Naim Süleymanoğlu
Naim Süleymanoğlu
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| Nickname(s) | The Pocket Hercules | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Turkish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
January 23, 1967 Ptichar, Momchilgrad municipality, Kardzhali Province, Bulgaria |
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| Years active | 1983-2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.47 m (4 ft 10 in) (2000) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 62 kg (137 lb) (2000) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country |
Bulgaria (1983-1986) Turkey (1986-) |
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| Sport | Olympic weightlifting | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 56 kg (1983), 60 kg (1985-1992), 64 kg (1993-1996), 62 kg (2000) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | 1983 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal best(s) |
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Medal record
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| Updated on 28 October 2013. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Naim Süleymanoğlu (born Naim Suleimanov (Bulgarian: Наим Сюлейманов) on January 23, 1967) is a Turkish World and Olympic Champion in weightlifting. In the 1988 Summer Olympics he set a record by achieving a 190 kg in the clean and jerk.
Born in Bulgaria of Turkish descent, he was nicknamed "The Pocket Hercules" due to his small stature of 1.47 m (4 ft 10 in). He is the first and only weightlifter who snatched 2.5 times his body weight and also is the second of only seven lifters to clean and jerk three times his body weight. He is the only weightlifter to clean and jerk 10 kilos more than triple his bodyweight. Suleimanov set his first world record at the age 16 but missed his first chance at Olympic success in 1984 when Bulgaria joined the Soviet boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Soon afterwards the Communist regime in Bulgaria forced its Turkish minority to adopt Bulgarian names and he became known internationally as Naum Shalamanov (Наум Шаламанов). While on a trip to the World Cup Final in Melbourne in 1986, Suleimanov defected. He resurfaced in Turkey and applied for citizenship. He also changed his name from the Bulgarian Suleimanov/Shalamanov to the Turkish Süleymanoğlu.
A battle over which country he would represent in the 1988 Seoul Olympics arose. The Bulgarian government demanded and received $1,250,000 from Turkey to allow him to compete for Turkey. Süleymanoğlu did not disappoint, winning the featherweight gold medal. His performance was high enough to win the weight class above his. He retired at the age of 22, after winning the world championship in 1989. However, he returned in 1991 before winning a second Olympic gold medal at Barcelona in 1992. Between the Olympiads, Süleymanoğlu continued to win world titles and set records.
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