René Duverger

René Duverger, 1932

René Duverger (born January 30, 1911 in Paris , † August 16, 1983 ) was a French weightlifter .

Career

René Duverger grew up in Paris where he played as a youth soccer . In 1927 he also started lifting weights , but soon decided to do it - a right decision, as it soon turned out to be. He became a member of the Sociéte Athlétique Montmartroise Paris and had his mentor in Jean Dame . His achievements soon made him catch up with the international top class and in 1930, at the age of 19, he became vice European lightweight champion.

The high point of his career was the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles , where he won the gold medal and completed the one-time triumph of French weightlifting, which won gold three times in the five weight classes at these Olympic Games (René Duverger, Raymond Suvigny , Louis Hostin ).

In the following years he was still successful, but he succeeded no more title win. His duels with the Austrians Hans Haas and Robert Fein were legendary . At the age of 41 he still reached 282.5 kg in the Olympic three-way fight in 1952.

Rene Duverger was Secretary General of the French Weightlifting Association for many years after his active career.

International success

(OS = Olympic Games, WM = World Championship, EM = European Championship, Le = lightweight)

1930, 2nd place , EM in Munich , Le, with 295 kg, behind Hans Haas , Austria , 317.5 kg and in front of Robert Fein , Austria, 292.5 kg;
1931, 6th place , EM in Luxembourg , Le, 287.5 kg, winner: Haas, 317.5 kg ahead of Kurt Helbig , Germany , 302.5 kg;
1932, gold medal , OS in Los Angeles , Le, with 325 kg, ahead of Haas, 307.5 kg and Gastone Pierini , Italy , 302.5 kg;
1934, 2nd place , EM in Genoa , Le, with 312.5 kg, behind Fein, 312.5 kg and in front of Adolf Wagner (weightlifter) , Germany, 295 kg;
1935, 3rd place , EM in Paris, Le, with 312.5 kg, behind Karl Jansen , Germany, 325 kg and Fein, 322.5 kg;
1936, 7th place , OS in Berlin , Le, with 317.5 kg, winner: Mohamed Mesbah, Egypt , together with Fein, both 342.5 kg;
1937, 5th place , World Championships in Paris, 5th place, Le, with 320 kg, behind Anthony Terlazzo , USA , 357.5 kg, Fein, 355 kg, Jansen, 330 kg and Karl Schwitalle, Germany, 325 kg.