1996 Olympic Weightlifting Team

By Strength and Power Hall of Fame

Strength and Power Hall Of Fame

2025

1996 Olympic Team

 

The 1996 Olympics were held in Georgia USA from 7/20-7/30/1996. Weightlifting consisted of 10 Weight classes 54kg, 59kg, 64kg, 70kg, 75kg, 76kg, 91kg, 99kg, 108kg and +108kg. The competition for all weight classes were held on 7/20-30/1996 at the Georgia World Congress Center. The Team Coach was Dragomir Cioroslan, Assistant Coach Dennis Snethen, Team Manager Leo Totten and the Competition Director Was Mike Gattone.

 

The Athletes

Wesley “Wes” Barnett

 

Wes started lifting at 12 years old and was coached by Dennis Snethen. Later Wes was coached by Dragomir Cioroslan at the Olympic Training Center. Wes is a 2X Olympian, 3X Pan American Championships competitor, World Championships competitor, 7X Senior National Champion and American Record holder. After his competitive career Wes became Executive Director of the US Weightlifting Federation.

 

1^st 90kg class 1990 National Collegiate Champion

1^st 90kg class 1990 Junior Nationals

5^th 90kg class 1990 Senior Nationals

1^st 90kg class 1990 National Collegiate Championships

2^nd 100kg class 1991 Senior Nationals

1^st 100kg class 1991 US Olympic Festival

2^nd 100kg class Pan American Games

1^st 100kg class 1992 Senior Nationals

15^th 100kg class 1992 Olympic Games

1^st 99kg class 1993 Senior Nationals

1^st 108kg class 1993 12^th Silver Dragon Tournament

1^st 108kg class 1994 Senior Nationals

1^st 108kg class 1995 Senior Nationals

1^st 108kg lass 1995 Pan American Games

18^th 108kg class 1995 World Championships

1^st 108kg class 1996 Olympic Trials

6^th 108kg class 1996 Olympic Games

1^st 108kg class 1997 Senior Nationals

3^rd 108kg class 1997 World Championships

2^nd Superheavyweight class 1998 Senior Nationals

1^st 105kg class 1999 Senior Nationals

3^rd 105kg class 1999 Pan American Games

Timothy “Tim” McRae

Tim was coached by Dragomir Cioroslan while at the Olympic Training Center. Tim is a 2X Olympian, competed in 2 Pan American Games, competed in several World Championships and is a 7X Senior National Champion. Tim also set several American Records during his career. After his lifting career Tim became a very successful High School Weightlifting Coach.

 

1^st 56kg class 1989 Senior Nationals

3^rd 56kg class 1989 Junior Pan American Games

12^th 56kg class 1989 Junior World Championships

1^st 56kg class 1989 US Olympic Festival

3^rd 60kg class 1990 Senior Nationals

9^th 60kg class 1990 Junior World Championships

2^nd 67.5kg class 1991 US Olympic Festival

1^st 67.5kg class 1991 Senior Nationals

                            1991 World Championships

2^nd 67.5kg class 1992 Senior Nationals

8^th 67.5kg class 1992 Olympic Games

1^st 64kg class 1993 Senior Nationals

1^st 70kg class 1993 12^th Silver Dragon Tournament

1^st 64kg class 1993 US Olympic Festival

                         1993 World Championships

1^st 70kg class 1994 Senior Nationals

1^st 70kg class 1994 US Olympic Festival

1^st 70kg class 1995 US Olympic Festival

                         1995 World Championships

3^rd 70kg class 1995 Pan American Games

1^st 70kg class 1996 Olympic Trials

14^th 70kg class 1996 Olympic Games

1^st 70kg class 1996 Senior Nationals

1^st 76kg class 1997 Senior Nationals

1^st 85kg class 1998 Senior Nationals

1^st 85kg class 1999 Senior Nationals

3^rd 85kg class 1999 Pan American Games

2^nd 77kg class 2000 Senior National

Vernon Patao

Vernon learned to lift at Dr. Nelson Yogi’s garage in Kahului on Maui before going on to represent the United States at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games. Vernon is a 2X Olympian and a 3X Senior National Champion.

