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By Kambakhsh Khalaji
Tehran, Aug 26, IRNA -- The baby-faced Iranian colossus Hossein
Rezazadeh proved invincible as the world +105 kg weightlifting
record-holder won the Olympic gold on walkover in Athens, capital of
Greece, Wednesday night.
 photo: ISNA
The 26-year-old, who invoked Hazrat Abolfazl (AS), a religious
leader of the Shiites, prior to his every attempt edged past all
rivals with a 210 kg lift in snatch, which was later combined with a
world record of 263.5 kg in the clean and jerk.
 photo: ISNA
Rezazadeh improved his own record by 0.5 kg as he incredibly flung
the bar above his head in his third clean-and-jerk effort.
"It was a good performance. I came full strength to win the gold
medal," said the Iranian Hercules as he had a copy of the holy Quran
in his hand.
 photo: ISNA
"I had tough training and Allah helped me."
The sturdy icon, now the two-time Olympic gold medalist and twice
world champion, was too strong for world superheavies as his total
lift, 472.5 kg, was well above the records of silver winner from
Latvia, Viktors Scerbatihs and Bulgaria's Velichko Cholakov, who
bagged bronze.
 photo: ISNA
Scerbatihs totally hoisted 455 kg and Cholakov 447.5.
"Hossein is what he is, unbeatable," admitted Scerbatihs, who
believes for the moment nobody has much chance of overtaking
Rezazadeh.
 photo: ISNA
U.S. lifter Shane Hamman, who stood seventh said, "His technique
could definitely be better."
"He bends his arms and you are supposed to keep them straight. But
he has short arms and that helps him. He is intimidating with the ease
with which he lifts those weights.
"He is the strongest man I have ever seen."
 photo: ISNA
In an immediate message, the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah
Seyed Ali Khamenei extended his congratulations to Rezazadeh and
thanked him for delighting millions of Iranian people, who are eagerly
waiting for his homecoming.
 photo: ISNA
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