Norbert Schemansky Named Finalist for 2025 USOPC Hall of Fame Class

COLORADO SPRINGS - Norbert Schemansky, a four-time Olympic medalist and one of the greatest weightlifters of all time, is a finalist for induction into the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s (USOPC) 2025 Hall of Fame Class in the legendary category. The final inductees will be selected via an internal vote by their Olympic and Paralympic peers. Eligible voters should have received voting instructions via email and have until April 14 to cast their votes. Final voting results will be announced May 6. Enough votes would see Schemansky enshrined alongside weightlifting greats John Davis (two-time gold medalist) and Tommy Kono (three-time medalist (2G, 1S)).

The Class of 2025 will be narrowed down to five Olympians, three Paralympians, one Olympic team, one Paralympic team, two legends, one coach, and one special contributor for induction. Public voting is now open for those categories and will remain open until April 14.

Schemansky was the first weightlifter to win medals across four Olympic Games. He earned silver at London 1948, gold at Helsinki 1952, and bronze at both Rome 1960 and Tokyo 1964. Surrounding Helsinki 1952, Schemansky dominated the World Weightlifting Championships and took gold in 1951, 1953, and 1954. During his 45-year weightlifting career, Schemansky set 13 official and 11 unofficial world records. Schemansky retired in 1972 and was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 1979. In 1997 he was inducted into the International Weightlifting Federation Hall of Fame. Schemansky died in Dearborn, Mich., in 2016, a town he called home for 57 years.