- Matthias Steiner
-
Matthias Steiner Personal information Nationality German
Born August 25, 1982
Vienna, AustriaHeight 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) (2008) Weight 140 kg (310 lb) (2008) Website matthiassteiner.com Sport Sport Weightlifting Event(s) Snatch, Clean and jerk Medal recordMen's Weightlifting Competitor for Germany
Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing +105 kg World Championships Silver 2010 Antalya +105 kg European Championships Silver 2008 Lignano Sabbiadoro +105 kg Bronze 2010 Minsk +105 kg Matthias Steiner (born August 25, 1982 in Vienna) is an Austrian-German weightlifter, and Olympic gold medalist. He is 183 cm tall.
As a native Austrian, he competed for Austria internationally from 1998 to 2005, in European Championships, World Championships, and the 2004 Summer Olympics. From 2002 to 2005 he was four times Austrian National Champion in the +105 kg category, and holds Austrian records in the −105 kg and +105 kg categories. In 2005 Steiner left the Austrian weightlifting federation, and married a German woman.
Although his wife died in a car accident, he continued his weightlifting career in Germany, eventually received German citizenship in early 2008, won overall silver at the 2008 European Championships, and the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Contents
Early and personal life
Matthias Steiner was born in Vienna, Austria.[1] He hails from Obersulz in Lower Austria, where he attended Volksschule (primary school), then Hauptschule (secondary school).[2] Steiner completed an apprenticeship in plumbing.[2]
He started weightlifting in 1995.[3] His father, Friedrich Steiner, a 20-time IWF-Masters World Weightlifting Champion, and also ranks first on the IWF 2008 Hall of Fame Survey of Leading Master Lifters.[4][5]
Since an untreated infection[2] Steiner suffers from diabetes, diagnosed at his 18th birthday.[3] Before the diagnosis, the first symptom was an intense thirst, then he lost appetite, and 5 kilograms (11 lb) body weight within three months.[3] He went to the doctor when his sight deteriorated.[3]
Despite the diagnosis he followed his dream to become a weightlifter.
In 2004,[6] a German woman from Zwickau in Saxony had watched Steiner participating in weightlifting contests on TV.[7] She kept asking the Eurosport commentators for his email address, until they gave it to her. She contacted Steiner, and he agreed to meet her in Lower Austria.[6] They married shortly thereafter and hence he moved to Germany, where he then applied for German citizenship.
On July 16, 2007 his wife Susann died in a car accident.[8][9] Despite the tragic loss, and after losing 7 kilograms (15 lb)[6] or 8 kilograms (18 lb)[8] body weight, he was able to continue his training.
In October 2008, Steiner got acquainted with German TV-newsreader Inge Posmyk. They married in January 2010.[10][11][12]
Weightlifting career
1998-2003
Steiner participated in the 1998 and 1999 European Junior Championships, and the 2000 Junior World Championships.[13]
At the 2000 European Junior Championships in Rijeka, Croatia he came in 8th place in the 94 kg category, with a total of 320 kg (142.5 kg snatch and 177.5 kg clean and jerk).[13]
At the 2001 European Junior Championships in Kalmar, Sweden he won bronze in the -105 kg category, with 360 kg (165 kg and 195 kg).[13] At that time he competed for the AC Woge Bregenz weightlifting club. At the 2002 European Junior Championships in Havířov, Czech Republic he won bronze again in the -105 kg category, with 380 kg (172.5 kg and 207.5 kg).[13]
Steiner won the Austrian National Championships in the +105 kg category in 2002 with a total of 370 kg, and in 2003 with a total of 390 kg.[14]
2004
He won the 2004 Austrian National Championships in the +105 kg category with a total of 400 kg.[14]
Steiner continued to increase his performance; at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens he competed for Austria, and lifted 405 kg (182.5 kg and 222.5 kg) and went into 7th place in the -105 kg category.[15]
2005
Im Gewichtheben hat der Trainer so ziemlich den größten Einfluss auf den Ausgang eines Wettkampfs. Darum ist das auch eine so enorm wichtige Person für jeden Athleten.
