The late Tommy Kono was a Hall of Fame weightlifter who shattered numerous world records. Kono’s success was not immediate; he had to work hard to achieve his dreams and get to the point he was in his prime. Tommy Kono was born on June 27, 1930. As a young Japanese-American kid living in the Sacramento area during World War II, Kono was sent to Tule Lake, a Japanese internment camp. These internment camps quarantined Japanese Americans during the war and forced them to live in inhumane conditions. This young boy was already ridden with health issues. He was sickly thin, standing at just 74 pounds at the age of 12, and had severe asthma issues, to the point where he had to miss school due to breathing complications. His time in the dusty cramped California internment camp did have two benefits: his asthma was almost cured and he discovered weightlifting. Kono loved weightlifting, and he became pretty good at it despite his small frame.
Shortly after his release from Tule Lake, Kono was drafted to fight in the Korean War. However, government officials spotted his talent and dedication to the sport of weightlifting and granted him draft amnesty. He wanted to go to New York for the Weightlifting World Championship tryouts but didn’t have the necessary funds to afford the trip. He ended up working as a cook and had his athletic club (Oak Park Athletic Club) host a fundraiser in order to pay for his trip and a chance to try out for the American team. Kono earned his spot on the team and was on his way to Helsinki, Finland for the 1952 Summer Olympics.
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Kono won his first Olympic gold medal at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki as a rookie weightlifter in the lightweight category. Not only did he earn first place, but he also broke the record at the time for the snatch event. Tommy truly showed perseverance and strength in Finland when he got food poisoning but was still able to rebound and earn gold. His success didn’t stop there at all. For the next eight years, Kono was undefeated, winning gold at every U.S. World Championship and Olympic Games he participated in. His most notable gold medal was four years later at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne as a light-heavyweight class competitor. During his prime, Kono set 26 world records, establishing himself as one of the greatest American weightlifters of all time.
One of Kono’s strengths was his ability to move between weightlifting weight classes with ease while still continuing his dominance. He has placed in all four weight divisions he has competed in – lightweight, middleweight, light heavyweight, and middle heavyweight. A gruesome knee injury before the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo forced him to retire. Kono retired as one of the best weightlifters of all time and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993. He was named ‘weightlifter of the century’ only 8 years after his Hall of Fame induction.
Kono wasn’t only a superstar weightlifter, he was also a great bodybuilder. He won the title of ‘Mr. Universe title’ in bodybuilding in 1955, 1957, and 1961. Additionally, he won the title of ‘Mr. World’ in 1954, showing his prowess in not only weightlifting but also in bodybuilding. After a successful career in weightlifting, he became a weightlifting coach for America, Mexico, and West Germany.
Off the mat, Kono made progress to enhance the equipment weightlifters used. He was able to develop special elbow and knee bands to help increase joint support for weightlifters. He also had writings published in Strength & Health magazine and wrote several books. His most famous book, ‘ABCs of Olympic Lifting’, was a weightlifting guide and included everything one needed to become a successful weightlifter. He wrote about the correct weightlifting form, as well as the correct way to perform different methods. “You must tax the muscles, but, at the same time, give the muscles ample rest time to recover”, said Tommy Kono when describing his workout regimen. His workout philosophy was to value quality workouts, and to have hard workouts a few times a week to stay in shape.
Tommy Kono passed away on April 24, 2016, due to liver problems. He is still one of the most respected athletes in his sport. His endless drive and passion inspired many others to pursue weightlifting and to seek out their own passions as well. Kono started out as a scrawny kid trapped in an internment camp and climbed his way to success. The Hall of Fame weightlifter will forever be a role model for aspiring Olympian weightlifters to come.
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