Heavyweight (>90 kilograms), Men

The overwhelming favorite was American Paul Anderson, who had been shattering world records for the past 18 months, and had won the 1955 World Championship with a margin of 37.5 kg. He had been so dominant that the Soviet Union did not even enter a lifter in the heavyweight division, conceding it to Anderson. However, on arriving in Melbourne, Anderson became ill with strep throat and was at less than his best. He was then surprised in the press when Argentine Humberto Selvetti, the 1952 bronze medalist, took the lead with 175.0 kg to Anderson’s 167.5 kg – nobody else was close. The two both lifted 145.0 kg in the snatch as Selvetti maintained his lead. Selvetti jerked 180.0 kg to take the lead and Anderson called for 187.5 for his first lift. He failed. Then he failed again, before succeeding on his final attempt with 187.5 kg as the two lifters tied on total weight at 500.0 kg, well off Anderson’s world record of 519.5 kg. The medal standings would come down to bodyweight and Anderson was huge for that era, at 137.9 kg (303½ lbs), but Selvetti was even bigger, at 143.5 kg (316 lbs), giving Anderson the gold medal and Selvetti silver.

Anderson retired from amateur weightlifting after the Melbourne Olympics and made his living as a professional strongman, and doing power lifting exhibitions. Considered by many as the strongest man who ever lived, he lifted 2,844 kg (6,270 lbs) in a back lift at an exhibition in June 1957. Selvetti continued to lift in amateur competitions, returning to the Olympics in 1964 where he placed 17th.