Isaac Berger

Berger's IWF featherweight division standard of 60 kg (132 pounds) remained in use until 1993. His most publicized early achievement was likely his Gold medal in the 60 kg weightlifting competition at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, setting a world record of 352.5 kilograms (776 lbs) for three lifts. Four days before competing for the featherweight (60 kg) title at the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics, he broke four world records in the press (264 pounds), the snatch (253 pounds), the clean and jerk (336 pounds), and the total (853 pounds). Ike believed the strain and injury caused by this effort was the reason he won only a Silver Medal behind Eugene Miniev of the Soviet Union in Olympic competition. Berger became known as one of the few athletes who could compete against the Soviet dominance in weightlifting in his featherweight (60 kg) weight class. Later in his career, demonstrating his consistency in high level international competition, he won a silver medal at the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics at 60 kg. == World championships ==

Showing consistent achievement in the World Championships in his 60 kg weight class, Isaac medaled every year from 1957 to 1964, with the exception of the year 1962, taking a bronze in 1957, a gold in 1958, a silver in 1959, a gold in 1961, a silver in 1963, and a final silver in 1964. In the Pan Am Games in his 60 kg division, Berger took a gold in 1959 Pan Am Games in São Paulo, Brazil, and another gold at the 1963 Pan Am Games in Chicago. == Retirement ==

In 1964, after retiring from weightlifting not long after the 1964 Olympics, he started a mail-order business in New York selling an exerciser that could be used for weight loss. In 1965, he helped create a product called Waste-a-Way, a belt for losing weight, that was successfully marketed. In 1965, he began a three-year training period at the New York College of Music to become a cantor, eventually officiating at synagogues in Florida, Missouri, and New York. In 1970, Isaac concentrated his attention on a business venture, known as Ike Berger Enterprises, devoted largely to the sale of weightlifting and exercise products. == Honors ==

Berger was named to the United States Weightlifters Hall of Fame in 1965, He died on June 4, 2022. ==See also==