1988 Olympic Weightlifting Team

By Strength and Power Hall of Fame 

 

 

1988 Olympic Team

 

The 1988 Olympics were held in Seoul South Korea from 9/17-10/2/1988. Weightlifting consisted of 10 Weight classes 52kg, 56kg, 60kg, 67.5kg, 75kg, 82.5kg, 90kg, 100kg, 110kg and +110kg. The competition for all weight classes were held on 9/19-9/29/1988 at the Olympic Weightlifting Gymnasium. The Team Coach was Jim Schmitz and the Team Manager was Peter Miller.

 

The Athletes

 

Mario Martinez

7/6/1957-1/14/2018

 

Mario started training in the early 1970’s. He competed from 1973-1996 and was coached by Jim Schmitz. Mario was a 3X Olympian, Pan American Champion, 10X Senior National Champion and held all the national records in the Superheavyweight class. Mario was the first American Superheavyweight to snatch over 400lbs and clean and jerk over 500lbs in the same contest. 

 

1st 90kg class 1976 National Junior Olympic Weightlifting Championships

8th 90kg class 1976 Junior World Championships

9th 100kg class 1977 Junior World Championships

3rd 100kg class 1978 Junior Nationals

1st Superheavyweight 1982 Senior Nationals

1st Superheavyweight 1982 Pan Ams

1st Superheavyweight 1983 Senior Nationals

1st Superheavyweight 1984 Senior Nationals

2nd Superheavyweight 1984 Olympic Games

1st Superheavyweight 1985 Senior Nationals

1st Superheavyweight 1986 Senior Nationals

1st Superheavyweight 1987 Senior Nationals

1t Superheavyweight 1987 Pan American Games

1st Superheavyweight 1988 Senior Nationals

4th Superheavyweight 1988 Olympic Games

1st Superheavyweight 1989 Senior Nationals

1st Superheavyweight 1991 Senior Nationals

2nd Superheavyweight 1999 Pan American Games

1st Superheavyweight 1992 Senior Nationals

8th Superheavyweight 1992 Olympic Games

2nd Superheavyweight 1993 Senior Nationals

2nd Superheavyweight 1994 Senior Nationals

3rd Superheavyweight 1995 Pan American Games

 

Arnold “Arn” Kritsky

 

Arn is from Northern Virginia and began lifting in the early 1970’s. He was the first Virginian to represent the United States in the Olympic Games, Los Angeles 1984. Arn also represented the United States at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul South Korea. 

 

1st 123lb class 1974 Region 2 Junior Olympic WL Championships

8th 148lb class 1975 Chesapeake Bay Open

2nd 181lb class 1981 Hampton Roads WL Championships

1st 181lb class 1983 America’s Cup

7th 181lb class 1983 Senior Nationals

3rd 181lb class 1983 National Collegiates

1st 181lb class 1984 America’s Cup

1st 181lb class 1984 National Sports Festival VI

4th 181lb class 1984 Senior Nationals

9th 181lb class 1984 Olympic Games

1st 181lb class 1985 Senior Nationals

1st 181lb class 1985 US Olympic Festival

1st 181lb class 1986 US Olympic Festival

2nd 181lb class 1986 Senior Nationals

2nd 181lb class 1987 Senior Nationals

3rd 181lb class 1988 Senior Nationals

11th 198lb class 1988 Olympic Games

2nd 181lb class 1990 Senior Nationals

3rd 181lb class 1996 Senior Nationals

 

Derrick Crass

 

6th 90kg class 1981 Senior Nationals

2nd 90kg class 1982 Senior Nationals

13th 90kg class 1982 World Championships

3rd 90kg class 1984 Senior Nationals

1st 90kg class Oceania Weightlifting Championships

      90kg class 1984 Olympic Games (Injured)

1st 82.5kg class 1987 Senior Nationals

2nd 90kg class 1987 Manuel Suarez Cup

8th 82.5kg class 1987 Pan American Games

5th 82.5kg class 1988 Senior Nationals

11th 82.5kg class 1988 Olympic Games

1st 90kg class 1989 Senior Nationals

13th 90kg class 1989 World Championships

1st 90kg class 1990 Senior Nationals

3rd 90kg class 1990 Moomba Cup

2nd 90kg class 1992 Senior Nationals

 

Michael “Mike” Jacques

 

2^nd 67.5kg class 1982 Senior Nationals

1^st 67.5 kg class 1983 Senior Nationals

1^st 67.5 kg Class 1985 Senior Nationals

14^th 67.5 kg class 1985 World Championships

2^nd 67.5 kg class 1986 Senior Nationals

1^st 67.5 kg class 1988 Senior Nationals

13^th 67.5 kg class 1988 Olympic Games

1^st 67.5 kg class 1989 Senior Nationals

1^st 67.5 kg class 1990 Senior Nationals

2^nd 67.5 kg class 1991 Senior Nationals

3^rd 67.5 kg class 1992 Senior Nationals

1^st 70kg class 1993 Senior Nationals

2^nd 70kg class 1994 Senior Nationals

 

John Bergman

 

1^st Superheavyweight 1983 American Open

2^nd Superheavyweight 1983 Senior Nationals

2^nd Superheavyweight 1984 Senior Nationals

2^nd Superheavyweight 1985 Senior Nationals

8^th Superheavyweight 1985 World Championships

9^th Superheavyweight 1986 World Championships

1^st Superheavyweight 1986 Senior Nationals

2^nd Superheavyweight 1987 Senior Nationals

2^nd Superheavyweight 1987 Pan American Games

2^nd Superheavyweight 1988 Senior Nationals

10^th Superheavyweight 1988 Olympic Games

 