 

1^st 67.5kg class 1990 Junior Olympic Championships

3^rd 67.5kg class 1991 Senior Nationals

1^st 67.5kg class 1992 Senior Nationals

10^th 67.5kg class 1992 Olympic Games

1^st 64kg class 1994 Senior Nationals

1^st 64kg class 1995 Senior Nationals

1^st 64kg class 1996 Olympic Trials

3^rd 64kg class 1996 Senior Nationals

22^nd 64kg class 1996 Olympic Games

Mark Henry

Mark started lifting as a teenager and quickly became a Texas powerlifting legend. Dr. Terry Todd followed Marks powerlifting career and encouraged Mark to try Olympic lifting. Once again Mark quickly rose to the top junior and senior ranks. Mark is a 2X Olympian, Weightlifting and Powerlifting World Team Member, 3X Senior National Champion and a World Champion Powerlifter. Mark held all the American Olympic Lifting records in his class and held American and World records in Powerlifting.

Olympic Lifting

4^th Superheavyweight 1991 Senior Nationals

6^th Superheavyweight 1991 Junior World Championships

1^st Superheavyweight 1991 US National Junior Weightlifting Championships

2^nd Superheavyweight 1991 American Open

3^rd Superheavyweight 1992 Senior Nationals

1^st Superheavyweight 1992 American Open

10^th Superheavyweight 1992 Olympic Games

1^st Superheavyweight 1993 Senior Nationals

1^st Superheavyweight 1993 US Olympic Festival

14^th Superheavyweight 1993 World Championships

1^st Superheavyweight 1994 US Olympic Festival

1^st Superheavyweight 1994 Senior Nationals

2^nd Superheavyweight 1995 Pan American Games

15^th Superheavyweight 1995 World Championships

1^st Superheavyweight 1996 Senior Nationals

     Superheavyweight 1996 Olympic Games

Powerlifting

2^nd +125kg class USPF 1990 National Powerlifting Championships

1^st +125kg class 1991 International Junior Powerlifting Championships

1^st +145kg class 1995 WDFPF World Championships

1^st +145kg class 1995 USAPL National Powerlifting Championships

1^st +145kg class 1997 USAPL National Powerlifting Championships

Strongman

1^st 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic

Bryan Jacob

Bryan began his lifting career by competing in the Florida High School Weightlifting program (bench press & C&J). Bryan was Florida State Champion in 1986 and 1987. Bryan started Olympic lifting in 1987 after spending a week at the National Training Center in Colorado Springs. Bryan was coached by Ben Green and later by John Coffee. Bryan is a 2X Olympian, 5X World Championships team member, 2X Pan American Games Silver Medalist, 9X Senior National Champion and set several American Records.

 

1^st 60kg class 1988 National Junior Champion

1^st 60kg class 1989 National Junior Champion

5^th 60kg class 1988 Senior Nationals

2^nd 60kg class 1989 Senior Nationals

1^st 60kg class 1990 Senior Nationals

9^th 60kg class 1990 World Championships

1^st 60kg class 1991 Senior Nationals

      60kg class 1991 World Championships

1^st 60kg class 1991 US Olympic Festival

2^nd 60kg class 1991 Pan American Games

1^st 60kg class 1992 Senior Nationals

18^th 60kg class 1992 Olympic Games

1^st 59kg class 1993 Senior Nationals

1^st 59kg class 1993 US Olympic Festival

     59kg class 1993 World Championships

1^st 59kg class 1994 Senior Nationals

     59kg class 1994 World Championships

1^st 59kg class 1995 Senior Nationals

2^nd 59kg class 1995 Pan American Games

11^th 59kg class 1995 World Championships

1^st 59kg class 1996 Olympic Trials

9^th 59kg class 1996 Olympic Games

1^st 64kg class 1997 Senior Nationals

2^nd 62kg class 1998 Senior Nationals

1^st 62kg class 1999 Senior Nationals

2^nd 62kg class 2000 Senior Nationals

1^st 62kg class 2001 Senior Nationals

3^rd 62kg class 2002 Senior Nationals

Peter “Pete” Kelly

Pete was coached by Dennis Snethen and was a member of the Wesley Weightlifters Team. Pete set American Records, is a 9X Senior National Champion and a Senior and Junior World Championships team member. Pete is a member of the USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame.

