Halil Mutlu (born Halil Aliev (Bulgarian: Халил Али��в)[1] on 14 July 1973 in Postnik, Bulgaria) is a former professional Turkish weightlifter with several World and Olympic championship titles. Mutlu is one of the six weightlifters who has achieved three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games. His weightlifting career includes five World championships, nine European championships and more than 20 world records at 52 kg (115 lb), 54 kg (119 lb) and 56 kg (123 lb) combined.

Halil Mutlu
Personal information
Nickname"Dynamo"
NationalityTurkey Turkish
Bulgaria Bulgarian
Born (1973-07-14) 14 July 1973 (age 51)
Bulgaria Postnik, Momchilgrad municipality, Kardzhali Province, People's Republic of Bulgaria
Height1.50 m (4 ft 11 in)
Sport
CountryTurkey Turkey
SportWeightlifting
Turned pro1992
Retired2008
Achievements and titles
Personal bests
  • Snatch: 147.5 kg (2003, WR)
  • Clean and jerk: 175 kg (2003, WR)
  • Total: 322.5 kg (2003, WR)
Medal record
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1996 Atlanta –54 kg
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney –56 kg
Gold medal – first place 2004 Athens –56 kg
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1994 Istanbul –54 kg
Gold medal – first place 1998 Lahti – 56 kg
Gold medal – first place 1999 Athens –56 kg
Gold medal – first place 2001 Antalya –56 kg
Gold medal – first place 2003 Vancouver –62 kg
Silver medal – second place 1993 Melbourne –54 kg
Silver medal – second place 1995 Guangzhou –54 kg
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1994 Sokolov –54 kg
Gold medal – first place 1995 Warsaw –54 kg
Gold medal – first place 1996 Stavanger –54 kg
Gold medal – first place 1997 Rijeka –54 kg
Gold medal – first place 1999 La Coruña –56 kg
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sofia –56 kg
Gold medal – first place 2001 Trencin –56 kg
Gold medal – first place 2003 Loutraki –62 kg
Gold medal – first place 2008 Lignano Sabbiadoro –56 kg
Bronze medal – third place 1991 Wladyslawowo –52 kg
Bronze medal – third place 1992 Szekszard –52 kg
Disqualified 2005 Sofia –62 kg

Career

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In 1994, he won both the European and world championships, titles that would soon become commonplace for him. He made his first Olympic appearance in 1992 in the 52 kg category and finished fifth.[2] In 1996, in the 54 kg category, the reigning world champion and world record holder, Mutlu broke the world record in the snatch and went on to win the gold medal by 7.5 kg.[3] At the 1999 World Championships he beat silver medal winner Adrian Jigău by around 20 kg and set a new world record.[4] He remained undefeated until the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, where he was even more dominant than he had been in Atlanta. This time he set world records in both the snatch and the clean and jerk and won by 17.5 kg in the 56 kg category.[5]

He was suffering from a shoulder injury in 2003 and temporarily moved to the 62 kg class. His career appeared in doubt after a torn right rotator cuff and ruptured biceps tendon sidelined him for most of 2002.

Mutlu dominated in his weight class since mid-1990s. By the time of the Athens Olympics in 2004, Mutlu won the world championship five times, although he had missed the 2002 season because of injury. In Athens he out lifted Wu Meijin of China by 5 kg in the snatch and then extended his lead in the jerk to earn victory by 7.5 kg. At 31, he captured his third consecutive gold medal at the Olympics in Athens.[6]

Steroid ban

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In 2005, Mutlu was banned from international competition by the International Weightlifting Federation for 2 years for use of anabolic steroid Nandrolone, although he insists that he never knowingly took steroids. The Turkish Weightlifting Federation itself had been suspended by the IWF for "repeated anti-doping violations" until May 2006. He pulled out of the 2008 Beijing Olympics stating that he was not able to "lift my targeted weight in practice." As a penalty, he was expelled from the ASKI.[7]

Personal life

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Mutlu is married and has lived in Ankara, Turkey since the early 1990s. He is a member of the Konya Kombassan Club in Konya and is coached by Ibrahim Elmali. Beside weightlifting, Mutlu enjoys wrestling.

Highlights

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  • World junior champion (1993),
  • Five-time world champion (2003, 2001, 1999, 1998, 1994 - 1st; 1995, 1993 - 2nd.),
  • Nine-time European champion (2005, 2003, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994),
  • 25 gold medals (8 Snatch, 8 Clean and Jerk, 9 Total) in total at European Championships, winner of the most gold medals second after David Rigert with 27 gold medals,
  • Only fourth weightlifter to win three Olympic gold medals (2004, 2000, 1996),
  • Named as the "Sportsman of the year 1999" in Turkey,
  • He is one of five men in history to lift three times his bodyweight,

