Tommy Kono

1965 Senior Nationals
Los Angeles

Tommy Kono: Honors and Awards

1952 – Olympic Lightweight Champion – Helsinki, Finland
1953 – World Middleweight Champion – Stockholm, Sweden
1954 – World Lightweight Champion – Vienna, Austria
1955 – World Light-Heavyweight Champion – Munich, Germany
1956 – Olympic Light-Heavyweight Champion – Melbourne, Australia
1957 – World Middleweight Champion – Teheran, Iran
1958 – World Middleweight Champion – Stockholm, Sweden
1959 – World Middleweight Champion – Warsaw, Poland

Pan American Games Weightlifting Titles

1955 – Light-Heavyweight Champion – Mexico City, Mexico
1959 – Middleweight Champion – Chicago, Il.
1963 – Light-Heavyweight Champion – Sao Paulo, Brazil

Physique Titles

1954 – “Mr. World” – Roubaix, France
1955 – “Mr. Universe” – Munich, Germany
1957 – “Mr. Universe” – Teheran, Iran
1961 – “Mr. Universe” – Vienna, Austria

International Records Established

26 World Records
7 Olympic Records
8 Pan American Games Records

International Weightlifting Federation Records

IWF 15-Year Service Medal
IWF 25-Year Service Medal
Most Successful Weightlifter –
Olympic and World Champion for eight consecutive years
(1952 – 1959) in the following bodyweight classes –
148, 163, 181 pounds.
World and Olympic Titles in three different bodyweight classes.
Set World Records in four bodyweight classes –
148, 163, 181, 198 pounds.

Professional Achievements

National and Olympic Coach for Mexico – 1966-1968
National and Olympic Coach for Germany – 1969-1972
Olympic Coach for U.S.A. - 1976

from “Hawaii Sports: History, Facts and Statistics”
by Dan Cisco