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Tommy Kono

Tommy Kono established world records in four body weight classes: lightweight (148 pounds), middleweight (165), light-heavyweight (181), and middle-heavyweight (198). Only two years after beginning Olympic lifting, he made the highest total of any lightweight lifter in the United States. Within four years of this first contest, he won the Gold Medal at the 1952 Olympic games in Helsinki, Finland. He was world champion every year from 1953 through 1959, which included a second Gold Medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. He established 26 world records and seven Olympic records. As if that wasn't enough, he also won the "Mr. World" physique title and was three times crowned "Mr. Universe." After retirement from lifting, he became the national and Olympic coach for Mexico (1966 - 1968) and for West Germany (1969 - 1972), and United States Olympic weightlifting coach in 1976
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Kono Tommy

What makes this story amazing is his blood background. Usually when you think of power lifter and strong man an Asian does not come to mind at first. We are used to seeing African, Russian and Austrian power men dominating muscle sports. Tommy proved that anyone can achieve greatness, you do not have to be related to Arnold to get passed genetic 'cursings'.