ACOG - News - IBM

(29 July 1996; Day 10)

Third Place Finish Still Shines for VLAD

The international weightlifting career of Nicu VLAD came full circle on Monday at the Georgia World Congress Center. Back to the United States, back to the victory podium at the Olympic Games, back to where it all started.

In 1984, a young, unknown 20-year-old VLAD burst unexpectedly on the scene by capturing the Olympic gold medal in the middle heavyweight classification (91 kg) at the Los Angeles Games. Though he set an Olympic record and bested his closest competitor by an astonishing 32.5 kg, much of the world's weightlifting community dismissed the feat as a product of the Eastern block boycott.

More than a decade later, it appears to be the 32-year-old VLAD who is having the last laugh. Three Olympic medals and 22 World Championship medals -- including 10 golds -- attest to his prowess and longevity. The final one came at the Centennial Olympic Games on Monday, a bronze in the 108kg class. Though he cherished the thought of a golden finale, the bronze makes a nice addition to the gold he won in Los Angeles and a silver taken home from Seoul in 1988. (He barely missed the podium in 1992, finishing fourth after being forced to compete in a higher weight category than he had trained for.)

"This is my last competition," VLAD said. "Now I will retire and start a business."

Atlanta represented one final curtain call for this senior statesman, respected by friends and foes alike for his fierce competiveness yet soft-spoken demeanor. He had considered retiring in 1994 and stopped training for almost a year.

After spending virtually his entire life in Romania, VLAD moved to Australia in 1991 to train with Paul Coffa. He represented Australia in two World Championships before returning to Romania in 1994.

"Romania is my country and I was born there and my family is there," he said.

Things did not go all smoothly for VLAD upon his return to Bucharest. His father passed away and he suffered severe head and shoulder injuries in an automobile accident. In all, he missed almost a year of training time.

Yet here he was, back in the Olympic Games for a fourth time. Surpring to some, he led the competition after the snatch with a personal best 197.5 kg (435.25 lbs) total, 2.5 kg ahead of co-favorites Tamir TAIMAZOV of the Ukraine and Sergey SYRTSOV of the Russian Federation. Could a storybook ending be in store? VLAD pondered the possibilties during the intermission between the snatch and clean and jerk segments.

"Obviously, I would like to win the gold medal, but I know there are a lot of good lifters and the competition is only one-half over," he said.

VLAD lengthened his lead early in the clean and jerk phase, lifting 222.5 kg (490.5 lbs) on his first attempt. He then watched as Sergey FLACKO of the Russian Federation and Wes BARNETT of the United States fail at 225 kg (496 lbs). SYRTSOV did clean and jerk 225 kg (496 lbs) to tie VLAD and TAIMAZOV surpassed him with a lift of 227.5 kg (501.5) to take the lead.

But VLAD had two more chances. He tried to summon the muscles and the legs for a massive lift at 227.5kg (501.5 lbs). He cleaned the weight successfully and, as the sellout crowd held its collective breath, struggled mightily with the load before crashing to the platform.

He would have one more opportunity. Realizing that both SYRTSOV and TAIMAZOV had lifts remaining, VLAD gambled and asked for 230 kg (507 lbs) to be placed on the bar. He had lifted as much once before. But this time it proved to be too much.

Though the gold was gone, VLAD happily settled for the bronze, a fitting farewell gift to a competitor and gentleman not soon to be forgotten.

This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department. Written by Mark Vinson.


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The volunteer staff of the 1996 Olympic Games totaled 50,152. They worked an estimated 850,000 shifts.