Antonio Krastev

Antonio Krastev ( b. 1961 ) was a Bulgarian weightlifter. He was a multiple world and European champion and world record holder in the super heavyweight division.

Career

Antonio Krastev grew up in Sofia and started there, discovered by talent scouts of the Bulgarian Weightlifting Federation at his school, with the weight lifting. He soon developed an excellent lift and grew at a height of 1.80 meters soon in the super heavyweight, body weight began his days at 110 kg into it. Throughout his career, he had several coaches. But the important thing for him was without a doubt Ivan Abadschiew, who had again taken over the training of the Bulgarian weightlifting team in the early 1980s.

At the international weightlifting stage, he first appeared in 1979, when he at the Junior World Championships in Debrecen in the Super Heavyweight 385 kg in the behind Mendez, Cuba, 387.5 kg and before Senno Salzwedel from the GDR, 355 kg, the 2 occupied. place. The jump to the Olympic Games in Moscow in 1980 he had not yet managed. His next major success was the victory at the Junior World Championship 1981 in Lignano. There he won with 407.5 kg ( 190 to 217.5 ) before Kempe, DDR, 385 kg and Didyk, USSR, 370 kg. In the same year he was already used in the World and European Championships in Lille. In beidarmigen tearing there he scored 185 kg, which earned him a bronze medal. In beidarmigen thrusting he had recorded three failed attempts with his initial weight, with which he remained unplaziert duel without result.

In 1982, Antonio Krastev only the Soviet Anatoly Pisarenko Heber had at the World and European Championships in Ljubljana against beaten. This achieved in a duel 445 kg, while Antonio Krastev 442.5 kg ( 200 to 242.5 ) raised and thus remained just behind Pisarenko. The duel against Pisarenko Krastev was also in 1983 continue. At the World -. European Championship and this year in Moscow Antonio Krastev came but only 427.5 kilograms ( 190 to 237.5 ) and had thus Pisarenko, who scored 450 kg ( 205-245 ) and Alexander Kurlovich, USSR, also 450 kg ( 205-245 ) scored admit defeat.

In 1984, Antonio Krastev had brought back into better shape for the European Championships in Vitoria. He scored in Vitoria 445 kg ( 195-250 ), but remained so again behind Pisarenko back, which reaffirmed 450 kg ( 200-250 ). At the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, he was unable to attend because of the boycott of the Games by the socialist states.

In 1985, he then succeeded at the World Championships in Södertälje, were locked in Anatoly Pisarenko and Alexander Kurlovich because of doping offenses, the first title in the seniors. He reached there though only 437.5 kilograms ( 202.5 to 235 ), but this was enough power to before Alexander Gunjaschew from the USSR, 432.5 kg and Manfred Nerlinger from the Federal Republic of Germany, 422.5 kg, victorious. remain

In 1986 was also European champion in super heavyweight Antonio Krastev in Karl- Marx-Stadt. He scoring 450 kg ( 207.5 to 242.5 ) in a duel. With cracked 207.5 kg he hinted here that he had improved significantly in beidarmigen tearing. This was already evident at the World Cup 1986 in Sofia, where he two new world records with 212.5 kg and 215 kg in the snatch. In thrusting he scored 245 kg, and was once again the duel capacity of 460 kg World Champion in front of Manfred Nerlinger, which reached 430 kg ( 185-245 ).

In 1987, Antonio Krastev achieved a new duel world record at the European Championships in Reims with 467.5 kg ( 215 to 252.5 ). Moreover, in his third attempt in the snatch 215.5 kg were launched, which he also set a new world record. In the duel rating according to the then rules, however, were only 215 kg. With these achievements he won against superior Ewgeni Sipko from the USSR, who scored 445 kg ( 200-245 ). At the World Championships of 1987 in Ostrava Antonio Krastev then experienced a surprise. The Soviet weightlifting federation had the doping sinners Alexander Kurlovich pardoned, and also unveiled the second Soviet super heavyweight lifter Leonid Taranenko in an excellent form. Kurlovich reached in a duel 472.5 kg ( 212.5 to 260 ), which was new duel world record and Taranenko managed 467.5 kg ( 202.5 to 265 ). Both athletes were so ahead of Antonio Krastev, who scored in a duel 460 kg ( 215-245 ). Nevertheless, Antonio Krastev succeeded at this event a sensational performance. At break were at his third attempt that is not 215 kg 216 kg but on the barbell. Krastev tore this weight, setting a new world record. The remarkable thing is that this service has not been surpassed to this day ( December 2008). You no longer applies because of a weight class reform by the International Weightlifting Federation was a world record, but is still the best performance in the snatch ever scored by a weightlifter.

At the European Championship 1988 in Cardiff Antonio Krastev was not in superior shape. He reached in a duel 447.5 kg and so placed 2nd behind Leonid Taranenko, who scored 462.5 kg ( 207.5 to 255 ), but referred Manfred Nerlinger, who came to 442.5 kg ( 185-257, 5) to 3rd place. Well prepared wanted to Antonio Krastev finally win an Olympic medal at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. However, the Bulgarian team made ​​playing these games for one of the biggest scandals in the history of weight lifting, because it turned out that the four first Bulgarian starter in these games, two of them had won the gold medal, were drugged and had to be disqualified. The Bulgarian weightlifting federation then pulled back all its starters. Antonio Krastev learned so one day before his match in Seoul that he is not allowed to go to the start.

After this disappointment turned Antonio Krastev his weightlifting shoes in the corner and played no more competitions. However, after overcoming this shock, he participated in several competitions in powerlifting. After the political changes in the Eastern Bloc countries in 1991 he went to the United States. He worked among others there before he got a job as a weightlifter trainer as a bouncer at a Now York nightclub. At times, he stayed in Canada. In 1994, he was starting for Ontario, even Canadian weightlifting champion in super heavyweight 340 kg in the ( 150-190 ). With this match, he brought the record weight of 171 kilos. Antonio Krastev, who by his own admission never had the intention to return to Bulgaria, now lives in St. Paul.

International success

(WM = World Championship, EM = European Championship, SS = Super Heavyweight, at that time more than 110 kg of body weight)

EM individual medals

  • European gold medals: 1982/Reißen, 1986/Reißen, 1987/Reißen
  • EM- Silver medals: 1982/Stoßen, 1984/Reißen, 1084/Stoßen, 1986/Stoßen
  • EM bronze medals: 1981/Reißen, 1983/Stoßen, 1988/Reißen, 1988/Stoßen

World Records

Swell

  • Journal athletics, numbers 7/1979, 8/1981, 10/ 1981 7/1982, 10/1982, 4 /1984
  • Website " www.chidlovski.net "
  • Website " sports123.com "
Olympic weightlifting World Weightlifting Championships 1985 World Weightlifting Championships 1986 World Weightlifting Championships 1982 World Weightlifting Championships 1983 World Weightlifting Championships 1987 World Weightlifting Championships 1981 World Weightlifting Championships East Germany Lignano Sabbiadoro Aleksandr Kurlovich BRD (Germany)
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