Middle-Heavyweight (≤90 kilograms), Men

This class was unusual as the favorite was a Finn, Kaarlo Kangasniemi, the current world record holder with 522.5 kg. He was expected to be challenged by Soviet Jaan Talts, who in 1967 had become the first middle-heavy to break the 500 kg barrier. In the end, Kangasniemi was simply too strong. He led Talts by 12.5 kg after the press, and by 20 kg after the snatch, and although Talts broke the world clean & jerk record with 197.5 kg, the gold went to the Finn by 10 kg, with Talts taking silver. Bronze went to Poland’s Marek Gołąb, who had also won bronze at the 1966 World Championships and the 1964 and 1966 European Championships. Talts would move up in class and won the gold medal at München in the new heavyweight class (≤110.0 kg), while Kangasniemi would move down to the light-heavyweights, but finished only sixth in 1972.