Brett Brian

 

7^th 90kg class 1986 Senior Nationals

3^rd 90kg class 1987 Senior Nationals

3^rd 90kg class 1987 Pan American Games

1^st 90kg class 1988 Senior Nationals

14^th 90kg class 1988 Olympic Games

2^nd 90kg class 1989 Senior Nationals

2^nd 90kg class 1990 Senior Nationals

1^st 90kg class 1990 Goodwill Games

1^st 90kg class 1991 Senior Nationals

2^nd 90kg class 1991 Pan American Games

1^st 90kg class 1992 Senior Nationals

13^th 90kg class 1992 Olympic Games

 

Richard “Rich” Schutz

 

Rich started lifting in the late 1970’s. His father Fred the 1958 Senior National Champion in the 198lb class was his initial coach. Later he was coached by Roger Nielsen. Rich lifted for the Sayre Park Weightlifting Club for much of his career. Rich is a 2X Olympian, 9X Senior National Champion, 2X Pan American games silver medalist and a 5X US Olympic Festival Champion.

 

1st 100kg class 1986 Senior Nationals

1st 110kg class 1987 Senior Nationals

2nd 110kg class 1987 Pan American Games

1st 100kg class 1988 Senior Nationals

11th 110kg class 1988 Olympic Games

1st 100kg class 1989 Senior Nationals

1st 110kg class 1990 Senior Nationals

1st 100kg class 1991Senior Nationals

2nd 110kg class 1991 Pan American Games

1st 110kg class 1992 Senior Nationals

18th 110kg class 1992 Olympics

1st 108kg class 1993 Senior Nationals

1st 99kg class 1994 Senior Nationals

 

Curt White

 

Curt was 14 when he won his first Senior Nationals in 1977. Curt set several Junior and Senior American records during his career. 

 

1^st 52kg class 1977 Senior Nationals

4^th 67.5kg class 1979 Senior Nationals

3^rd 75kg class 1980 Senior Nationals

3^rd 82.5kg class 1981 Senior Nationals

1^st 82.5kg class 1982 Senior Nationals

1^st 82.5kg class 1983 Senior Nationals

1^st 90kg class 1985 Senior Nationals

1^st 82.5 kg class 1986 Senior Nationals

7^th 82.5kg class 1987 World Championships

1^st 82.5kg class 1988 Senior Nationals

14^th 82.5kg class 1988 Olympic Games

3^rd 90kg class 1992 Senior Nationals

 

Jeff Michaels

 

1^st 110kg class 1982 Senior Nationals

1^st 110kg class 1983 Senior Nationals

1^st 110kg class 1983 Pan American Games

3^rd 110kg class 1983 Friendship Cup

1^st 110kg class 1985 Senior Nationals

2^nd 110kg class 1987 Senior Nationals

1^st 110kg class 1988 Senior Nationals

13^th 110kg class 1988 Olympic Games

1^st 110kg class 1989 Senior Nationals

1^st Superheavyweight 1990 Senior Nationals

2^nd Superheavyweight 1991 Senior Nationals

3^rd Superheavyweight 1991 Pan American Games

2^nd Superheavyweight 1992 Senior Nationals

3^rd Superheavyweight 1996 Senior Nationals

 

Roberto “Tony” Urrutia

12/7/1957-12/6/2024

 

Tony lifted for Cuba until 1980 when he defected to the United States. Tony was a 3X World Champion a Pan American Games Champion and a 5X Senior National Champion. Tony set 7 World Records during his career.

 

1^st 67.5kg class 1975 Pan American Games

6^th 67.5kg class 1976 Olympic Games

1^st 67.5kg class 1977 World Championships

1^st 75kg class 1978 World Championships

1^st 75kg class 1979 World Championships

1^st 75kg class 1979 Pan American Games      

1^st 75kg class 1987 Senior Nationals

3^rd 82.5kg class 1987 Pan American Games

1^st 75kg class 1988 Senior Nationals

8^th 75kg class 1988 Olympic Games

1^st 82.5kg class 1989 Senior Nationals

1^st 82.5kg class 1991 Senior Nationals

1^st 82.5kg class 1992 Senior Nationals

17^th 82.5kg class 1992 Olympic Games

2^nd 91kg class 1995 Senior Nationals

 

Jim Hyde

Alternate

 

4^th 82.5kg class 1987 Senior Nationals

2^nd 82.5kg class 1988 Senior Nationals                              

3^rd 82.5kg class 1991 Senior Nationals

2^nd 82.5kg class 1992 Senior Nationals

2^nd 83kg class 1995 Senior Nationals

 

David Langon

Alternate

1^st 90kg class 1985 National Juniors

1^st 90kg class 1986 National Juniors

1^st 90kg class 1987 National Juniors

2^nd 90kg class 1987 Senior Nationals

2^nd 90kg class 1988 Senior Nationals

3^rd 100kg class 1989 Senior Nationals

1^st 100kg class 1990 Senior Nationals

1^st 100kg class 1991 Senior Nationals

     100kg class 1992 Olympic Games

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author: By Strength and Power Hall of Fame Completed: no Created: Mon Dec 15 14:05:43 UTC 2025 | Last Updated: Wed Dec 17 13:13:36 UTC 2025