Halil Mutlu

Halil Mutlu, born Halil Aliev on 14 July 1973 in Postnik, Bulgaria, is a Turkish former professional weightlifter and one of six weightlifters who have won three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games. He made his first Olympic appearance in 1992 in the 52 kilogram category and finished fifth, then won at Atlanta in 1996 and was even more dominant at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, at the age of 31, he out-lifted Wu Meijin of China by 5 kilograms in the snatch and extended his lead in the jerk to win by 7.5 kilograms for his third consecutive gold medal. His career includes five World championships, nine European championships and more than twenty world records at 52 and 54 kilograms. He pulled out of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, saying he could not lift his targeted weight in practice, and as a penalty was expelled from the ASKI sports club.