4^th 99kg class 1994 Senior Nationals

3^rd 99kg class 1995 Pan American Games

1^st 99kg class 1995 Senior Nationals

1^st 99kg class 1996 Senior Nationals

1^st 99kg class 1996 Olympic Trials

14^th 99kg class 1996 Olympic Games

2^nd 99kg class 1997 Senior Nationals

1^st 94kg class 1998 Senior Nationals

2^nd 94kg class 2000 Senior Nationals

1^st 105kg class 2001 Senior Nationals

1^st 105kg class 2002 Senior Nationals

1^st 105kg class 2003 Senior Nationals

1^st 105kg class 2004 Senior Nationals

1^st 105kg class 2005 Senior Nationals

Tom Gough

Tom lifted for the Marin County Weightlifting Club and was coached by his father Steve Gough. Later Tom was coached by Dragomir Cioroslan at the National Training Center. Tom is a 2X Olympian, 5X Senior National Champion and a 3X Junior World Championships team member. Tom also set several American Records during his career.

 

2^nd 83kg class 1994 Senior Nationals

3^rd 83kg class 1995 Pan American Games

1^st 91kg class 1995 Senior Nationals

1^st 91kg class 1996 Senior Nationals

1^st 91kg class 1996 Olympic Trials

14^th 91kg class 1996 Olympics

1^st 99kg class 1997 Senior Nationals

1^st 105kg class 1998 Senior Nationals

1^st 94kg class 2000 Senior Nationals

      94kg class 2000 Olympics Alternate

Tom Ingalsbe

From Georgia Tom played football in college and later took up weightlifting. Tom lifter in 6 Senior Nationals and placed first at the 1996 Olympic Trials.

3^rd Superheavyweight 1993 Senior Nationals

3^rd Superheavyweight 1994 Senior Nationals

1^st Superheavyweight 1996 Olympic Trials

16^th Superheavyweight 1996 Olympic Games

3^rd Superheavyweight 1997 Senior Nationals

8^th Superheavyweight 1999 Senior Nationals

3^rd Superheavyweight 2000 Senior Nationals

Thanh Nguyen

Thanh was a member of the Sports Palace Team and was coached by Jim Schmitz. Thanh is a 5X Senior National Champion and a 5X World Championships Team Member.

2^nd 60kg class 1987 Senior Nationals

1^st 60kg class 1988 Senior Nationals

1^st 60kg class 1989 Senior Nationals

2^nd 60kg class 1990 Senior Nationals

2^nd 60kg class 1991 Senior Nationals

3^rd 60kg class 1992 Senior Nationals

2^nd 64kg class 1993 Senior Nationals

1^st 64kg class 1994 Senior Nationals

1^st 64kg class 1995 Senior Nationals

1^st 64kg class 1996 Senior Nationals

1^st 64kg class 1996 Olympic Trials

32^nd 64kg class 1996 Olympic Games

4^th 9kg class 1998 Senior Nationals

 

Konstantine Starkovitch

Konstantine was born in Russia and received permission to lift for the United States just prior to the 1996 Olympic Trials. During his brief US career Konstantine set American Records but unfortunately an elbow injury ended his lifting career.

2^nd 105kg class 1996 Olympic Trials

12^th 105kg class 1996 Olympic Games

Author: By Strength and Power Hall of Fame Completed: yes Created: Thu Mar 05 01:28:14 UTC 2026 | Last Updated: Sun Mar 08 18:24:35 UTC 2026