bias for the 80's and 90's. Don't know much about the Tommy Konos and other greats from the early 70's and prior. What do you guys think?
Who are your top 5 all time? Everyone on my list is retired and has a completed body of work. This off the top of my head, so excuse my misspellings and possibly inaccurate recollections:
1. Vasily Alexeev - took the unlimited class to new frontiers, over 80 world records.
2. Naim Sulemanoglu - the original and greatest pocket hercules. Most gifted lifter ever (body proportions, genetics, etc) - but he also made the most of his gifts. He would have been the only 4 time olympic gold medalist if not for the boycott in '84.
3. Yurik Vardanian - 405 total at 82.5. Maybe the greatest single meet ever.
4. Pyrros Dimas - 4 time olympic medalist. Mr. consistency and amazingly strong and fast.
5. This is my most controversial: Andre Kurlovich - 480 competitive total (diff meets) at 130 BW. Could've been credited with lifting 478.5 at the same meet if not for a more-than-close miss of his 266 jerk at the 1987 WWC. Outlifted other greats that weighed nearly 100lbs more than he did.
Honorable mention:
Yuri Zakharevich - if it wasn't for Mr. Kurlovich, he coulda won world and olympic titles as a 115 - 120kg superheavy.
Akakios Kakiasvilis - Part of the great 2 headed greek monster of the 90's. 235 C&J at 90, 3-time olympic gold medalist?
Hosein Reza Zadeh - Greatest superheavy of the 21st century. Perhaps should have challenged the all time snatch and jerk records.
Yanko Rusev - a great Builgarian lifter of the 70's, multiple world championships with huge lifts for his BW. Look him up.
Blagoy Blagoev - 195 snatch at 90 bw. Many world titles.
Norbert Schemansky - I think this is the great American lifter who medaled in the olympics at age 40!
Halil Mutlu - 2nd greatest pocket hercules ever. Dominant.
David Rigert - the main reason the press was banned. He cold do some crazy contortionist acts with huge weights in the press. Inspired many Americans (believe it or not) to do weightlifting because of his physique.
Obviously, I have a strong bias for the 80's and 90's. Don't know much about the Tommy Konos and other greats from the early 70's and prior. What do you guys think?
