Featherweight (≤60 kilograms), Men

Japan’s Yoshinobu Miyake was the defending gold medalist and had won both of the World Championships contested (1965-66) since Tokyo. He came to Mexico City as a strong favorite, but the competition was closer than expected. Miyake led Soviet Georgian Dito Shanidze by only 2.5 kg after the press, and was actually only tied with his brother, Yoshiyuki Miyake. Shanidze had no international reputation but was chosen for the Olympic team after finishing second at the 1968 Soviet Championships. After the snatch, Shanidze and Yoshiyuki Miyake were tied, both trailing Yoshinobu by only 2.5 kg. When Yoshinobu Miyake equalled his clean & jerk world record of 152.5 kg it enabled him to defend his gold medal, but only by 5 kg over Shanidze. Yoshiyuki Miyake never competed at the Olympics again, but Yoshinobu returned in 1972 in an attempt to three-peat but was no longer the dominant lifter, and finished fourth. Shanidze also returned in 1972, repeating as silver medalist.