Egypt and USA dominate categories

WEIGHTLIFTING - The second day of weightlifting saw battles between compatriots in the two categories. The lightweights were Egyptian territory, whilst the USA ruled in the middleweights.

There was no outstanding favourite for the lightweight title and it was not expected that any records would be broken, but this class gave rise to some of the most thrilling lifting of the whole meeting and once again every Olympic record was broken. John Stuart of Canada took the first record with a Press in perfect military style of 236¾ lbs. (107½ kg.). During the Snatch, Hamouda (Egypt) went into the lead after exceeding the Olympic record. Terpak (U.S.A.), Stuart (Canada) and Halliday (Great Britain) were all close behind, the latter having also exceeded the previous Olympic Snatch record.

Then Shams (Egypt) caused his first sensation. On his second attempt he bettered the new record just set up by Hamouda and Halliday, and then, with his third attempt, a perfect lift, raised the record to 253½ lbs. (115 kg.). This brought him up among the leaders and the struggle for places during the Jerk kept the large audience tense with excitement.

Stuart lost his chance when he failed twice with 286½ lbs. (130 kg.). Terpak failed with 303 lbs. (137½ kg.). This gave Halliday his opportunity, and the British lifter and team captain succeeded brilliantly and determinedly with 308½ lbs. (140 kg.), thus wresting third place from the veteran Terpak. Halliday's effort was all the more praiseworthy because he had fought back from a seemingly hopeless position after the Press which had left him in 16th place.

Now the struggle for first place lay between the two Egyptians. Lifting with great determination and in faultless style, Hamouda went through to 319½ lbs. (145 kg.) which equalled the previous record. Shams was left with one attempt in hand and in order to win he had to lift 325 lbs. (147½ kg.) which was in excess of the Olympic record. The big arena was deadly quiet as he approached the barbell. He crouched over it in his own peculiar style and summoned his nerves for the great effort. Suddenly he turned away and a great sigh came from the pent-up spectators. He turned back and again crouched to lift. He stooped and then as soon as he grasped the bar, he dropped it again and once more drew back. For a third time he concentrated, then swooped on the bar and with a terrific effort pulled it to his shoulders ; another fierce movement from this tigerish lifter and there was the weight triumphantly overhead. It was a superb effort and deservedly earned him the premier position. Both he and Hamouda set up the same record total, 793 ¼ lbs. (360 kg.), but Shams took first place as he was the lighter man.

The middleweight class was expected to bring another victory to Egypt, for their great El Touni was lifting. He had far surpassed all rivals in Berlin in 1936, and had recently been shattering more world records. However, the first shock came during the Press, for it was the Korean, Kim, who led with a new Olympic record of 270 lbs. (122½ kg.). The next shock came in the Snatch, when Frank Spellman and Pete George, both of the U.S.A., outlifted Touni. Pete George was probably the youngest lifter in the whole meeting. This 19-year-old lad had just left high school, and in his first Olympic competition won fame with a new Olympic Snatch record of 270 lbs. (122½ kg.), using a perfect Squat style. The third lift, the Jerk, became a battle of nerves between Touni and the two from the U.S.A. The weight on the bar was steadily increased ; all the other lifters except Kim had taken all their attempts, but still these three had not yet declared their first attempt. At last the Americans succeeded in driving out Touni to make his first Jerk, fearful lest another increase in the weight of the bar would be too much for him. Unnerved, he failed ! Spellman immediately mounted the platform and with no difficulty hoisted the same weight. Touni rallied himself and made good with his second attempt, but, to the consternation of his many supporters, failed with his third lift and thus lost his chance of being placed as Kim out-jerked him to gain the bronze medal. (source: olympic report)

All athletes who competed in the lightweights event
All athletes who competed in the middleweights event