Heavily favoured in this event was Austria’s Franz Aigner, the reigning World Champion. Some competition was expected from the Baltic athletes, notably Harold Tammer and Kārlis Leilands. But as in the featherweight and middleweight, an Italian lifter proved stronger than the favourites. Giuseppe Tonani, who had competed in tug-of-war at the 1920 Olympics, proved to be evenly matched with Aigner, finishing equal in three of the five events. Behind these two, the competition for bronze was also close. Three competitors, Tammer, Leilands and a Frenchman, finished ex aequo with 497.5 kg. The tie was resolved with a “lift-off” in the double-handed clean & jerk, which Tammer won with 142.5 kg, ahead of Dannoux with 140. It is not known if Leilands also participated in the tie-break.