Charles Rigoulot
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's weightlifting | ||
Competitor for  France
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| Gold | 1924 Paris | 82.5 kg |
Charles Rigoulot (November 3, 1903 - August 22, 1962) was a French weightlifter, professional wrestler, race car driver, and actor who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal in the 82.5kg division (181.5 lbs).
He was born in Le Vésinet and died in Paris.
He set ten world records in weightlifting between 1923 and 1926, and was at one time the world record holder in the one-handed snatch with roughly 115kilos or 253lbs. In 1924, he became the first man to clean and jerk more than 400 pounds, using the non-revolving barbells of that time. In 1930, he became the first man to complete an overhead lift of the Apollon Railway Car Wheels, an awkwardly-shaped 166k (366lb) barbell-shaped set of train wheels used by the stage strongman Louis Uni, and the predecessor of "Apollon's Axle." As a pro wrestler Rigoulot was billed as "l'homme le plus fort dans le monde," or "the strongest man in the world," and had matches with Henri DeGlane and Strangler Lewis. As a driver, he competed in the 1937 Le Mans race.
Rigoulot became French champion in 1923 and won a gold medal in the light-heavyweight class in 1924. During World War II he was imprisoned after hitting a Nazi officer.[1]
References
- ↑ Wallechinsky, David (2004). The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics, Toronto: Sport Classic Books. ISBN 1-894963-34-2
External links
- Profile with pictures (French)
- Profile
- Olympic profile
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