Richard Tom

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Richard Tom (born November 8, 1920 in Canton , Guangdong , China , † February 20, 2007 in Aina, Hawaii ) was an American weightlifter .

Career

Richard Tom grew up in Palama, Honolulu , and began lifting weights as a teenager at the Central YMCA. Later he was a member of the Nuuanu YMCA sports club . During the Second World War he was also a participant in the US Army .

After the war he started lifting weights again. He was the first Chinese-born athlete to make the United States' national weightlifting team. In 1947 he started in bantamweight for the first time at the US championship (AAU Championships). Although he made three unsuccessful attempts there while pressing and he therefore did not achieve a three-way performance, he was nominated next to Joseph Di Pietro as the second American bantamweight lifter for the World Championships in Philadelphia . In Philadelphia he reached 287.5 kg (87.5-87.5-112.5) in the Olympic three-way fight and with this performance he became the Pietro vice world champion behind Joe.

In 1948 Richard Tom finished in bantamweight at the US championship and at the Olympic qualification (Trials) behind Joe di Pietro in each case the 2nd place. His triathlon performances were 280 kg and 290 kg respectively. He was then used at the Olympic Games in London . In London he reached 295 kg (87.5-90-117.5) in the Olympic triathlon and won the bronze medal in bantamweight behind Joe Di Pietro and Julian Creus from the United Kingdom .

Unlike some other Hawaiian athletes of Asian origin ( Tamio Kono , Emerick Ishikawa , Richard Tomita , Harold Sakata ) who mostly went to California , Richard Tom always stayed in Hawaii. After the 1948 Olympic Games in London, he became an official and trainer in the Nuuanu YMCA. In the years from 1949 to 1951, he did not start in any major weightlifting competitions. In 1952 he tried a comeback and in that year he even became the American bantamweight champion at 280 kg (85-85-110). He was therefore accepted into the US team for the Olympic Games in Helsinki , but was not used there because his performance was assessed as unpromising compared to his international competitors.

He then ended his career as an active weightlifter.

International success

year space competition Weight class Results
1947 2. World Cup in Philadelphia Bantam with 287.5 kg (87.5-87.5-112.5), behind Joe di Pietro, USA
1948 bronze OS in London Bantam with 295 kg (87.5-90-117.5), behind Joe di Pietro, 307.5 kg

USA championships

year space Weight class Results
1947 6th Bantam with 180 kg (00-75-105) after three failed attempts to push; Winner: Joe di Pietro, 275 kg (97.5-82.5-95)
1948 2. Bantam with 280 kg (80-85-115), behind Joe di Pietro, 312.5 kg (102.5-100-110)
1952 1. Bantam with 280 kg (85-85-110), ahead of George Yoshioka, 275 kg and Joe di Pietro, 272.5 kg
Explanations
  • all competitions in the Olympic three-way fight, consisting of two-armed pushing, snatching and pushing
  • Bantam weight, weight class up to 56 kg body weight
  • OS = Olympic Games, WM = World Championship

literature

  • Athletics magazine

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Tom, Richard
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American weightlifter
DATE OF BIRTH November 8, 1920
PLACE OF BIRTH Canton , Guangdong , China
DATE OF DEATH February 20, 2007
Place of death Aina, Hawaii