FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH Olympian Steiner Overcame Adversity to Win Gold
In June 2007, just one year before the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, an SUV traveling on the wrong side of the road hit 22-year-old Susann
“Weightlifting is a sport without mercy [and] it is very tough to make progress,” Matthias said in an interview with the Olympic Channel. “Every time you touch the bar, you realize that you are always alone in weightlifting, the weights are getting heavier and heavier, everything hurts.”
Steiner — wife of German Olympic weightlifter Matthias Steiner — while she was driving. She was rushed to the hospital, and it was there that Matthias promised her he would win a gold medal in her honor. Tragically,
Susann died as a result of her injuries, but Matthias’ promise to his late love lived on.
But Matthias was not alone. His memory and dedication to Susann inspired him to attain
strength he never imagined possible. As it turned out, he needed every ounce of his strength to claim victory. The competition was incredibly close. Matthias’ victory was not secure until the last lift; he needed to clean and jerk an astounding 569 pounds — more than he had ever lifted before — to fulfill his promise.
Wanting to make his wife proud, Matthias trained harder than ever before. He had been lifting weights since he was just a teenager, and though he had won medals and championships before, he had never claimed the ultimate prize: an Olympic medal.
Matthias also had to compete in the super heavyweight category against the
“I came to North County Water and Sports Therapy after having major back surgery to relieve leg and lower back pain. The surgery went well. The PT I received worked on my core strength, back strength, leg and glutes, and balance strengthening. Eric and Laura were great — reassuring and firm with my treatment. “We worked week in and week out, and my strength improved 100%! Now, I can use my legs and core to stand and walk much better. I appreciate all the work from Eric, Laura, and the entire team!” –James Despenza Incredibly, he succeeded. He edged out Chigishev by 1 kilogram, winning the gold medal with a score of 461 against Chigishev’s 460. After he had completed his lift, he fell to his knees in tears. At the podium, he held his gold medal and a bouquet of roses in his right hand and clutched a picture of Susann in his left. Matthias honored Susann’s memory with his gold medal victory, exactly as he promised. A SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY JOURNEY From Major Back Surgery to Enhanced Mobility Photo: Dacoucou
strongest weightlifters in the world. Among his competitors were the formidable Russian Evgeny Chigishev, an Olympic veteran and champion, and the Latvian Viktors Scerbaiths, who won the silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
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