In weightlifting, the coach has about the greatest influence on the outcome of a competition. For this reason the coach is such an enormously important person for every athlete.Matthias Steiner, Steiner: "In Deutschland arbeiten Profis"Steiner won the 2005 Austrian National Championships in the +105 kg category with a total of 382.5 kg.[14]
Until 2005 he competed regularly in World Championships and European Championships for Austria. In 2005, the Austrian national coach was replaced against Steiners will, which caused tension between Steiner and the Austrian weightlifting federation.[16] He kept the coach as personal coach, who however did not get accredited for the 2005 European Championships in Sofia.[16][17]
Steiner also could no longer keep his body weight below 105 kilograms (230 lb), and bulked up for the +105 kg category.[2][13] The 2005 European Championships were his first event in the new weight category.
At the European Championships, a lot went wrong and Steiner failed three snatch attempts.[13] He had to compete in the B-group, because the European Weightlifting Federation did not accept the announced starting weights.[17] After warming up he disagreed with the national coach concerning the starting weight, and time ran out on the first attempt.[17] The Austrian national coach, together with other functionaries, accused Steiner of deliberate failure,[17] which Steiner denied.[16] As a consequence, he left the Austrian weightlifting federation.
2006-2007
During the three years that Steiner applied for German citizenship, he was not allowed to compete in international competitions. At the 2007 European Championships he was co-commentator with Marc Huster for Eurosport.[18] Since moving to Germany he competes for the Chemnitzer AC weightlifting club,[19] and is their team captain in the German weightlifting league.[20] Steiner trains in the German Federal Weightlifting Center in Leimen near Heidelberg, with German national coach Frank Mantek.[8]
2008
Steiner received German citizenship in early 2008,[19] and started to compete internationally again, for Germany. On January 23, he won the Beijing Pre-Olympic Tournament with a total of 423 kg.[21]
At the 2008 European Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy in the over 105 kg category he was the only lifter to snatch 200 kg, winning gold. In clean and jerk he won bronze with a personal best of 246 kg. All his six attempts were successful. With a total result of 446 kg he won overall silver behind Viktors Ščerbatihs from Latvia, who lifted 447 kg.[22]
The biggest success of Steiner's career came in August 2008, when he won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. After World record holder Hossein Rezazadeh had retired in July 2008, the event turned into a close competition between Steiner, Evgeny Chigishev, and the tournament favorite, European and World champion Viktors Ščerbatihs.[1]
During the Olympic competition, Steiner failed in his third snatch attempt, and with 203 kg ranked fourth after the snatch. Ščerbatihs was in position to take the lead in the clean and jerk, but failed in his second attempt. Steiner also failed in his first clean and jerk attempt, and Chigishev took the lead with 250 kg in the clean and jerk. Ščerbatihs failed in his third attempt, which would have forced Steiner to increase his last attempt to 259 kg in order to win gold. With a successful clean and jerk of 258 kg, and a total of 461 kg, Steiner became Olympic gold medalist.[23]
Steiner stood on the medalists' podium with a photo of his late wife, who would otherwise have accompanied him to the Games.[24][25]
2009
In January 2009, Steiner was operated on for an inguinal hernia.[26][27] He had to pull out of competing at the 2009 Arnold Sports Festival in March, nevertheless was part of the German delegation at the event and met with Arnold Schwarzenegger.[28][29]
At the 2009 German Championships he ranked second in the snatch behind Almir Velagic, and won overall with a total of 430 kg.[13][30]
2010
At the 2010 European Championships he ranked third with a total of 426 kg.[13]
Career statistics
