Middle-Heavyweight (≤90 kilograms), Men

Arkady Vorobyov of the Soviet Union had won a bronze medal in the light-heavyweight class at Helsinki, although the Soviet officials vigorously protested some of the rulings against his lifts and for the lifts by the American silver medalist Stan Stanczyk. Since 1952 Vorobyov had won three World titles, as a light-heavy in 1953 but moving up to middle-heavy in 1954-55, and as the world record holder in this class, he was a clear favorite. Vorobyov opened with a world record in the press, lifting 147.5 kg, and that was that. He led all three lifts, although American Dave Sheppard equalled his snatch of 137.5 kg, and finished with a world record total of 462.5 kg. Sheppard won the silver medal, 20 kg in arrears, while the bronze went to Frenchman Jean Debuf.

Vorobyov would win the World Championship again in 1957-58 and defended his gold medal in the class at Rome in 1960. He was also European Champion in 1950, 1953-55, and 1958 and set 26 world records as a weightlifter. Sheppard was a four-time runner-up at the Worlds, never managing to beat Vorobyov, finishing second in 1951, 1953-54, and 1958. Debuf competed at four Olympics, improving from fourth in 1948 and fifth in 1952 to win his bronze medal in Melbourne, before finishing 11th in 1960. He was a three-time European Champion, winning as a light-heavy in 1949 and 1951 and a middle-heavy in 1956.