Gelu Radu

Gelu Radu
Personal information
Surname:	Gelu Radu
Nationality:	Romania
Date of birth:	3rd November 1957
Place of birth:	Adjud
Size:	156 cm
Medal table

Gelu Radu (born November 3, 1957 in Adjud , Vrancea County ) is a former Romanian weightlifter .

Career

Radu first competed internationally in 1980 at the age of 22 at the Olympic Games in Moscow. With 265.0 kg (115.0 / 150.0 kg) he took 8th place in the featherweight up to 60 kg. The winner was Wiktor Masin with 290.0 kg. After he did not start at any international competition in 1981, he reached fifth place at the 1982 World Cup in Ljubljana with 285.0 kg (125.0 / 160.0 kg). For the 1983 World Cup, Radu increased again to 292.5 kg (130.0 / 162.5 kg) and was able to win bronze in a duel and in jerks. Since the European Championship and World Cup were held in one event, this also meant third place at the European Championship.

Due to the Olympic boycott of the other Eastern European countries, Radu was one of the title favorites at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles . Here he won silver with 280.0 kg (125.0 / 155.0 kg) behind the Chinese Chen Weiqiang , who lifted 282.5 kg. After Radu mastered 125.0 kg in snatch, he jumped into the jerk with a valid 155.0 kg and then increased to 165.0 kg, which he failed twice. However, since Chen, who also tore 125.0 kg, failed twice at 165.0 kg, a valid attempt with 160.0 kg would have been enough for Radu to win gold. These games were also the 1984 world championships, making Radu runner-up as well.

Top performances

• Tear: 130.0 kg in the class up to 60 kg in 1983 in Moscow
• Bump: 162.5 kg in the class up to 60 kg in 1983 in Moscow
• Duel: 292.5 kg in the class up to 60 kg in 1983 in Moscow

Web links

• Gelu Radu at the Institute for Applied Training Science
• Gelu Radu in the Sports-Reference database (English; archived from the original )
• Profile of Gelu Radu in the lift-up project at chidlovski.net (English)