CHIANG MAI , Thailand, May 22 (Mehr News Agency) -- International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) President Tamas Ajan said on Thursday that the Iranian Hercules Hossein Rezazadeh is the world's symbol of weightlifting.

The two-time Olympic gold winner is now the manager of the Iranian weightlifting teams. He is in Thailand now to lead Iran in the First World Youth Weightlifting Championship in Chiang Mai.

Ajan congratulated Rezazadeh on winning the title of the 40th Asian Senior Men's Championship held in Kazakhstan last week and said he is a legend in the sport.

The IWF president said he is optimistic Rezazadeh can lead Iran in more international competitions.

Rezazadeh, nicknamed the Iranian Hercules, bade farewell to weightlifting ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. He won two Olympic gold medals in the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens.

... Payvand News - 05/22/09 ... --