Aleksandar Varbanov

Aleksandar Varbanov (Bulgarian: Александър Върбанов; born May 9, 1964) was a weightlifter for Bulgaria. Varbanov is one of the greatest weightlifters of all-time. Alexander has the 9th highest Sinclair ever of 485.78 made up of a 167.5 kg snatch and a 215 kg clean and jerk at under 75 kg in body weight! He is without a doubt the greatest clean and jerker of that bodyweight of all-time. As well as being a sensational athlete, Alexander Varbanov was part of the most dominant team in weightlifting history: The Bulgarian national team of the 1980s. He was also coached by the most successful coach of all-time, the great Ivan Abadjiev, a man whom Varbanov referred to as being ‘closer to me than my father. Alex has won numerous World Championships and European Championships in the 67.5 and 75 kg bodyweight divisions and a Bronze Medal from the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. He has earned 10 official world records two still current to this date, 215.5 kg Clean and Jerk and 382.5 kg Total. He started training in 1977. Until 1981 he was a competitor of the native Novi Pazar. Then in the period 1981-1984 he competed for CSKA Sofia. Then until 1990 he was part of the Levski club. From 1990 to 1995 Varbanov competed for the German team AC Mutterstadt in Weightlifting Bundesliga. He has built a strong reputation of a weightlifting professional. He has a Master’s degree from the National Sports Academy of Bulgaria and is a Honored Master of Sports. Alex is NCCP certified Olympic Weightlifting Competition Development coach (Level 2). He now lives and works as a weightlifting trainer in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Aleksandar Varbanov
Personal information
BornMay 9, 1964 (1964-05-09) (age 59)
Novi Pazar, Bulgaria
Medal record
Men's Olympic weightlifting
Representing  Bulgaria
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place1988 Seoul -75 kg
World Championships
Gold medal – first place1983 Moscow-75 kg
Gold medal – first place1985 Sodertelje-75 kg
Gold medal – first place1986 Sofia-75 kg
Silver medal – second place1987 Ostrava-75 kg
European Championships
Gold medal – first place1983 Moscow-75 kg
Gold medal – first place1985 Katowice-75 kg
Gold medal – first place1986 Karl-Marx-Stadt-75 kg
Gold medal – first place1987 Reims-75 kg
Silver medal – second place1984 Vittorio-75 kg
Silver medal – second place1989 Athens-75 kg
Friendship Games
Silver medal – second place1984 Varna-67,5 kg
IWF World Cup Final
Silver medal – second place1985 Monte-Carlo-75 kg
Silver medal – second place1987 Seoul-75 kg
Bronze medal – third place1986 Melbourne-75 kg
IWF World Cup
Gold medal – first place1982 Varna-67,5 kg
Gold medal – first place1983 Varna-75 kg
Gold medal – first place1984 Varna-75 kg
Gold medal – first place1984 Budapest-75 kg
Gold medal – first place1985 Zalaegerszeg-75 kg
Gold medal – first place1986 Budapest-75 kg
Gold medal – first place1986 Dobrich-75 kg
Gold medal – first place1987 Budapest-75 kg
Gold medal – first place1988 Plovdiv-75 kg
IWF World Cup Overall
Bronze medal – third place1985 Monte-Carlo-75 kg
Bronze medal – third place1986 Melbourne-75 kg
Silver medal – second place1987 Seoul-75 kg
Australia Games
Gold medal – first place1985 Melbourne-75 kg
Junior World Championships
Silver medal – second place1981 Lignano Sabbiadoro-60 kg
European Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place1981 Lignano Sabbiadoro-60 kg
Gold medal – first place1982 Haskovo-67,5 kg
Balkan Weightlifting Championships
Gold medal – first place1981 Bistrița -67,5 kg
Gold medal – first place1982 Ankara-67,5 kg
Gold medal – first place1985 Plovdiv-75 kg
Danube Cup
Gold medal – first place1987 Budapest -75 kg
Gold medal – first place1989 Donaueschingen-75 kg
Danube Junior Cup
Silver medal – second place1980 Gyor -60 kg
Frendship Junior Cup
Bronze medal – third place1980 Minsk -60 kg
Silver medal – second place1981 Camaguey -67,5 kg
Bulgarian Weightlifting Championships
Gold medal – first place1982 Varna -67,5 kg
Gold medal – first place1983 Varna-75 kg
Gold medal – first place1984 Varna-75 kg
Gold medal – first place1985 Sliven-82,5 kg
Silver medal – second place1989 Dobrich-75 kg
Bulgaria Team Championships
Gold medal – first place1982 Kardzhali -75 kg
Gold medal – first place1982 Pleven -67,5 kg
Gold medal – first place1983 Varna -75 kg
Bulgarian Junior&Youth Weightlifting Championships
Gold medal – first place1983 Varna -75 kg
Gold medal – first place1982 Pazardzhik-75 kg
Gold medal – first place1981 Silistra-60 kg
Gold medal – first place1980 Plovdiv-60 kg
Gold medal – first place1979 Plovdiv-52 kg

Weightlifting achievements
  • Bronze medalist in Olympic Games (1988);
  • Senior world champion (1983, 1985 and 1986);
  • Silver medalist in Senior World Championships (1987);
  • Senior European champion (1983, 1985, 1986 and 1987);
  • Silver medalist at Senior European Championships (1984 and 1989);
  • Silver medalist of the 1984 Friendship Games;
  • Silver medalist of the 1985 and 1987 World cup finals;
  • Bronze medalist of the 1986 World cup final;
  • Third place in the final standings of the World Cup 1985 and 1986
  • Second place in the final standings of the World Cup 1987
  • Gold medalist of the World Cup tournaments Varna 1982, Varna 1983, Varna 1984, Dobrich 1986, Plovdiv 1988;
  • Junior World vice-champion (1981);
  • European Junior champion (1982);
  • European Junior vice-champion (1981);
  • Balkan champion 1982, 1983 and 1985
  • Four-time champion of Bulgaria (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985);
  • Five times Junior and Youth champion of Bulgaria (1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983);
  • Set ten world records during his career.[1][2]

Career bests
  • Clean and jerk: 200.0 kg on September 13, 1984, in Varna in class to 67.5 kg.
  • Clean and jerk: 215.5 kg on May 12, 1987, in Seoul in the class to 75 kg.
  • Total (snatch + clean and jerk): 382.5 kg on February 20, 1988, in Plovdiv in the class to 75 kg.[1]

References
  1. "Alexander Varbanov". Lift Up. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  2. "Aleksandar Varbanov". Sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
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