The name Tommy Kono probably comes to mind if you know weightlifting. Tommy Kono is the all-time best weightlifter. He is an Olympic gold medalist and renowned American weightlifter. He won two gold medals at the Olympics. Tommy Kono won gold medals in the middleweight (1952) and lightweight divisions (1960). He won three Pan-American gold medals and six gold medals in the World Weightlifting Championships. He set 26 world records during the course of his career, including both Mr. Universe championships and Olympic records. At the 2014 IWF World Championships, he received a lifetime achievement award. Kono was chosen for induction into the International Weightlifting Federation Hall of Fame in 2020. The Google Doodle website included a particular graphic in memory of the late Kono on his 91st birthday. Tommy will forever be a true inspiration to athletes everywhere. Tommy Kono’s weightlifting is still very popular and is unlikely to fade away anytime soon.
All-Time World Champion
1930 saw the birth of the great Tommy Kono in Sacramento, California. However, when he was 12 years old, his family interned in a Japanese camp during World War II. From 1942 through 1945, the family resided in the camp. After the war ended, Kono was allowed to return to Sacramento and start competing in weightlifting events. He achieved the highest total of any American lightweight lifter just two years after starting to lift for the Olympics. Four years after his debut competition, he took home the Gold Medal at the Helsinki, Finland, Olympic Games in 1952.
Tommy Kono won the title of world champion each year between 1953 and 1959, including two gold medals at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956. He set world records in the lightweight (148 pounds), middleweight (165 pounds), light-heavyweight (181), and middle-heavyweight (198) body weight categories. He set a lot of world records including seven Olympic records and 26 world records. Kono had an impressive weightlifting career. Many athletes, like Arnold Schwarzenegger, found inspiration in him. In addition to his Olympic achievements, Kono won the Mr. Universe title four times between 1954 and 1963. But in the world of weightlifting, he will always be regarded with respect and admiration.
A Great Mentor to Young Athletes
When Tommy Kono puts his mind to something, he performed amazing things through perseverance and hard effort. He proved that if you have courage, you can achieve your dreams. He continues to serve as an example for athletes everywhere. Strength, humbleness, courage, and friendship were among his character traits. Tommy was a role model for many aspiring athletes throughout his life and gained a lot of acceptance and status as a favorite among his peers. When Kono injured his knee and was unable to participate in the 1964 Olympic Games, his career abruptly came to a stop.
But through 1976, while serving as a coach for numerous Olympic teams, he shared his knowledge with fresh players. As a great leader after retiring from the weightlifting competition, Kono remained involved in the weightlifting community. Young athletes looked up to him as a guide. He also imparted his knowledge and expertise to them. Additionally, he was active on social media platforms like Tommy Kono Reddit, where he offered guidance to beginners. Kono’s story touched the hearts of countless people all across the world. As one of the greatest athletes in American history, he will always be remembered. In every way, he was an unwavering advocate.
Google Doodle’s tribute to Tommy Kono
Tommy Kono passed away from natural causes in 2016 at the age of 85 after a lifetime of proving his ability to face the challenges of his career. Without his unparalleled successes, weightlifting will never be the same. He received a “Google Doodle” from Google in celebration of his 88th birthday. In the doodle, a cartoon of him lifting weights with the Olympic rings in the background can be seen. He was a Japanese-American coach, Olympic gold medalist athlete, world champion bodybuilder, and one of the greatest weightlifters in American history. On June 27, 2021, the day of his 91st birthday, a Google doodle paid him tribute with a special image. Guest artist Shanti Rittgers from Los Angeles made the designs.
Wrapping Up!
Tommy Kono was a remarkable sportsman and a source of great inspiration for all of us. A great weightlifter, Olympic gold medalist, and world record holder It serves as a reminder that anything is “achievable” thanks to his motivational story. He proved to everyone that everything is possible. You have a greater chance of success the harder you work and the more determined you are. Weightlifters around the world will remember him for a long time. A devoted champion is no longer in the world, but we owe him for his dedication.