Previous Olympic Winners LIGHT
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LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT (87 kg) Previous Olympic Winners 1908 W. Weckman Finland A. Ahlgren Sweden 1912 I. Böhling Finland 1920 C. Johansson Sweden 1924 C. Westergren Sweden 1928 I. Mustafa Egypt 1932 R. Svensson Sweden 1936 A. Cadier Sweden 1948 K. Nilsson Sweden There were 22 entries from 12 nations and 10 participants from 10 nations FIRST ROUND July 24th Skaff, M Lebanon — Forai, O Rumania 2—1 Nilsson, K-E Sweden — Kovács, G Hungary 3—0 Silvestri, U Italy — Atli, I Turkey 2—1 Gröndahl, K Finland — Schummer, J Luxemburg 3.30 Tshihladze, C U.S.S.R — Leichter, M Germany 9.22 SECOND ROUND July 25th Kovács, G Hungary — Skaff, M Lebanon 10.40 Nilsson, K-E Sweden — Forai, O Rumania 3—0 Atli, I Turkey — Schummer, J Luxemburg 2.15 Tshihladze, C. ...... U.S.S.R — Silvestri, U Italy 3—0 Gröndahl, K Finland — Leichter, M Germany 3—0 THIRD ROUND July 26th Nilsson, K-E Sweden — Skaff, M Lebanon 4.40 Kovács, G Hungary — Atli, I Turkey 3—0 Gröndahl, K Finland — Silvestri, U Italy 2.18 FOURTH ROUND July 27th Kovács, G Hungary — Tshihladze, C U.S.S.R 3—0 Gröndahl, K Finland — Nilsson, K-E Sweden 2—1 FIFTH ROUND July 27th Tshihladze, C U.S.S.R — Nilsson, K-E Sweden 2.39 SIXTH ROUND July 27th Gröndahl, K Finland — Tshihladze, C U.S.S.R 2—1 FINAL PLACINGS 1 GRÖNDAHL, K. Finland 2 TSHIHLADZE, C. U.S.S.R. 3 NILSSON, K-E Sweden 4 Kovács, G Hungary 5 Atli, I Turkey 6 Skaff, M Lebanon 6 Silvestri, U Italy 378 Finnish wrestlers show their delight at the victory of their comrade Grondahl in the 87 kilos class. Below Nilsson secures a throw in his match with Gröndahl. 379 The strain is over and the knowledge of work well done causes Kotkas's eyes to beam. 380 HEAVYWEIGHT (Over 87 kg) Previous Olympic Winners 1896 K. Schumann Germany 1924 H. Deglane France 1908 R. Weiss Hungary 1928 R. Svensson Sweden 1912 Y. Saarela Finland 1932 C.Westergren Sweden 1920 A. Lindfors Finland 1936 K. Palusalu Esthonia 1948 A. Kirecci Turkey There were 22 entries from 14 nations and 12 participants from 12 nations FIRST ROUND July 24th Waltner, W Germany — Richmond, K Great Britain .... Walk-over Georgoulis, A Greece — Ramirez, A Argentine 12.43 Kovanen, T Finland — Suli, A Rumania 3—0 Ružicka, J Czechoslovakia . — Kovács, J Hungary 5.30 Kotkas, J U.S.S.R — Baarendse, A Belgium Walk-over Fahlqvist, B Sweden — Fantoni G Italy 4.00 SECOND ROUND July 25th Waltner, W Germany .. — Georgoulis, A Greece 3—0 Kovanen, T Finland — Ramirez, A Argentine 3—0 Suli, A Rumania — Kovács, J Hungary 2—1 Fantoni, G Italy — Ružižka, J Czechoslovakia . 2—1 Kotkas, J U.S.S.R — Fahlqvist, B Sweden 2.40 THIRD ROUND July 26th Kovanen, T Finland — Waltner, W Germany 3—0 Suli, A Rumania — Georgoulis, A Greece 3—0 Ružicka, J Czechoslovakia . — Fahlqvist, B Sweden 10.09 Kotkas, J U.S.S.R — Fantoni, G Italy 3.41 FOURTH ROUND July 27th Ružicka, J Czechoslovakia . — Waltner, W Germany 0.30 Kotkas, J U.S.S.R — Kovanen, T Finland 2.43 FIFTH ROUND July 27th Ružicka, JCzechoslovakia . — Kovanen, T Finland 443 SIXTH ROUND July 27th Kotkas, JU.S.S.R— Ružicka, JCzechoslovakia . 4.32 FINAL PLACINGS 1 KOTKAS, J U.S.S.R. 2 RUŽICKA, J Czechoslovakia 3 KOVANEN, T. .. Finland 4 Waltner, W Germany 5 Suli, A Rumania 6 Georgoulis, A. Greece 6 Fahlqvist, B Sweden 381 WEIGHTLIFTING The weightlifting events were held in Messuhalli II on July 25th—27th. The programme had originally been drafted for six divisions, one to compete in the day-time and one in the evening on each of the three days. At the last moment, however, the Federation Inter- nationale Halterophile secured the adoption of a seventh division (up to 90 kilos). As it was no longer possible to allot more days to weightlifting, the two heaviest divisions com- peted on the evening of the third day. The result was that in spite of an earlier start the competitions continued until three in the morning. The large number of entries prolonged the competitions on other days as well to round about midnight. There were in all 141 weightlifters from 41 countries. The standard of weightlifting in the XV Olympic Games left all previous Games in the shade. Five new world records were set up, and a further eleven new Olympic records. Sixteen competitors registered totals exceeding 400 kilos (in London only four). Decisive victories were scored only in the two