Date Tournament Venue Weight category Snatch Rank Clean and jerk Rank Overall Rank 2001-04-28 European Championships Trenčín, Slovakia -94 kg 150.0 kg 15th 175.0 kg 15th 325.0 kg 16th 2002-04-25 European Championships Antalya, Turkey +105 kg 172.5 kg 12th 207.5 kg 11th 380 kg 11th 2002-11-23 World Championships Warsaw, Poland -105 kg 180.0 kg 12th 215.0 kg 12th 395.0 kg 12th 2003-04-18 European Championships Loutraki, Greece -105 kg 180.0 kg 8th 212.5 kg 9th 392.5 kg 8th 2003-11-17 World Championships Vancouver, Canada -105 kg 182.5 kg 9th 220.0 kg 6th 402.5 kg 7th 2004-04-24 European Championships Kiev, Ukraine -105 kg 180.0 kg 10th 225.0 kg 5th 405.0 kg 7th 2004-08-15 Olympic Games Athens, Greece -105 kg 182.5 kg - 222.5 kg - 405.0 kg 7th 2005-04-22 European Championships Sofia, Bulgaria +105 kg - - - - - DNF 2008-04-14 European Championships Lignano S., Italy +105 kg 200.0 kg 1st 246.0 kg 3rd 446.0 kg 2nd 2008-08-19 Olympic Games Beijing, China +105 kg 203.0 kg - 258.0 kg - 461.0 kg 1st 2010-04-11 European Championships Minsk, Belarus +105 kg 190.0 kg 4th 236.0 kg 2nd 426.0 kg 3nd National championships
Year Country Weight category Snatch Rank Clean and jerk Rank Overall Rank 2002 Austria +105 kg 167.5 kg 1st 202.5 kg 1st 370.0 kg 1st 2003 Austria +105 kg 175.0 kg 1st 215.0 kg 1st 390.0 kg 1st 2004 Austria +105 kg 177.5 kg 1st 222.5 kg 1st 400.0 kg 1st 2005 Austria +105 kg 172.5 kg 1st 210.0 kg 1st 382.5 kg 1st 2009 Germany +105 kg 190.0 kg 2nd 240.0 kg 1st 430.0 kg 1st Personal bests
- Snatch: 203 kg (448 lb)
- Clean and jerk: 258 kg (569 lb)
- Combined: 461 kg (1,020 lb)[20]
Steiner holds Austrian records in the -105 kg and +105 kg categories.[31]
Sponsorships
In 2008, Steiner signed a four year contract with marketing company "movie & more" in Cologne.[32] Previously, he was supported by Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe and his weightlifting club Chemnitzer AC. The Bundeswehr, while supporting other German weightlifters, did not admit Steiner because of his diabetes.[33]
Media
On August 20, 2008, the day after he won the Olympic gold medal, Steiner featured on the cover of China Daily's Olympian, titled "Supersteiner".[34][35]
TV appearances
Apart from sports events, where he participated in or commented on weightlifting competitions, Steiner also appeared on a number of talk shows and game shows in Germany and Austria, including Wetten, dass..? and Die Millionenshow (Austrian Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Celebrity Special Edition).[36]
Awards
- Goldenes Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich (Austria)[37][38]
- Silbernes Lorbeerblatt (Germany)[39]
- 2008 German Weightlifter of the Year[40]
- 2008 Bambi award, category Sports[41]
- 2008 German Sportspersonality of the year[42] - Steiner was the first weightlifter to receive this award.[4]
- 2008 IWF World Weightlifting Lifter of the Year[43]
Notes and references
- ^ a b Branch, John (2008-08-20). "Heavy on Emotion". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/sports/olympics/20weightlifting.html. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ a b c d "Steiner: "In Deutschland arbeiten Profis"" (in German). LAOLA1.at. 2008-08-20. http://www.laola1.at/129509+M56679564a0f.html. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
- ^ a b c d "Matthias Steiner - Das Interview" (in German). diabetes-world.net. http://www.diabetes-world.net/Portal-f%C3%BCr-Patienten-und-Interessierte/Lebenssituationen/Prominente/Matthias-Steiner---Das-Interview.htm?ID=3845. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
- ^ a b "Matthias Steiner: Seine Geheimnisse" (in German). Abendzeitung. 2008-12-22. http://www.abendzeitung.de/sport/mehr_sport/75335. Retrieved 2009-01-08.
- ^ "Hall of Fame Survey (revised 13-Sep-2008)". IWF-Masters Weightlifting. http://www.iwfmasters.net/hall.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-08.
- ^ a b c Kelnberger, Josef (2008-08-19). "461 Kilo - für seine Frau" (in German). Süddeutsche Zeitung. http://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/892/306849/text/. Retrieved 2008-08-25.
- ^ Voigt, Benedikt (2008-08-19). "Matthias Steiner hebt Gold - für Deutschland und seine verstorbene Frau" (in German). Der Tagesspiegel. http://www.tagesspiegel.de/sport/olympia2008/art17786,2596596. Retrieved 2008-08-25.
