Ferenc Lénárt

Ferenc Lénárt had a difficult childhood with his parents giving him up for state care, so therefore he grew up in an institution in Pécs, along with his two older brothers. Weightlifting was a break-out point from this situation. Between 1980 and 1987 Lénárt competed for the Pécsi MSC. In 1983 and 1984 he won the youth championship title, and the following year he became the best among adults. At the 1987 European Championships in Reims, he achieved a sixth place overall. Between 1988 and 1992 he then competed for Szekszárdi Húsipari SE. This was when he reached the peak of his career, both nationally and internationally. In 1989 and 1990 he won the Hungarian championship again. At the 1991 European Championships in Wladyslawowo, he finished fifth in the overall and third in the clean and jerk. His last major competition was the 1992 Barcelona Olympics where he finished ninth in the 56kg weight class.

His sports career ended in 1993, and although he earned a coaching degree, he did not stay in the sport. Lénárt lived off odd jobs, working on construction sites. Since he did not have his own apartment, he moved into a homeless shelter a few years later.

His brother, István was also a weightlifter, winning the featherweight world title in the snatch at the Gettysburg World Championships in 1978.