01-17 oldal-2007-4 angol:01-23 oldal/2007/3 angol 2/28/08 7:31 PM Page 10 What’s next? The fourth peak…?! Halil: King Power’s Chosen Child

Exclusive Interview

Once upon a time… instead of his first home, Golden Mountain again. Should Halil succeed in ful- Out of King Power’s 135 Albania. The Smallest and However, for just one of filling this Ultimate Dream, children, admired far and Youngest Son, called Halil them, for Halil, Beijing he will be the first wide, four were especially Mutlu (Mutlu meaning emerged on the horizon weightlifter in the world to close to his heart. No won- “Happy” in Turkish) did offering yet another chance boast four Olympic gold der: they stood out even the same as his oldest to capture the Gold of the medals. among their proud and brother and followed his Dreams for the fourth time. In a global context of all He can be the Chosen One, sports he might rise among the first to boast such an the world’s greatest. His unprecedented triumph. name may be engraved in Well, all that is no tale gold in the history book of at all. the Games launched in When this opportunity 1896. arrives, Halil Mutlu will be Before passing on the word beyond his 35th birthday. to Mutlu himself, let us be Then again, his determina- acquainted with the – even tion, his courage and the so far – unprecedented and intensity of his training fabulous weightlifting defy age. In January 2008, career of this potential pro- Halil revealed to World tagonist of the Beijing 2008 Weightlifting that he want- Games. ed to attend his fifth He called in at the world . What is ranking list already in more: he won’t go to Bei- 1990, at the age of 17. In a Mutlu in 1992 jing simply as a tourist…. competition held in Sakarya, , he lifted 242.5kg (107.5 and 135) excellent pals. As it was, the footsteps on a path leading Mutlu in 1996 King’s offspring fought to Turkey. their recurrent tilt every Beside these Four another four years amidst the thirteen brave men man- unparalleled attention of aged to climb the Golden the people and peoples of Mountain’s peak twice. the world. Every time, their However, only these Four Dream of Dreams, their could conquer the Golden Ultimate Goal was to climb Mountain as many as three the Golden Mountain. A times. They attacked the few ventured out as many peaks from different angles. as five times. For Naim Seoul was the In the middle of their starting point. Kakhi and preparation for the Qua- Pyrros took off from drennial Trials, each of the Barcelona, whereas Halil’s Four Favourite Sons first accomplishment was grabbed the ash and took in Atlanta. But the next aim to the road. The Oldest for each of the Four was One, Naim, went from Bul- , of which three garia to Turkey. The Second wandered on to . Oldest, Kakhi, left Neither Naim in Sydney, for and their nor Kakhi or Pyrros in Younger Brother, Pyrros, Athens were able to climb also chose the Greek land right up to the peak of the

