The world's strongest man, Hossein Rezazadeh, was again voted as Iran's "Champion of Champions" and "Sportsman of the Year 2003" in Tehran on Friday night, IRNA reported.

Contending in the 4th edition, Rezazadeh, who is the world's +105 kg weightlifting champion, won the prestigious title for the third time -- 2000, 2002, 2003.

Iran's world-class Greco-Roman wrestler, Hassan Rangraz, was named the "Champion of Champions" in 2001.

The Hercules of Ardebil, northwest of Iran, received his prize money, some 30,000 dollars, from Ali Larijani, head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.

President of Physical Education Organization, Mohsen Mehralizadeh, his deputy Ali Kaffashian, and head of National Olympic Committee, Mostafa Hashemi-Taba were present in the ceremony.

The top 10 athletes in 2003 are as follows:

1. Hossein Rezazadeh (weightlifting champion)
2. Mitra Hejazi (chess champion)
3. Enayatollah Bokharaei (disabled shooting champion)
4. Mohammad Torkashvand (volleyballer)
5. Alireza Rezaei (freestyle wrestling champion)
6. Abbas Samimi (discus champion)
7. Mohammad-Ali Falahati-Nejad (weightlifting champion)
8. Youssef Karami (taekwondo champion)
9. Arash Mir-Esmaeili (judo champion)
10. Mehdi Mahdavikia (Asian Player of the Year)

... Payvand News - 2/7/04 ... --