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Farewell to Chuck Vinci, two time Olympic Champion

The American weightlifter and two-time Olympic Champion, Charles Thomas Vinci, Jr. died at the age 85.

Chuck Vinci

Chuck Vinci standing on the top of the podium

Mr. Vinci was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1933 and was one of the greatest athletes in the city’s history. He was the United States Senior National Champion from 1954 to 1956 and then from 1958 to 1961. He won silver medals at the 1955 and 1958 World Championships. At the Pan American Games in 1955 and 1959, he won gold medals.

He won the gold medal at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne and set a world record with his three lifts (snatch, clean and jerk, overhead press), totaling 342.5 kilograms. At the 1960 Rome Olympic Games, he took the gold medal once more.

During his career, he set 12 world records in the 56kg bodyweight category.

After he retired from competitive weightlifting,  he remained a strong force in the sport, inspiring the new generation of athletes.

Chuck Vinci was the father of 8 children.

The International Weightlifting Federation wishes to express its deepest sympathy to his family and the USA Weightlifting.