Major results

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Year Venue Weight Snatch (kg) Clean & Jerk (kg) Total Rank
1 2 3 Rank 1 2 3 Rank
Olympic Games
1992   Barcelona, Spain 52 kg 105.0 110.0 112.5 5 135.0 137.5 137.5 5 247.5 5
1996   Atlanta, United States 54 kg 125.0 130.0 132.5 1 152.5 152.5 155.0 1 287.5  
2000   Sydney, Australia 56 kg 130.0 135.0 138.0 1 160.0 167.5 170.0 1 305.0  
2004   Athens, Greece 56 kg 130.0 135.0 140.0 1 160.0 165.0 168.5 1 295.0  
World Championships
1993   Melbourne, Australia 54 kg 120.0 122.5 125.0   152.5 155.0 155.0   275.0  
1994   Istanbul, Turkey 54 kg 122.5 127.5 130.0   152.5 158.0 160.0   290.0  
1995   Guangzhou, China 54 kg 125.0 127.5 130.0   155.0 155.0 160.5   285.0  
1998   Lahti, Finland 56 kg 130.0 135.0 135.0   160.0 160.0 166.0   295.0  
1999   Athens, Greece 56 kg 130.0 136.0 137.5   160.0 166.0   302.5  
2001   Antalya, Turkey 56 kg 132.5 138.5   162.5 168.5 168.5   300.0  
2003   Vancouver, Canada 62 kg 145.0 145.0 147.5   175.0 175.0 180.0   322.5  
European Championships
1990   Aalborg, Denmark 52 kg 102.5 4 127.5 5 230.0 4
1991   Wladyslawowo, Poland 52 kg 105.0   135.0   240.0  
1992   Szekszárd, Hungary 52 kg 110.0   137.5   247.5  
1994   Sokolov, Czech Republic 54 kg 122.5   155.0   277.5  
1995   Warsaw, Poland 54 kg 130.0   155.0   285.0  
1996   Stavanger, Norway 54 kg 120.0 130.0 130.0   145.0 155.0 160.0   275.0  
1997   Rijeka, Croatia 54 kg 120.0 125.0 130.0   150.0 155.0   280.0  
1999   A Coruña, Spain 56 kg 130.0 135.5 135.5   155.0 160.0 166.0   295.5  
2000   Sofia, Bulgaria 56 kg 127.5 132.5 135.0   157.5 166.5   300.0  
2001   Trenčín, Slovakia 56 kg 125.0 130.0 135.0   155.0 168.0   302.5  
2003   Loutraki, Greece 62 kg 140.0 145.0 145.0   170.0 175.0 180.0   320.0  
2005   Sofia, Bulgaria 62 kg 135.0 140.0 DSQ 165.0 167.5 DSQ 307.5 DSQ
2008   Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy 56 kg 120 120 120   149 149 151   269  
World Junior Championships
1991   Wolmirstedt, Germany 52 kg 105.0   127.5 4 232.5 4
1992   Varna, Bulgaria 52 kg 112.5   137.5   250.0  
1993   Cheb, Czech 54 kg 122.5   152.5   275.0  
European Junior Championships
1992   Cardiff, United Kingdom 52 kg 112.5   135.0   247.5  

Medals

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Olympics

Rank Discipline Snatch Clean&Jerk Total Place Date
  Gold –56 kg 135.0 160.0 295.0 Athens, GRE Aug 17, 2004
  Gold –56 kg 137.5 167.5 WR 305.0 Sydney, AUS Sep 16, 2000
  Gold –54 kg 132.5 155.0 287.5 Atlanta, GA, United States 1996

World Championships

Rank Discipline Snatch Clean&Jerk Total Place Date
  Gold –62 kg 147.5 175.0 322.5 Vancouver, CAN Aug 6, 2003
  Gold –56 kg 138.5 WR 162.5 301.0 Antalya, TUR Nov 4, 2001
  Gold –56 kg 137.5 165.0 302.5 WR Athens, GRE Nov 22, 1999
  Gold –56 kg 135.0 160.0 295.0 Lahti, FIN 1998
  Gold –54 kg 130.0 Guangzhou, CHN 1995
  Silver –54 kg 155.0 285.0 Guangzhou, CHN 1995
  Gold –54 kg 130.0 160.0 290.0 Istanbul, TUR 1994
  Silver –54 kg 122.5 152.5 275.0 Melbourne, AUS 1993

European Championships

Rank Discipline Snatch Clean&Jerk Total Place Date
  Gold –62 kg 140.0 167.5 307.5 Sofia, BUL Apr 20, 2005
  Gold –56 kg 120.0 149.0 269.0 Lignano Sabbiadoro, ITA Apr 14, 2008
  Gold –56 kg 138.5 168.0 305.0 Loutraki, GRE Apr 15, 2003
  Gold –56 kg 168.0 WR Trenčín, SVK Apr 24, 2001
  Gold –56 kg 135.0 165.0 300.0 Sofia, BUL 2000
  Gold –56 kg 135.0 160.0 295.0 Coruña, ESP 1999
  • CWR: Current world record
  • WR: World record

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Халил Мутлу: Децата ми не знаят български, но ще ги науча
  2. ^ "BARCELONA". The New York Times. 27 July 1992. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
  3. ^ "ATLANTA: DAY 2 -- ROUNDUP;WEIGHT LIFTING: Turk Takes Gold Medal at 119 Pounds". The New York Times. 21 July 1996. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
  4. ^ "PLUS: WEIGHT LIFTING -- WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS; Mutlu of Turkey Sets Three Records". The New York Times. 23 November 1999. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
  5. ^ "SYDNEY 2000: ROUNDUP -- WEIGHT LIFTING; The Fight for Second". The New York Times. 17 September 2000. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
  6. ^ "OLYMPICS: ROUNDUP; WEIGHT LIFTING: MUTLU OF TURKEY WINS THIRD GOLD". The New York Times. 16 August 2004. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
  7. ^ Kepcetutan, Necmi (30 August 2008). "Şampiyona ayıp oldu". Spor. Milliyet (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2008. Pekin'e hazır olmadığı ve sakatlığını gerekçe göstererek katılmayan rekortmen halterci Halil Mutlu ASKİ kulübünden kovulduğunu rastlantı sonucu öğrendi.
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