Ivan Ivanov

Ivan Ivanov Ivanov (, born 27 August 1971 in Shumen) is a Bulgarian former weightlifter and former head coach of the national Bulgarian weightlifting teams. He claimed one gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games, four time World Champion, and five time European Champion. He won the 1990 World Cup. Ivan also won 1991 World Cup Final in Barcelona and 1990 World Cup Final in Tainan, and in 1989 in Lisbon he finished second. In 1990, he became a gold medalist in Total and Clean, and Jerk and silver, medalist in Snatch of the Goodwill Games in Seattle. Ivanov was named the Best Weightlifter in the World by the International Weightlifting Federation for 1989 and 1990. He was named the BTA Best Balkan Athlete of the Year in 1993. Ivanov is also a three-time World Junior Champion and twice European Junior Champion. He was elected as the best coach of Bulgaria for 2019 by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the country together with the trainer on rhythmic gymnastics Vesela Dimitrova.

Career Olympics Ivanov made his Olympic debut at the 1992 Summer Olympics competing in the flyweight division (52 kg). He was the heavy favorite to win the gold medal as the three time reigning World Champion and World Record holder in the clean & jerk and total. After the snatch portion of the competition he was in second place (due to being 0.1 kg heavier than leader Lin Qisheng). Later in the clean & jerk portion, he set a new Olympic Record 150.0 kg in the clean & jerk to claim the gold medal.

In 1996, the IWF restructured the weight classes and Ivanov competed in the newly created 54 kg category. He finished in 7th place after the snatch portion and 6th overall after the clean & jerk portion was completed. His 257.5 kg total was his lowest total of the year and this was the first senior competition in which he did not win a medal in the overall total lift.

Ivanov qualified for the Bulgarian 2000 Olympic team and actually did compete in the 56 kg category. He won a silver medal but failed the doping test and was disqualified. He tested positive for the banned diuretic furosemide.

Major results Year Venue Weight Snatch (kg) Clean & Jerk (kg) Total Rank 1 2 3 Rank 1 2 3 RankOlympic Games1992 Barcelona, Spain 52 kg 110.0 115.0 117.5 2 142.5 147.5 150.0 1 265.0 1996 Atlanta, United States 54 kg 112.5 112.5 112.5 7 145.0 145.0 155.0 6 257.5 62000 Sydney, Australia 56 kg 125.0 130.0 130.0 — 155.0 160.0 162.5 — — DSQ World Championships 1989 Athens, Greece 52 kg 110.0 115.0 117.5 142.5 147.5 155.0 WR 272.5 WR 1990 Budapest, Hungary 52 kg 110.0 115.0 115.0 137.5 142.5 150.0 265.0 1991 Donaueschingen, Germany 52 kg 110.0 115.0 117.5 140.0 145.0 155.5 WR 272.5 1993 Melbourne, Australia 54 kg 115.0 120.0 120.0 4 150.0 157.5 157.5 277.5 WR 1994 Istanbul, Turkey 54 kg 115.0 120.0 — 4 150.0 155.0 158.5 275.0 1998 Lahti, Finland 56 kg 122.5 127.5 127.5 4 155.0 160.0 165.0 282.5 1999 Athens, Greece 56 kg 115.0 120.0 122.5 6 150.0 155.0 157.5 280.0 4

Weightlifting achievements Olympic champion (1992)* World Champion (1989, 1990, 1991, 1993)* 1994 World Championship silver medal* 1998 World Championships bronze medal* European Champion (1989, 1990, 1992, 1993 and 1998)* 1995 & 2000 European Championships silver medal* 1999 & 1991 European Championships bronze medal* 1990 World Cup Winner* 1993 Athlete of the Balkans* 1989 & 1990 IWF Weightlifter of the Year* 1990 Goodwill Games Gold Medalist* Junior World Champion (1988, 1989, 1990)* Junior European Champion (1988, 1991)* Bulgarian Champion (1989, 1991, 1995, 1998, 2000)*