Middleweight (≤75 kilograms), Men

There were no European or World Championships between 1924 and 1928 so it was difficult to choose a favorite. Carlo Galimberti (ITA) had won the gold in this class at Paris in 1924 but he would be shunted to second this time by France’s Roger François, who had been sixth in Paris. Galimberti took the early lead with a world record of 105.0 kg in the press, but François moved 2.5 kg ahead after the snatch. Both lifted 130.0 kg in the clean & jerk to give the gold to François.

Neither was finished at the Olympics, however, as both returned in 1932, with Galimberti again winning silver, while François dropped back to fourth. Second would become commonplace for Galimberti, finishing in that position at both the 1930 and 1931 European Championships.