Grigori Novak

Sport:
weightlifting

Country Represented:
Soviet Union

Years Competed:
1952

Medals Received:
silver

Olympic Info:
Novak was a member of the Soviet Union's weightlifting team at the 1952 Helsinki Games, the first time the Soviet Union sent a team to the Olympics. Only 5'3-1/2", he won the silver medal in the middle-heavyweight division (195 pounds) with a total lift of 410-kilograms (903.75 pounds), 140-kg in the press, 125-kg in the snatch, and 145-kg in the jerk.

Career Highlights:
Grigori, who was an acrobat before turning to weighlifting at the age of 16, won the world light-heavyweight championship in 1947 (936.5 pounds). He broke the first of his 55 world weightlifting records in 1939 and served in the Soviet army during World War II. He was cited for bravery four times.

In 1952, the same year he won the European Championship in the middleweight class, Novak (weighing 195 pounds) cleaned 286 pounds, pressed it, lowered it behind his neck, and then did a second rep behind his neck! Following his retirement from competition, Grigori joined circuses in Russia and Poland, performing acrobatics and feats of strength. He is a member of the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. March 5, 1919 - d. 1980

Origin:
Chernobyl, Ukraine