Nikolaj Pešalov

Nikolaj Pešalov

Personal information
Born	May 30, 1970
Medal record Men’s Weightlifting Olympic Games Competitor for Bulgaria Silver 1992 Barcelona – 60 kg Bronze 1996 Atlanta – 59 kg Competitor for Croatia Gold 2000 Sydney – 62 kg Bronze 2004 Athens – 69 kg World Championships Total Silver 1998 Lahti – 62 kg European Championships Total Gold 2000 Sofia – 62 kg Gold 2001 Trencin – 62 kg Silver 2004 Kiev – 69 kg Bronze 1999 La Coruña – 62 kg

Nikolaj Pešalov (Bulgarian: Николай Славев Пешалов, Nikolay Slavev Peshalov; born on May 30, 1970 in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria) is an Olympic and World former champion in weightlifting. For the first part of his career he competed under the Bulgarian flag, but later moved to Croatia which he represented internationally.

During his long and successful career, Pešalov was World champion eight times in various categories and disciplines, and broke several world records. His Olympic medals are split between Bulgaria (1992 and 1996) and Croatia (2000 and 2004). In 2000 he was granted Croatian citizenship, and he now holds a Croatian passport. He resides in both Sofia (Bulgaria) and Split (Croatia).

Further achievements

• Senior world champion (1990, 1993, 1994);
• Silver medalist in Senior World Championships (1989 and 1998);
• Bronze medalist in Senior World Championships (1995);
• Senior European champion (1991–1995, 1997, 2000, 2001);
• Silver medalist in Senior European Championships (1989, 1990, 2004);
• Set five world records during career.

Weightlifting career bests

• Snatch: 150.0 kg in the class to 62 kg;
• Clean and jerk: 187.5 kg 2004 Summer Olympics in the class to 69 kg;
• Total: 312.5 kg (137.5 + 175.0) 1992 European Weightlifting Championships in the class to 60 kg;
• Total: 325.0 kg 2000 Summer Olympics in the class to 62 kg (Olympic record);
• Total: 337.5 kg 2004 Summer Olympics in the class to 69 kg.

References

• dataOlympics 1992+1996
• dataOlympics 2000+2004
• Nikolay Peshalov at Sports-Reference
• Nikolay Pechalov at Database Weightlifting