Little Guys and Big Weights in Athens: Mutlu versus Wu
by Randall J. Strossen, IronMind Enterprises, Inc. © 2004
Don't think the superheavyweights are the only great class in weightlifting, because from the sound of things, the lightest category (56-kg) could open the Athens Olympics with a tremendous battle, and might well be won with a world record clean and jerk.
Halil Mutlu (Turkey) is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and was a dominant 56-kg lifter before he moved up to the 62-kg category. And while nobody has threatened Mutlu's 138.5-kg snatch world record in the 56-kg category, Wu Meijin (China) has proven that he's capable of breaking Mutlu's world record in the clean and jerk (168.0 kg). Wu has been hovering around huge weights for a while and at this year's Asian Weightlifting Championships (Almaty, Kazakhstan), the diminutive lifter nailed a huge 165-kg clean and jerk.
Mutlu has been noncommittal about whether he would remain in the 62-kg category or return to the 56-kg category, but IronMind learned today that he is intending to compete as a 56er. If you're having trouble getting fired up for your squats, just think of 56-kg guy cleaning and jerking 165 or 170 kg!