Hossein Reza Zadeh

Hossein Reza Zadeh (born May 12, 1978) is an Iranian weightlifter and the current world record holder in the sport. He was born in Ardabil, Iran, the third of seven children. At the age of 15, he took up weightlifting after being encouraged by his gym teacher.

Related Topics:
May 12 - 1978 - Iran - Weightlifter - Ardabil

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Nicknamed "The Iranian Hercules," he currently holds the world records in weightlifting's super heavyweight class in the snatch, clean and jerk and total. He is the first Iranian athlete to have won two Olympic gold medals. He is also one of Iran's most noted celebrities, frequently appearing on television and in the news; his wedding, which was held in the holy city of Mecca, in February of 2003 was broadcast live on television in Iran.

Related Topics:
Snatch - Clean and jerk - February - 2003

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In 2002 he was voted the "Champion of Champions" of Iran and was one of 16 Iranian athletes granted a badge of courage from Iranian President Mohammad Khatami. As a reward for setting a world record at the 2003 World Weightlifting Championships in Vancouver, Canada, Mohammad Khatami awarded him 600 million rials to buy a house in Tehran. Both Turkey and Greece have offered him substantial sums of money to switch nationality, but he turned down their offers.

Related Topics:
Iranian President - Mohammad Khatami - Vancouver, Canada - Rials - Tehran - Turkey - Greece

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He surprised many at the 2000 Summer Olympics, earning a gold medal and breaking the decades-old monopoly on the gold by the Soviet Union and then Russia. His gold medal was the first since 1960 by a non-Soviet or non-Russian athlete in the over 105 kg class at a non boycotted Games. He has since broken his own records on a number of occasions leading up to his world record 263.5 kg (580.9 pounds) lift in the clean and jerk at the 2004 Summer Olympics. His total (both lifts combined) at the 2004 Summer Olympics of 472.5 kg was 17.5 kg more than silver medalist Viktors Scerbatihs. He is the current IWF World Weightlifter of the Year, and was shortlisted for weightlifter of the century.

Related Topics:
2000 Summer Olympics - Soviet Union - Russia - 1960 - Clean and jerk - 2004 Summer Olympics - Viktors Scerbatihs

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Reza Zadeh has commonly been labeled as the strongest man alive after breaking the weightlifting super heavyweight records in all categories and defending his world title numerous times.

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