POCKET HERCULE DEAD

Three-time Olympic champion weightlifter dies of liver failure aged 50

Bulgarian-born Suleymanoglu, who defected to Turkey in sensational circumstances, was dubbed the 'pocket Hercules' during his career

Suleymanoglu scored a historic hat-trick of consecutive Olympic titles starting in Seoul in 1988 then Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996. 

His exploits made him a national hero in Turkey, where he is regarded as one of the greatest sports personalities in the country's history. 

But the path to stardom for Suleymanoglu, who was born Naim Suleimanov as a member of the Turkish minority in Bulgaria, was not smooth. 

He initially competed for Bulgaria but defected from the then Communist-bloc eastern European state in December 1986 during the Weightlifting World Cup in Melbourne.

n an episode that caused a sensation at the time, Suleymanoglu left for London aboard the Turkish prime minister's jet, taking him onward to Turkey where he was given a national hero's welcome. 

Bulgaria fumed over his defection and Suleymanoglu was initially suspended for a year. But he then stormed to victory at the 1988 Games.

News Date: 18 / 11 / 2017
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