heaviest divisions. In all the others the contest for the medals was exceedingly close and decided in the final event, the Jerk. In two divisions the scales determined which of two competitors who had tied in the lifting was to receive the Silver, which the Bronze Medal. Most of the medals went to the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R. This surprised no one, for in the years preceding the Games these two countries had been engaged in a veritable race for new world records in the different divisions. On the first day of the weightlifting events the U.S.S.R. National Anthem sounded in the day-time and evening. The next day Americans alone appeared on the Victor's stand. The third day brought the U.S.A. two victories and the U.S.S.R. one. Of the twenty-one medals only eight went to other countries, viz., two to Iran, two to Trinidad, and one each to Canada, Korea, Australia and Argentine. The famous Egyptians were less successful on this occasion than in previous Olympic Games. In the bantamweight division (up to 56 kilos) the World Champion Namdjou was suffer- ing from a slight sprain in the back, but competed for all that on equal terms with Udodov of the U.S.S.R. and his own compatriot Mirzai. Mirzai established a 5 kilos lead in the Press. In the Snatch Udodov closed the gap, setting up a new Olympic record of 97.5 kilos. The Jerk began with Udodov and Mirzai level at 187.5 kilos, and Namdjou at 185 kilos. Mirzai failed in the Jerk and registered only the 112.5 kilos with which he began. The struggle for the Gold Medal was then between Udodov and Namdjou. Both began at 122.5 kilos. Udo- dov jerked it at his first attempt, Namdjou at his second, with which Udodov registered 127.5 kilos. Udodov having chosen 130 kilos for his third weight, Namdjou decided to try 132.5 kilos. Udodov failed, and now if Namdjou succeeded the victory would be his. But it was too much for him, and the Gold Medal went to Udodov. In the same class with the medallists in the Snatch and the Jerk were Kim of Korea and Mahgoub of Egypt, but in the Press they were so much poorer that they dropped far behind in the opening phase. In the featherweight division Del Rosario of the Philippines equalled the world record — 382 105 kilos — in the Press, but was passed in the Snatch by the Russians Tshimishkjan and Saksonov; these two were, further, in a class of their own in the Jerk. Tshimishkjan's total, 337.5 kilos, was a new world record. Saksonov tried to improve on it with a jerk of 140 kilos, 2.5 kilos better than his own world record, but failed. Third in this class was Wilkes of Trinidad, the coloured weightlifter who finished second in London four years earlier. The sovereign victor in the lightweight class was T. Kono of the U.S.A. Five compe- titors out of twenty-four tied with him in the Press, but in the Snatch Kono outclassed the others and set up a new world record of 117.5 kilos. His first Jerk, 140 kilos, put the seal on his Gold Medal. He then increased the weight of his barbell to 155 kilos in an attempt at the Jerk and Total world records. But he had dared too much in adding 15 kilos at one go. In line for second place were six competitors. J. Halloway of Great Britain, third in London, led after the Snatch, but failed to register any result whatever in the Jerk. The Egyptian Eltouni dropped from third place to sixth, and Lopatin of the U.S.S.R. rose from sixth to second place after registering the best result in the Jerk, 142.5 kilos. The Australian Barberis and Lopatin had the same total, but as the scales showed Lopatin to be 350 grammes lighter he got the Silver Medal. Kim of Korea took fourth place ahead of the Iranian Fer- dows as the lighter of the two by 100 grammes. In the middleweight division the U.S.S.R. was unrepresented. Slim Pete George of the U.S.A. was favourite on the basis of previous performance. Nor did he disappoint his countrymen. His weak point was the Press, but in the Snatch and the Jerk he was all the more superior. Gratton of Canada and S. J. Kim of Korea lost in the Snatch the 7.5 kilos lead they established in the Press and then dropped that much behind in the Jerk. George made certain of his Gold Medal with an Olympic-record Jerk, but his attempt to raise the world record to 165 kilos failed. In London, George was second and Gratton, who now gained the second place, fifth; Kim was third then too.