Paul Anderson

Introduction: Who is Paul Anderson?

Paul Anderson was an American powerlifter and weightlifter from Toccoa, Georgia. Born on October 17, 1932, he stood 6’4” and weighed over 300 pounds. Anderson became famous in the 1950s and 1960s for his incredible feats of strength, winning numerous weightlifting championships and breaking world records.

Accomplishments and Legacy

Paul Anderson’s accomplishments are numerous and impressive. He won gold medals in the 1955 and 1956 World Weightlifting Championships and the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, where he set a world record for weightlifting. Anderson would go on to set 18 world records and win six world championships. After his competitive career ended, he became a weightlifting coach and ran a foundation for disadvantaged children.

Anderson’s legacy is still felt today in the world of strength sports, where he is considered one of the greatest lifters of all time. In 1994, the International Weightlifting Federation named him “Lifter of the Century.” He was also inducted into the USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame and the International Sports Hall of Fame. Paul Anderson passed away in 1994, but his impact on the world of strength, sports, and philanthropy continues to be felt.