News and Media

News

Imre Földi receives highest recognition ‘Prima Primissima’

The most popular and successful Hungarian weightlifter, Olympic, world and European champion Imre Földi has received a high recognition from Hungary’s society. Already a member of the elite Hall of Fame, Földi has been awarded the Prima Primissima Prize allocated to the most outstanding representatives of Hungary’s culture, arts, science and sport. In the presence of János Áder, President of the Republic of Hungary, at the awarding Gala  Földi was recognised as a ‘living legend’, who started his weightlifting career in the mid-1950s and remained on the national squad until 1977. He was the first weightlifter in the world to participate in five Olympic Games (1960-1976) winning silver medals in 1964 Tokyo and 1968 Mexico before finally arriving at the peak of his career at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games where he became the Olympic champion.
He added 5 world and 10 European titles to his collection and set 35 world records.

In 2005 he was acclaimed as a “Lifter of the Century” and in 2009 he received the IWF Gold Award.

The Prima Primissima Prize is awarded by a public vote involving the entire Hungarian society.