IWF120y/107 – 1988: Joachim Kunz gets the gold in the last Games for the GDR
During its last decade as a divided country, Germany had in Joachim Kunz its shiniest weightlifting star, competing for the GDR (German Democratic Republic). Born in February 1959 in Stollberg (then in the territory of East Germany), he was already a prodigy in the junior category, having won a gold medal at the World Championships in this age group, in 1977 and 1979. Competing in the 67.5kg category, Kunz arrived at the 1980 Moscow Olympics as one of the lifters to beat – he did not disappoint, getting the silver in 145-190-335. Four years later, in Los Angeles, the Eastern block decided to boycott the Games and Kunz could not compete. However, his domination at the world level was undisputable: after two silver medals at the IWF showcase in 1979 and 1980, the German ace was the best in 1981 and 1983. Had GDR decided to take part in the 1984 Olympic rendezvous, Kunz was, in normal conditions, certainly a candidate for a medal. Despite this important hiatus, he continued to train hard and qualified for the 1988 Games in Seoul. In the Korean capital, he successfully lifted 150-190-340, finishing second behind Angel Genchev (BUL). However, the Bulgarian lifter was subsequently tested positive for prohibited substances and Kunz ended up getting the Olympic title. It was the last time the ‘two’ Germany competed separately in the Games: one year later, the fall of the Berlin Wall led to the reunification of the country. During his amazing career (which also included several medals at the European Championships), Joachim Kunz also improved nine World Records – four in Snatch, three in Clean & Jerk, and two in Total.
