Blagoy Blagoev (Bulgarian: Благой Благоев; born 4 December 1956) is a retired Bulgarian weightlifter. Between 1976 and 1984 he claimed seven gold and five silver medals at the Summer Olympics and World and European championships.[1] He set 18 world records. 13 of them were in the snatch. His last snatch world record was 195.5 kg in the 90 kg weight class, set on 1 May 1983 in Varna and remains the heaviest weight ever snatched by a middle heavyweight. Blagoev was twice declared the Best Weightlifter in the World by the International Weightlifting Federation - in 1982 and 1983. Blagoev was named Sportsperson of the Year in Bulgaria for 1982.

Quick Facts Personal information, Born ...
Blagoy Blagoev
Blagoev in 2000
Personal information
Born (1956-12-04) 4 December 1956 (age 67)
Height168 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Sport
SportWeightlifting
Medal record
Men's weightlifting
Representing  Bulgaria
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place1980 Moscow-82.5 kg
World Championships
Silver medal – second place1979 Saloniki-82.5 kg
Silver medal – second place1980 Moscow-82.5 kg
Gold medal – first place1981 Lille-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1982 Ljubljana-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1983 Moscow-90 kg
European Championships
Silver medal – second place1976 East Berlin-82.5 kg
Gold medal – first place1979 Varna-82.5 kg
Gold medal – first place1981 Lille-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1982 Ljubljana-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1983 Moscow-90 kg
Silver medal – second place1984 Vittoria-90 kg
IWF World Cup Winner
Gold medal – first place1982 Halmstad-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1983 Tokyo-90 kg
IWF World Cup Final
Gold medal – first place1981 Vienna-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1982 Halmstad-90 kg
IWF World Cup
Gold medal – first place1981 Athens-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1982 Atlantic City-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1982 Varna-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1983 Allentown-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1983 Varna-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1983 Budapest-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1984 Varna-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1984 Budapest-90 kg
Friendship Games
Silver medal – second place1984 Varna-90 kg
Junior World Championships
Silver medal – second place1975 Marseille-82,5 kg
Junior European Championships
Silver medal – second place1975 Marseille-82,5 kg
Bulgarian Championships
Gold medal – first place1979 Sofia-82,5 kg
Gold medal – first place1981 Vidin-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1982 Varna-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1983 Varna-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1984 Varna-90 kg
Bulgaria Team Championships
Gold medal – first place1985 Kardzhali-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1983 Varna-100 kg
Gold medal – first place1982 Varna-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1982 Pleven-100 kg
Gold medal – first place1981 Varna-90 kg
Gold medal – first place1981 Kardzhali-90 kg
Bulgarian Junior&Youth Championships
Gold medal – first place1976 Dimitrovgrad-82,5 kg
Gold medal – first place1974 Sevlievo-67,5 kg
Close

Blagoev was a two time Olympian. He represented his native country Bulgaria at the Summer Olympics in Montreal (1976) and in Moscow (1980). He won a silver Olympic medal in the light heavyweight 1980 after being stripped of the silver medal in the -82.5 kg competition in 1976 Summer Olympics due to a positive steroid test. Blagoy Blagoev competed in the 82.5 kg and 90 kg weight classes. He was a 3x World Champion (1981, 1982, 1983) in the middle heavyweight. He won 4 gold European medals – as a light heavyweight in 1979 and as a middle heavyweight in 1981-1983. Blagoev also won three consecutive World Cups in Varna, Bulgaria in 1982-1984 and 5 Bulgarian Championships (1979, 1981-1984).[2] He later coached the Australian Paralympic Powerlifting Team in the 1990s to early 2000s.[3]

Weightlifting achievements

  • Silver medalist in Olympic Games (1980);[4][5]
  • Senior World champion (1981,1982,1983);
  • Silver medalist World Championships 1979,1980
  • IWF Weightlifter of the Year 1982 and 1983
  • World Cup Winner 1982 and 1983
  • Sportsman of the year Bulgaria 1982
  • Athlete of the Balkans 1983
  • Senior European champion (1979, 1981, 1982 and 1983);
  • Silver medalist in Senior European Championships (1976 and 1984);
  • All-time senior world record holder in snatch (195.5 kg, competing at 90 kg);
  • Best Sinclair lift of all times 195.5 kg in the Snatch at 90 kg bodyweight.
  • Set 49 junior and senior ratified world records in 1975–1983.[5]
  • Master of Sports (Bulgaria) 1974
  • Honored Master of Sports (Bulgaria) 1979
  • Honored Coach (Bulgaria) 1987

Career bests

82.5 kg class:

  • Snatch 175 1979 Bulgaria, 1980 Moscow
  • Clean and Jerk 210 1979 Bulgaria
  • Total 385 1979 Bulgaria

90 kg class:

  • Snatch: 195.5 kg in 1983 in Varna
  • Clean and jerk: 228.5 kg in 1983 in Varna.
  • Total: 420.0 kg in 1983 in Varna.[5]
  • World Championships Best:

82.5 kg 175+197.5 Moscow 1980, 90 kg 190+227.5 Moscow 1983

  • European Championships Best-

82.5 kg 172.5+207.5 Varna 1979, 90 kg 190+227.5 Moscow 1983, 192.5+225 Vittorio, Spain.1984

  • World Cup Best

90 kg Halmstad 195+217.5 1982

References

Wikiwand in your browser!

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.

Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.

Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.