Blagoy Blagoev

Blagoy Blagoev (Благой Благоев; born 4 December 1956) is a retired Bulgarian weightlifter. Between 1976 and 1984 he claimed seven gold and five silver medals at the Summer Olympics and World and European championships. He set 18 world records. 13 of them were in the snatch. His last snatch world record was 195.5 kg in the 90 kg weight class, set on 1 May 1983 in Varna and remains the heaviest weight ever snatched by a middle heavyweight. Blagoev was twice declared the Best Weightlifter in the World by the International Weightlifting Federation - in 1982 and 1983. Blagoev was named Sportsperson of the Year in Bulgaria for 1982.

Blagoev was a two time Olympian. He represented his native country Bulgaria at the Summer Olympics in Montreal (1976) and in Moscow (1980). He won a silver Olympic medal in the light heavyweight 1980. Blagoy Blagoev competed in the 82.5 kg and 90 kg weight classes. He was a 3x World Champion (1981, 1982, 1983) in the middle heavyweight. He won 4 gold European medals – as a light heavyweight in 1979 and as a middle heavyweight in 1981-1983. Blagoev also won three consecutive World Cups in Varna, Bulgaria in 1982-1984 and 5 Bulgarian Championships (1979, 1981-1984). He later coached the Australian Paralympic Powerlifting Team in the 1990s to early 2000s.

Weightlifting achievements

 * Silver medalist in Olympic Games (1980);
 * Senior World champion (1981,1982,1983);
 * Silver medalist World Championships 1979,1980
 * IWF Weightlifter of the Year 1982 and 1983
 * World Cup Winner 1982 and 1983
 * Sportsman of the year Bulgaria 1982
 * Athlete of the Balkans 1983
 * Senior European champion (1979, 1981, 1982 and 1983);
 * Silver medalist in Senior European Championships (1976 and 1984);
 * All-time senior world record holder in snatch (195.5 kg, competing at 90 kg);
 * Best Sinclair lift of all times 195.5 kg in the Snatch at 90 kg bodyweight.
 * Set 49 junior and senior ratified world records in 1975–1983.
 * Master of Sports (Bulgaria) 1974
 * Honored Master of Sports (Bulgaria) 1979
 * Honored Coach (Bulgaria) 1987

Career bests
82.5 kg class:
 * Snatch 175 1979 Bulgaria, 1980 Moscow
 * Clean and Jerk 210 1979 Bulgaria
 * Total 385 1979 Bulgaria

90 kg class: 82.5 kg 175+197.5 Moscow 1980, 90 kg 190+227.5 Moscow 1983 82.5 kg 172.5+207.5 Varna 1979, 90 kg 190+227.5 Moscow 1983, 192.5+225 Vittorio, Spain.1984 90 kg Halmstad 195+217.5 1982
 * Snatch: 195.5 kg in 1983 in Varna
 * Clean and jerk: 228.5 kg in 1983 in Varna.
 * Total: 420.0 kg in 1983 in Varna.
 * World Championships Best:
 * European Championships Best-
 * World Cup Best