Career
He participated in the Olympic Games five times, winning four medals. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens he had to retire from the contest due to an injury he suffered during the snatch competition. He is, jointly with fellow (East) German Ingo Steinhöfel, the second weightlifter to compete at five Olympics.
The first was Hungarian Imre Földi from 1960 to 1976.
Snatch: 205.0 kg in 1989 on Fort Lauderdale in class to 110 kg. Snatch: 210.0 kg in class over 105 kg.
Clean and jerk: 260.0 kg 1998 in Riesa in class over 105 kg. Total: 467.5 kg (2100 + 2575) 2000 Summer Olympics in class over 105 kg.