Hafız Süleymanoğlu (born January 23, 1967), formerly known as Hafız Süleymanov, is a retired Turkish weightlifter of Azerbaijani origin competing in bantamweight and featherweight divisions. He held world and European champion titles.

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Hafız Süleymanoğlu

Personal information
Birth name	Hafız Süleymanov
Nationality	Azerbaijani
Born	(1967-01-23) January 23, 1967 (age 57)[citation needed] Sumqayıt, Azerbaijan SSR
Sport
Country	Soviet Union, Turkey
Sport	Weightlifting
Event(s)	–56 kg, –59 kg and –60 kg
Medal record Representing  Soviet Union World Championships 1989 Athens -56 kg European Championships 1989 Athens -56 kg Representing  Turkey World Championships 1993 Melbourne -59 kg 1994 Istanbul -59 kg 1997 Chiang Mai -64 kg European Championships 1991 Władysławowo -56 kg 1993 Sofia -59 kg 1995 Warsaw -59 kg 1997 Rijeka -64 kg

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He started weightlifting at the age of 15 in Azerbaijan. In 1985, he was admitted to the national team of the Soviet Union. He earned European and world champion titles in juniors category. In 1989, Hafız Süleymanov became world and European champion in seniors category for the Soviet Union.

After his participation at the 1989 World Weightlifting Championships, he defected from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic and immigrated to Turkey. He earned his first medal for Turkey in gold in the -56 kg snatch division at the 1990 World Weightlifting Championships held in Budapest, Hungary. Unfortunately, he broke his arm during the clean and jerk session. He received various medals in world and European championships, and became twice more European champion, at the 1991 European Weightlifting Championships in Władysławowo, Poland in the -56 kg division and at the 1997 European Weightlifting Championships in Rijeka, Croatia in the -64 kg division.

Hafız Sülemanoğlu participated twice at the Olympics, 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain and 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, USA. He is gold medalist in 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, USA.

At the 1998 World Weightlifting Championships held in Lahti, Finland, he could reach the 9th rank only. As he repeated his unsuccessful competitions at the 1999 European Weightlifting Championships in A Coruña, Spain and at the 1999 World Weightlifting Championships in Athens, Greece, Turkey Weightlifting Federation decided to take him out of the national team. Hafız Süleymanoğlu declared thereupon that he will return to Azerbaijan.^[1][2]

World Championships

Rank	Discipline	Snatch	Clean&Jerk	Total	Place	Date
Silver	-56 kg	130.0			Athens, GRE	Sep 16–23, 1989[3]
Gold			157.5
Gold				287.5
Gold	-56 kg	132.5			Budapest, HUN	Nov 10–18, 1990
Silver	-59 kg	135.0			Melbourne, AUS	Nov 11-21, 1993[4]
Silver				295.0
Silver	-59 kg	135.0			Istanbul, TUR	Nov 17-27, 1994[5]
Silver			162.5
Silver				297.5
Silver	-64 kg	145.0			Chiang Mai, THA	Dec 6-14, 1997[6]
Silver				315.0

European Championships

Rank	Discipline	Snatch	Clean&Jerk	Total	Place	Date
Gold	-56 kg	130.0			Athens, GRE	1989[7]
Gold			157.5
Gold				287.5
Gold	-56 kg	125.0			Władysławowo, POL	1991[8]
Gold			147.5
Gold				272.5
Silver	-59 kg	130.0			Sofia, BUL	1993[9]
Silver			160.0
Silver				290.0
Gold	-59 kg	135.0			Warsaw, POL	1995[10]
Bronze			162.5
Bronze				297.5
Gold	-64 kg	142.5			Rijeka, CRO	1997[11]
Gold			165.0
Gold				307.5