WURTSBORO � Antonio Krastev is, according to many, the strongest man in the world. As a member of the Bulgarian weightlifting team, Krastev in 1987 set a world record in the snatch � a record that stands to this day. Now, his glory years behind him, he is leading a quiet life in the Village of Wurtsboro. He and his wife Florence Lazaroff, who is a pediatrician with Crystal Run Heathcare, chose Wurtsboro for its proximity to Florence's job.

Krastev's career has taken him all over the world. His travels have taken him to every continent and to all but two countries in Europe. As a member of the Bulgarian national team, he competed in tournaments all over the world, including the one, in 1987, when he set the world record.

Weightlifting, for those who are unfamiliar, is divided into two different disciplines: the snatch, and the clean and jerk. The latter has the weightlifter bring the bar from the floor up to shoulder level in a standing position, where he then presses the barbell over his head. The snatch, which is a far more difficult discipline, has the weightlifter snatch the barbell from the floor to an extended position with the weight over head while still in a squatting position. He then uses his legs to bring his body into a fully upright position. The maneuver requires not only enormous strength, but also a delicacy of balance and subtle technique. And few, if any, have matched the technical ability of Krastev.

"If it's not done in the right way, forget about it," Krastev said. "It's a very short motion; there's a lot of technique."

According to Krastev, if a weightlifter isn't careful, it's possible that the barbell can go past the balance point, causing the weightlifter to fall over backwards, or worse. "I've seen it come down on a guy's head," Krastev said.

Krastev came to weightlifting in the late 1970s when he was presented with an opportunity to attend one of the many sports academies that used to exist under the old Soviet system. He discovered then that he had, what he felt, the heart of a champion. Throughout his illustrious career, Krastev amassed a number of titles, including gold medals in two world championships (1985 and 1986), a silver medal in the 1982 world championship, and two European titles (1986 and 1987).

An Olympic medal eluded Krastev, however. In the 1988 Seoul Olympics, when he was at the top of his form, several Bulgarian weightlifters were disqualified due to a doping scandal. Rather than risk further international embarrassment, the Bulgarian team chose to withdraw before Krastev got a chance to make his first lift. Krastev himself was never implicated in any wrongdoing, and, in retrospect, he feels that his coaches did him a real disservice. He was one day away from perhaps achieving what many believe to be the pinnacle of sport � an Olympic gold medal � only to have it taken way at the last minute. The fact that he never got to compete haunts him to this day.

And no one doubts Krastev's abilities. In 1990 he was invited to participate in a strongman competition in Finland, where, according to Krastev, he was so dominant in the competition, they never invited him back.

"I killed them," said Krastev. "After the tournament they started arguing, 'who invited this guy?'"

The other thing Krastev regrets is that he never got the chance to don the uniform of the United States weightlifting team. For bureaucratic reasons he was unable to obtain the papers that would have given him the opportunity to compete for the United States in Barcelona.

Krastev would also like to coach again � he was a college coach for the University of Toronto, as well as a private coach down in Savannah, Georgia � but he is realistic about his chances of doing so.

"There is no weightlifting [going on] in the US," he said.

Krastev laments that the focus in this country is on bodybuilding rather than weightlifting. Though he feels that the situation is unlikely to change anytime soon, he would relish the chance to get back in the game should it arise.

As for now, he and his wife, to whom he was recently married, are looking for their first home. They plan on staying in the area for a while if all goes according to plan.

You can view Krastev's 216kg Snatch on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0Z_ffcOtow

COMMENTS about this article (1)