Ireneusz PALINSKI

In the 1960 light-heavyweight class, Ireneusz Paliński became the first Polish weightlifter to win an Olympic gold medal. Polish success was complete, as Jan Bochenek also won the bronze in the same event. A year later, Paliński confirmed his champion status by also winning the middle-heavyweight world title, breaking the clean & jerk and combined world records. He collected a host of other medals at World Championships, finishing second overall four times (1959, 1962-63, 1966) and third twice (1958, 1964) - with the 1964 event being held in conjunction with the Olympics. The World Championships also doubled as European Championships, and Paliński won the same amount of medals in those championships. A specialist in the clean & jerk, he broke six world records in that discipline (two in the light-heavyweight, four in the middle-heavyweight). A nine-time Polish champion, Paliński was elected as Polish Sportsperson of the year in 1961.