Pyrros Dimas Returns to Weightlifting Platform After 12 Years

Pyross Dimas remains the most decorated weightlifter in (modern) Olympics history, and after his fourth-consecutive medal — bronze at Athens in 2004 — the legendary athlete took some well-deserved time off. Of course, that’s not to say Dimas has stepped away from weightlifting entirely, and he actively represents Greece — and lifters around the world — as an IWF Executive Board Member. But on May 29th, Dimas did something we haven’t seen him do in over a decade: Lift, on a platform, in competition.

At a Greek competition honoring famed lifting coach Yiorgos Oikonomou, Dimas snatched an easy-looking 75kg — complete with trademark side-to-side glance and head nod after lockout — and clean & jerked what looks to be something between 80 and 90 kilos (it’s a little hard to tell from the video, embedded below from Dimas’ Facebook page).

Textbook Dimas style, textbook Dimas technique, and great speed for 44 years old.

We know Dimas didn’t stop training entirely after his 2004 competition retirement, though in a recent Q&A at USA Weightlifting Nationals/Olympic Trials, the three-time Olympic Champion/three-time World Champion implied he hadn’t done much training in any form for the past year or so.

No word yet on whether Dimas expects to make competition a regular thing again, though we’d be thrilled to see him make a run at Masters competition. 

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