- ^ a b c Simeoni, Evi (2007-08-06). "Die Hantel als Halt" (in German). Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. http://www.faz.net/s/Rub9CD731D06F17450CB39BE001000DD173/Doc~E579FB66FCBA14722AA498775782AEF85~ATpl~Ecommon~Scontent.html?rss_aktuell. Retrieved 2008-08-13.
- ^ "Suspended sentence for driver who killed wife of German Olympic gold medalist". Associated Press. CBS News. 2008-12-03. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/03/ap/europe/main4645629.shtml. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
- ^ "BALL DES SPORTS: Steiner und Posmyk im Blitzlichtgewitter" (in German). Der Spiegel. 2009-02-07. http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/leute/0,1518,606209,00.html. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
- ^ "Inge Posmyk und Matthias Steiner: Hochzeit in Sicht?" (in German). Hamburger Abendblatt. 2009-02-08. http://www.abendblatt.de/vermischtes/article598328/Inge-Posmyk-und-Matthias-Steiner-Hochzeit-in-Sicht.html. Retrieved 2010-01-30.
- ^ "Matthias Steiner hat heimlich geheiratet" (in German). Die Welt. 2010-01-23. http://newsticker.welt.de/?module=dpa&id=23639320. Retrieved 2010-01-30.[dead link]
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Steiner Matthias (SAS)". IAT Weightlifting Database. http://www.iat.uni-leipzig.de/datenbanken/dbgwh/daten.php?spid=B65EFE3A3F5547D189EA23095D8AD3C7.
- ^ a b c "Staatsmeister seit 1973" (in German) (xls). Austrian Weightlifting Federation. http://www.gewichtheben.net/download/sonstiges/StaatsmeisterSeit1973/Staatsmeister.xls. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
- ^ "STEINER Matthias". International Weightlifting Federation. http://www.iwf.net/results/results_athlete_e.php?compid=547.
- ^ a b c "ÖGV und Steiner" (in German). LAOLA1.at. 2008-08-20. http://www.laola1.at/129509+M5f50b73d90d.html. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
- ^ a b c d "Matthias Steiner sorgt bei EM für Eklat" (in German). ORF Sport. http://sport.orf.at/ticker/179852.html. Retrieved 2008-08-25.[dead link]
- ^ Bürger, Hilmar. "EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS – REPORT 3: ENGLISH". ELEIKO Equipment AB, International Weightlifting Agency Berlin (IWA). http://www.eleikosport.se/eng/News_show.asp?NewsPageNumber=256. Retrieved 2008-12-12.[dead link]
- ^ a b Datler, Markku (2008-04-21). "Gewichtheben: Wenn ein starker Mann in Österreich verkannt wird" (in German). Die Presse. http://diepresse.com/home/sport/mehrsport/378537/index.do. Retrieved 2008-08-13.
- ^ a b "Unser Team - Sportler der Bundesligamannschaft" (in German). Chemnitzer Athleten Club e.V.. http://www.chemnitzerac.de/gewichtheben_team.html. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
- ^ "2008 Invitational Tournament Beijing". The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. http://en.beijing2008.cn/goodluckbj/weightlifting2008/s214236903/n214238656.shtml. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
- ^ "STEINER Matthias". International Weightlifting Federation. http://www.iwf.net/results/results_athlete_e.php?compid=1944.
- ^ "Weightlifting Results Men's +105kg". BOCOG. http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/INF/WL/C73/WLM025000.shtml#WLM025A01. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ "Video - Emotional Steiner lifts weightlifting gold". BBC Sport. 2008-08-19. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/weightlifting/7571099.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
- ^ Judd, Ron (2008-08-20). "A touching Olympic moment that wasn't to be missed". The Seattle Times. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/ronjudd/2008125682_olyjudd20.html. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ "German weightlifter Matthias Steiner has just undergone surgery". BOCOG. 2009-02-05. http://en.olympic.cn/news/sports_news/2009-02-05/1729722.html. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
- ^ "Olympiasieger Steiner an der Leiste operiert" (in German). Focus. 2009-01-30. http://www.focus.de/sport/mehrsport/gewichtheben-wm-olympiasieger-steiner-an-der-leiste-operiert_aid_366327.html. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
- ^ "German Weightlifters Up for the Arnold". BOCOG. 2009-03-05. http://en.olympic.cn/news/sports_news/2009-03-05/1750004.html. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
- ^ "Weightlifting: Arnold Schwarzenegger & Steiner Meet". BOCOG. 2009-03-10. http://en.olympic.cn/news/sports_news/2009-03-10/1753395.html. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
- ^ "Eisen und andere Lasten" (in German). Süddeutsche Zeitung. 2009-10-25. http://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/889/492248/text/. Retrieved 2010-01-31.
