– November 15, 1966) was a Greek

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

 weightlifter. He was a member of both Gymnastiki Etaireia Patron and Panachaikos Gymnastikos syllogos, that merged in 1923 to become Panachaiki Gymnastiki Enosi. Arguably the greatest weightlifter of the early 20th century, he won the gold medal in the 1906 Summer Olympics

1906 Summer Olympics

The 1906 Intercalated Games or 1906 Olympic Games were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in Athens, Greece. They were at the time considered to be Olympic Games and were referred to as the "Second International Olympic Games in Athens" by the International Olympic Committee...

, setting a world record that lasted until 1914.

Early years

Tofalos' herculean strength was obvious from his childhood. Everybody talked about his physical abilities and for some time he was considered a child prodigy, since he survived a very serious accident. He was playing around a railway station, when a wagon came down on him and almost smashed his arm. He was taken to hospital where the doctors said that his arm should be amputated. Tofalos' father opposed to it and finally proved to be right. His son recovered, but as a result of the accident one of his arms was shorter than the other.His physical defect did not stop him from becoming one of the greatest Greek

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

 athletes of all times.

1906 Summer Olympics

Unable to take part in the 1904 Summer Olympics

1904 Summer Olympics

The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States from 1 July 1904, to November 23, 1904, at what is now known as Francis Field on the campus of Washington University...

 due to a disease, he competed at the 1906 Summer Olympics

1906 Summer Olympics

The 1906 Intercalated Games or 1906 Olympic Games were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in Athens, Greece. They were at the time considered to be Olympic Games and were referred to as the "Second International Olympic Games in Athens" by the International Olympic Committee...

, where he took part in the two-days weightlifting competition with both hands. On the first day the gold winner was not decided yet, so the next day two weightlifters fought each other for the gold medal; Tofalos and Austrian giant Joseph Steinbach. Both of them lifted 136.5 kg very easily. They then had to lift 142.5 kg, but both Tofalos and Steinbach failed on their 1st attempt. The Greek

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

 champion broke his own world record

World record

A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...

 by lifting the weight on his third attempt, whereas the Austrian athlete with a rushed and rather anxious move failed without even managing to bring the bar close to his knees. Tofalos won the gold medal

Gold medal

A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...

, while fans were cheering him frantically.His record lasted until 1914.

The USA and the comeback

In 1910, Tofalos travelled to the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 for financial reasons. He worked as a professional wrestler and became famous for his persistence rather than his strength. There were many reports about Tofalos for a long time, when he refused to give up a game after a crushing arm-lock by the American World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Frank Gotch

Frank Gotch

Frank Alvin Gotch was an American professional wrestler of German ancestry, the first American to win the world heavyweight free-style championship, and credited for popularizing professional wrestling in the United States...

, who always forced his competitor to give up. His persistence cost Tofalos three months in the hospital, but that incident contributed to his legend.

After retiring, he spent many years of his life being the manager of Jim Londos

Jim Londos

Christos Theofilou or Christopher Theophelus better known as "The Golden Greek" Jim Londos, was a professional wrestler who was one of the most popular stars wrestling offered during the Great Depression.-Career:Jim Londos was born Christos Theofilou in 1897 in Argos, Greece. as the youngest of...

, a professional wrestler who was one of the most popular stars wrestling offered during the Great Depression. He eventually went back to his native Patras

Patras

Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...

 in 1952, where he spent the last three years of his life. The municipality of Patras

Patras

Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...

honored him by naming a newly built arena after him in 1995.