Antonio Krastev facts for kids
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's weightlifting | ||
Representing  Bulgaria |
||
| World Championships | ||
| Silver | 1982 Ljubljana | +110 kg |
| Bronze | 1983 Moscow | +110 kg |
| Gold | 1985 Södertälje | +110 kg |
| Gold | 1986 Sofia | +110 kg |
| Bronze | 1987 Ostrava | +110 kg |
| European Championships | ||
| Silver | 1982 Ljubljana | +110 kg |
| Bronze | 1983 Moscow | +110 kg |
| Silver | 1984 Vitoria | +110 kg |
| Gold | 1986 Karl-Marx-Stadt | +110 kg |
| Gold | 1987 Reims | +110 kg |
| Silver | 1988 Cardiff | +110 kg |
| World Cup Final | ||
| Silver | 1986 Melbourne | +110 kg |
| World Cup | ||
| Gold | 1983 Varna | +110 kg |
| Gold | 1986 Dobrich | +110 kg |
| Gold | 1987 Pazardzhik | +110 kg |
| Gold | 1988 Plovdiv | +110 kg |
| Junior World Championships | ||
| Silver | 1979 Debrecen | +110 kg |
| Gold | 1981 Lignano Sabbiadoro | +110 kg |
| Junior European Championships | ||
| Gold | 1979 Debrecen | +110 kg |
| Gold | 1981 Lignano Sabbiadoro | +110 kg |
Antonio Krastev (born October 10, 1961 – died July 9, 2020) was a famous Bulgarian weightlifter. He was known for his amazing strength in the super heavyweight category. Antonio Krastev set a world record in 1987 for the heaviest ever snatch lift. He lifted an incredible 216 kilograms (about 476 pounds)! This record was later matched by another athlete in 2016. It was finally broken in 2017.
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Life Story of Antonio Krastev
Antonio Krastev was born in Haskovo, Bulgaria. He became a very successful weightlifter. He won gold medals at the World Weightlifting Championships twice. He also won gold medals at the European Weightlifting Championships twice.
Olympic Dreams and Challenges
Even though he was a top athlete, Antonio Krastev never got to compete in the Olympic Games. He was supposed to represent Bulgaria at the 1988 Olympic Games. He was a big favorite to win a gold medal there.
However, something unexpected happened. Two of his teammates had issues with their drug tests. Because of this, the Bulgarian weightlifting team was pulled out of the competition. This happened just one day before Antonio was scheduled to compete. It was a very tough moment for him.
Life After Bulgarian Weightlifting
After this, Antonio Krastev stopped competing for Bulgaria. He moved to New York City in the United States. There, he worked as a bouncer at a nightclub.
He continued to train on his own. He became very strong again, strong enough to compete internationally. Antonio wanted to compete for the United States in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. He applied to become a U.S. citizen. However, his application was not approved in time. So, he could not compete in those Olympics either. He eventually did become an American citizen and lived in New York.
Antonio Krastev sadly passed away at 58 years old. He died in a car accident in Minnesota on July 9, 2020.
Major Achievements in Weightlifting
Antonio Krastev competed in many important weightlifting events. He showed great skill and strength.
World Championships Success
He won several medals at the World Weightlifting Championships.
- In 1982, he won a gold medal in the snatch and a silver medal overall.
- In 1985, he won another gold medal overall.
- In 1986, he won gold again, showing his dominance.
- In 1987, he won a bronze medal overall, and set his famous snatch world record.
Setting World Records
Antonio Krastev was known for setting new world records in the snatch lift.
- On November 15, 1986, he lifted 212.5 kg in Sofia.
- On the same day, he lifted even more: 215 kg in Sofia.
- On May 9, 1987, he lifted 215.5 kg in Reims.
- On September 13, 1987, he set his highest record of 216 kg in Ostrava. This was the heaviest snatch ever recorded in IWF competition at the time.