- ^ "Rekorde: Allgemeine Klasse Männer" (in German). Austrian Weightlifting Federation. http://www.gewichtheben.net/rekorde/rekorde_oe_allgkl.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
- ^ "Olympia-Sieger Matthias Steiner bei movie & more" (in German). http://www.movie-and-more.de/News/Matthias_Steiner.html. Retrieved 2008-12-06.[dead link]
- ^ "Sportler des Monats: Goldmedaillengewinner im Gewichtheben Matthias Steiner im Gespräch" (in German). Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe. 2008-09-08. http://www.presseportal.de/pm/51413/1260356/stiftung_deutsche_sporthilfe. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
- ^ "OLYMPIAN - Wednesday August 20, 2008". China Daily. 2008-08-20. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympian/2008-08/20/index1.html. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
- ^ "Steiners Schicksal rührt Millionen" (in German). Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Frankfurter Rundschau. 2008-08-20. http://www.fr-online.de/in_und_ausland/sport/olympia_2008/sportarten/gewichtheben/1579809_Steiners-Schicksal-ruehrt-Millionen.html. Retrieved 2008-12-12.[dead link]
- ^ Matthias Steiner at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ "Sportstaatssekretär Lopatka: Nach Gold in Peking Goldenes Ehrenzeichen für Matthias Steiner" (in German). Bundespressedienst. 2008-10-03. http://www.ots.at/presseaussendung.php?schluessel=OTS_20081003_OTS0204&ch=politik. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
- ^ "Austria's homage to German Olympic medallist Matthias Steiner". BOCOG. 2009-03-04. http://en.olympic.cn/news/sports_news/2009-03-04/1749269.html. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
- ^ "Helden von Peking geehrt" (in German). n-tv. 2008-11-20. http://www.n-tv.de/1056571.html. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
- ^ "Steiner als "Gewichtheber des Jahres" gefeiert" (in German). Focus. 2008-11-29. http://www.focus.de/sport/mehrsport/gewichtheben-dm-steiner-als-gewichtheber-des-jahres-gefeiert_aid_352211.html. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
- ^ Kost, Maikka (2008-11-27). "Ein stiller Star ist der Held des Abends" (in German). Badische Zeitung. http://www.badische-zeitung.de/suedwest-1/ein-stiller-star-ist-der-held-des-abends--8447114.html. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
- ^ "Swimmer Steffen, weightlifter Steiner win German sports award". Deutsche Welle. 2008-12-22. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/function/0,,12215_cid_3894071,00.html. Retrieved 2008-12-22.[dead link]
- ^ "2008 Lifters of the Year: Liu Chunhong and Matthias Steiner". International Sports Press Association. 2009-02-17. http://www.aipsmedia.com/index.php?page=news&cod=3088&tp=n. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
External links
- Athlete Biography at beijing2008
Awards Preceded by
Fabian Hambüchen
German Sportsman of the Year
2008Succeeded by
Paul BiedermannOlympic Champions in Weightlifting Super heavyweight 1972–1992: +110 kg, 1996: +108 kg, 2000–2008: +105 kg 1972+1976: Vasily Alekseyev • 1980: Sultan Rakhmanov • 1984: Dean Lukin • 1988+1992: Aleksandr Kurlovich • 1996: Andrei Chemerkin • 2000+2004: Hossein Rezazadeh • 2008: Matthias SteinerCategories:- 1982 births
- Living people
- People from Vienna
- German people of Austrian descent
- Naturalized citizens of Germany
- Austrian weightlifters
- Olympic weightlifters of Austria
- Weightlifters at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- German weightlifters
- Olympic weightlifters of Germany
- Weightlifters at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Olympic gold medalists for Germany
- German strength athletes
- Austrian strength athletes
- Olympic medalists in weightlifting
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