Middle-Heavyweight (≤90 kilograms), Men

The defending gold medalist was Arkady Vorobyov of the Soviet Union, who had also won the World Championship in 1957-58. However, at the 1959 Worlds, Vorobyov was upset by British lifter Louis Martin. At Rome the lead in the press was taken by Vorobyov’s teammate, Trofim Lomakin, with Vorobyov second and Martin well back. Vorobyov moved ahead after the snatch and had the best clean & jerk to win the gold medal, breaking his own world record with a total of 472.5 kg. Lomakin held on for second while Martin took the bronze medal. Vorobyov retired after the Rome Olympics and first coached the Soviet national team, but continued attending school and later became a highly respected doctor and scientist.