Athens - Pyrros Dimas, who ended his competitive weightlifting career last night to the overwhelming recognition of his countrymen, received another round of adulation as the street corner outside the Olympic weightlifting stadium was packed with camera crews, reporters, photographers and fans waiting to receive Dimas as he exited the competition site.


Pyrros Dimas (Greece) wades through a sea of admirers Saturday night, following the weightlifting competition. Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.

Dimas ended his brilliant weightlifting career by adding an Olympic bronze medal to the three golds he had won in Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney, and it was a welcome counterpoint to the situation developing around another Greek weightlifter, Leonidas Sampanis.

Sampanis had originally placed third in the men's 62-kg category, but had tested positive, as rumors swirled. The B-sample corroborated the finding, but things still weren't over, as Sampanis pleaded his case before an IOC disciplinary group. Sampanis also held an emotional press conference outside the weightlifting competition venue yesterday afternoon, both proclaiming his innocence and asking for the same kind of support now that he had gotten when he was awarded the bronze medal.

Early this morning an IOC executive group ruled that Sampanis should be stripped of his medal, making him the third weightlifter to test positive in the competition and adding to the pall drugs cast over sports.)

Athens - He looked drawn and not overly confident during the introductions, but when the rubber hit the road, Halil Mutlu (Turkey) made the lifts he needed for his third Olympic gold medal, and he had enough gas in his tank to try for world records in both the snatch and the clean and jerk.

Halil Mutlu racks 168.5 kg in an attempt to break his world record in the clean and jerk. Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.

Mutlu used to be the nightmare of every other competitor in this category, and when he returned tonight, it was evident why he holds all three world records.

Wu Meijin (China) was seen as Mutlu's primary rival, and he didn't disappoint in his bid to overtake the man called "Little Naim." Wu was brimming with confidence and made a nice opening snatch, 125 kg, and when Mutlu had to step back to save his first attempt, 130 kg, the door seemed like it had been cracked open. Wu missed 130 on his second attempt and made it on his third, for a nice success, but Mutlu wasn't done. He made a good 135 kg snatch on his second attempt and then, just to show the kind of numbers he's used to, he called for 140 kg on his third attempt. Tonight at least, his world record of 138.5 kg was safe.

Wu opened first in the clean and jerk, with 157.5, and he had to work to stand up with the bar after racking it. Mutlu followed with an easy 160, and Wu turned up the heat by calling for 165. The bar came off the platform so slowly you wondered how Wu could get under, but he did, although he could not stand up. Mutlu called for the same 165 on his second attempt and following a pretty routine clean, he seemed to be under the jerk, but dropped it. Wu came back with 165 again, racked the weight easier this time, managed to recover, and he drove the bar to arms' length, but it crashed down. Mutlu, having just won his third Olympic gold medal in weightlifting, deserved to have some fun, so he called for 168.5 kg on his third attempt, aiming to break his world record in the clean and jerk, and while he racked it, that was as far as the lift got. Sedat Artuc (Turkey) won the bronze on body weight, with 125/155. )

Athens - In an inspiring opening ceremony of stunning proportions, the 2004 Olympic Games opened last night, in a triumph that while many hoped for, not all forecast. With mind-numbing drama, the Olympics opened before a packed stadium where tickets were going for over US$1,000!

Greek weightlifting superstar Pyrros Dimas leads the parade of nations. Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.

Yes, prices are Olympian in scale, but they are no match for the pageantry and enthusiasm of the night as thousands of athletes representing the 202 countries participating in the Olympics marched into the stadium. Flanked by the chief organizer of the Athens Olympics, Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, IOC president Jacque Rogge, said, "sport unites by overriding national, political, religious and language barriers," giving substance to his message as he seamlessly moved from speaking in Greek to French to English. Rogge also called for an end to doping and for fair play. Weightlifting fans were heartened to see Pyrros Dimas, who is a huge name in Greece, lead the parade of nations, and Akakios Kakiasvili was one of the torch bearers on the final lap around the stadium before the Olympic flame was lit. Weightlifting competition starts tonight with the women's 48-kg category.)

With the run up to the Pleasanton [California] Games gathering steam, the top Highland Games pros are flexing their muscles. Portland, traditionally a very strong Games, produced impressive results, and this weekend, Detroit, was no slouch either. Three-time Highland Games World Champion Ryan Vierra won both contests, and in Portland he set new field records in the Portland Stone, the heavy weight for distance and the heavy hammer, suggesting that he's on the prowl. What the big guns are aimed at now is Pleasanton, for the 30th anniversary of the U.S. Invitational Heavy Events Championships, which is part of the Caledeonian Club of San Francisco's 139th Scottish Highland Gathering and Games, a Labor Day weekend extravaganza. This is the big dog, and besides Ryan Vierra, plan on seeing Dave and Will Barron, Mike Smith, Sean Betz, Kerry Overfelt, Ken Lowther, Larry Brock, Jeremiah Strand, James Parman, Dave Brown and Greg Hadley. Athletic Chairman Steve Conway said, "All the Scots are going to the Braemar Games this year, Doug MacDonald is going to Calgary and Matt Sandford is taking the year off, but it should be quite a battle with Ryan trying to hold a gang of talented throwers. I would argue that they represent 12 of the top 15 pros presently competing in the world.")

David Morton has become the first person in the world to be certified on both the No. 4 Captains of Crush gripper and the IronMind Red Nail - two landmark feats of grip strength and short-bending power, respectively. Morton's name in now the first to make both official lists, a milestone accomplishment: (/Main/captainwhoswho2.html) and the IronMind Red Nail Roster®. Morton caught our attention early on because he seemed to have unusual ability in the hand strength department and his performances spoke for themselves. Our early confidence was borne out when no less an authority than John Brookfield witnessed David officially close a No. 4 Captains of Crush gripper in very impressive style. Like a lot of grip guys, David has turned his attention to bending lately and under the watchful eye of Terry Amos, David recently destroyed a pile of IronMind Red Nails practically big enough to make a sign advertising his new business, Morton Electric. Hats off to Dave Morton!)