Bob Bartholomew (weightlifter)

Bob Bartholomew (* 1944 ) is a retired American weightlifter .

Career

Bob Bartholomew began lifting weights at the Allentown YMCA club when he was 15 . Within four years he showed performances with which he could start at the US championships. He was discovered by Bob Hofmann, the wealthy mentor of American weightlifting of his time, and brought to the York Barbell Club in New York . Bob Hofmann's goal was to build up a strong American team for the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City , with which he wanted to regain the supremacy of American weightlifting. However, the project did not succeed. The Soviet Union and other Eastern Bloc countries had become so strong that the Americans could not regain this supremacy that existed in the 1950s. Bob Bartholomew, who had qualified for the OS 1968, could not contribute to this either, because he only finished 9th in the middle heavyweight division (up to 90 kg body weight). But at the national level, Bob Bartholomew had some nice successes.

International success

(OS = Olympic Games, Ms = middle heavyweight)

• 1966, 1st place , North America. Master class in York, Ms, at 447.5 kg, ahead of Phil Grippaldi , 450 kg and Frank Capsouras, 425 kg;
• 1968, 9th place , OS in Mexico City , Ms, with 457.5 kg, winner: Kaarlo Kangasniemi , Finland , 517.5 kg ahead of Jaan Talts , Soviet Union , 507.5 kg.

National successes

• 1963, 2nd place , Philadelphia-Meistersch., Ms, with 372.5 kg, behind Vob Vogel, 385 kg and in front of W. Woodruff, 345 kg;
• 1963, 7th place , USA championship, Ms, with 397.5 kg, winner: Bill March , 455 kg in front of Ken Rose, 435 kg;
• 1964, 1st place , Philadelphia-Meistersch., Ms, with 422.5 kg, in front of D. Mallet, 360 kg;
• 1964, 2nd place , USA Junior Championship, Ms, with 425 kg, behind Bob Bednarski , 430 kg;
• 1964, 4th place , USA championship, Ms, with 427.5 kg, winner: Bill March, 460 kg, ahead of Clyde Emrich , 445 kg;
• 1965, 1st place , USA Junior Championships, Ms, with 445 kg, in front of Sergio Oliva , 410 kg and J. De Meglio, 410 kg (Sergio Oliva was the later world-famous bodybuilder and multiple Mr. Universum );
• 1965, 2nd place , USA-Meistersch., Ms, with 452.5 kg, behind Bill March, 462.5 kg and in front of Bob Bednarski, 432.5 kg;
• 1966, 2nd place , Philadelphia-Meistersch., Ms, with 467.5 kg, behind March, 470 kg and in front of Phil Grippaldi , 405 kg;
• 1966, 1st place , "Eastern" -Meistersch., Ms, with 442.5 kg, ahead of Grippaldi, 417.5 kg;
• 1966, 1st place , USA-Meistersch., Ms, with 447.5 kg, ahead of Grippaldi, 440 kg and Frank Capsouras, 402.5 kg;
• 1967, 3rd place , USA Championship, Ms, with 450 kg, behind Grippaldi, 470 kg and John Gourgott, 452.5 kg;
• 1968, 4th place , USA-Meistersch., Ms, with 457.5 kg, behind Grippaldi, 480 kg, Capsouras, 465 kg and Gourgott, 465 kg;
• 1968, 2nd place , Olympic elimination, Ms, with 470 kg, behind Grippaldi, 492.5 kg and in front of Capsouras, 465 kg.