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exceeded it by 5 kilos. “Of the triple Olympic In the category’s all-time champions I am the only ranking Mutlu’s domina- one who is still in competi- tion is stupefying. Wu Mei- tion. I can have a chance jin from came clos- to get a fourth gold medal. est to his output, when lift- If I were to miss this oppor- ing 292.5kg in 2002. Of the tunity, it would be a betray- probable entries in Beijing al to the sport of weightlift- Li Zheng has 287.5kg, ing.” Wang Shin-Yuan and You made some successful Hoang Anh Tuan have entries in the 62kg as well. 285kg, Eko Irawan has Now, which category will 282kg in their scorecards. you choose the 56kg or the Halil will be nearly two 62kg? times the age of 2007 “The 56kg. I have been liv- world ranking leader ing a disciplined life and Irawan. pursued a strict regime ever After a truly condensed since, and I never took description of Halil Mutlu’s a break. I have been work- career, let us listen to the ing out, so my bodyweight Hero himself. did not get out of control. Just a note before: let us There is no reason for me express our thanks to the to move up to the 62kg.” Turkish Weightlifting Fed- What kind of trials are eration for their help in you planning to have before making this Exclusive Inter- the Olympic Games? Mutlu in Sydney 2000 or world championships) view. Special gratitude “In April I will participate the Turkish prodigy seized should be accorded for the in the European Champi- at least one gold medal. exclusive photos made for onships in . and thus occupied the 9th And five times in world World Weightlifting. What happened since position in the world. championships (1994, Athens? He first made the team for 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003) Is it sure that you will par- “As I have said, I did not the Junior World Champi- he did not accept less than ticipate in the Beijing stop training – despite all onships in 1991 and took three gold medals. He was Olympic Games? the problems I have bronze in snatch. This the winner in Atlanta, in encountered during this bronze medal deserves spe- Sydney and in Athens – at period. I knew that one day cial highlighting because the Games. Since the last Mutlu in Athens 2004 I was going to have that was the first – and at Olympics, however, he has the same time – the last not entered the world bronze medal in Mutlu’s championships. Let him career. In the next fourteen explain the reasons later in years, be it Olympic Games this article. or world championships, Victories alone, however, he got medals only of the failed to satisfy Halil’s shinier kind of metal. Alto- appetite. He started to gether 23 in gold and 6 in mass-produce world silver. records with the first one In the season of 1992 he dating on 18 November was already the junior 1994. All in all, 9 world world champion and fin- records in snatch (from ished in fifth place at the 127.5 to 138.5kg), 6 in Olympic Games of clean and jerk (from 158 to Barcelona. He waived 168kg) and 5 in total goodbye to the juniors in (282.5 to 305kg) have been 1993 – with three gold registered against his name. medals around his neck. In His 138.5kg snatch, 168kg the same year he captured jerk and 305kg total are three silver medals in what still today unsurpassed was his first world champi- world records. onships among the seniors. Mutlu is the only man in Thereafter, however, in the world in the lightest each and every world-scale category who could not competition he took part only reach the 300kg (whether Olympic Games dream limit but even

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I was suspended for two --- years. Besides, I had a seri- Some first-hand informa- ous injury that needed time tion from the Turkish to cure. Nevertheless, I con- weightlifting camps: tinued training under any condition. In Chiangmai – Naim Suleymanoglu I wanted to lift but I fell ill today is chiefly involved and I did not want to take in politics. He has not risks with a view to Beijing.” been with the What do you expect from weightlifters for a few the 2008 Games? months but it would be “The same as every athlete impossible to stay away or sports fan. I expect it to for ever. be a grand fiesta of sport – The two other Olympic and of course, I have my champions of Athens, own personal expectations Nurcan Taylan and Taner – see above.” Sagir are in training –––– together with Mutlu and the team in the National Will it all happen like in Training Camps. The tales? Will the Youngest – women’s team will have and Dearest – of the Four to perform well at the Chosen of the 135 wonder- European Champi- ful offspring of the King of onships to qualify for the Power climb to the highest Olympic Games. That is Three Olympic gold medals moment, therefore, I no peak of the Golden Moun- very important for – so far... longer need his advice, tain for a fourth time? Nurcan. especially as he is not Many would answer: a chance to be remembered directly involved in yes, he will… Jenô Boskovics not because of using dop- weightlifting.” ing but because of my suc- What is your specific goal cesses.” for Beijing? Apart from training, what “Of course, not just to be have you been doing? there, in my fifth Games. “I continued my studies at Without any doubt my aim the Gazi University of is to be successful. You can Physical Education and the make your own interpreta- Faculty of Sport Adminis- tion of this expression.” tration. And I was happy What result do you think to be together with my you will be able to achieve? growing family. I am hap- “Let it be my secret! pily married and my two What do you know about sons were born after the your potential rivals? 2004 Athens Games. Tuna “I have observed the vari- was born on 1 October ous competitions. I know 2004 and Arda was born who lifted how much and on 22 July 2007.” when. It is only natural that Coming back to the subject they too are working hard, of weightlifting: did you ask as they want to defeat me. Naim Suleymanoglu for That’s sport. But I have not advice? Did you learn from been just sitting around, his example when, returning either. We shall meet and after a long break following let the best win. I don’t Atlanta, his attempt at cap- think that any athlete has turing the fourth Olympic a guarantee for winning – gold medal in Sydney proved including me.” to be unsuccessful? What kept you away from “Naim has always been the platform after Athens? my idol but he is also my “At the 2005 European friend. In all these years we Championships I had trained together a lot and a positive doping test and during that time I listened to his advice and tried to learn his technique. At the On the path to Beijing

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