Naim Süleymanoğlu

23 January 1967 – 18 November 2017

Naim Süleymanoğlu was a Bulgarian-born Turkish weightlifter who competed in the featherweight and lightweight divisions. He won three consecutive Olympic gold medals, in 1988, 1992 and 1996, and set dozens of world records during his career. Born to a Turkish minority family in Bulgaria, he defected to Turkey in 1986 during a competition in Melbourne.

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Life events

Born in Ptichar, Bulgaria
23 January 1967

Born into a Turkish minority family in the village of Ptichar in south-eastern Bulgaria.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Set senior world records as a teenager
1983

Began setting senior world records in the bantamweight division while still in his mid-teens, competing for Bulgaria.

Achievement ?
Won the world weightlifting championship for Bulgaria
1985

Took a senior world title while representing Bulgaria before his defection.

Achievement ?
Defected to Turkey during a competition in Melbourne
December 1986

Left the Bulgarian team while in Australia and was granted Turkish citizenship, changing his name to Naim Süleymanoğlu.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Relocation ✓
Won Olympic gold at the Seoul Games
20 September 1988

Took his first Olympic title for Turkey in the 60 kg featherweight division, setting world records in the process.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Won Olympic gold at the Barcelona Games
1992

Retained his featherweight Olympic title in 1992.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Won a third Olympic gold at the Atlanta Games
22 July 1996

Defeated Valerios Leonidis of Greece in a closely contested featherweight final to become a three-time Olympic champion.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Attempted a comeback at the Sydney Olympics
2000

Returned to competition after retiring but failed to register a successful lift in the snatch and did not place.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓
Died in Istanbul
18 November 2017

Died in hospital in Istanbul following complications after a liver transplant.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Death ✓