Matthias Steiner Shares his Emotional Beijing 2008 Weightlifting Gold | Olympic Rewind

Germany's Matthias Steiner won Olympic weightlifting gold at the 2008 Beijing summer games, but just a year previously he almost quit the sport completely. The German had a very different reason to most athletes for the emotional outpour that Olympic victory sparks.

Subtitles available via closed captions.
_____________________________________________________

[axelvetter]

The story didn't end here. In 2009 Matthias had to skip the world championship as he had to undergo surgery and thus couldn't regain shape in time. The next year he became world champion. Steiner found a new love and married her in 2012. He's now a successful nutrition coach and speaker.

[Hotshot]

When he said that he didn't want to show the world that he was alone, and held up the photo of his wife next to him... That got me.

[saikanji]

It's crazy to me that 12 years later some of us are watching this video and being motivated. That one fraction of a second can motivate people for over a decade gives me a bit more hope

[thecooljohn]

Crazy how your life's lowest and highest points can be so close to one another and so emotionally linked. An amazing story, an amazing athlete.

[Maxi_]

He by the way was chosen as "German Sportsman of the Year" in the same year as the first and only weightlifter to ever win this title. He is in a row with legends like Boris Becker, Michael Schumacher and Dirk Nowitzki - and rightfully so.

[DAMOVE]

That day, there were 4 arms lifting it.

[jemand]

I met this guy in a supermarket in Leimen, Germany. I think no one realized it was him, looked like a normal big guy doing grocery shopping. The best part about him wasn't actually the competition but the interview he gave on german TV. It was one of the nicest guys ever interviewed in a sports interview, maybe that's why he has become kind of a TV star in Germany since.

[dougbrowne]

How can a person not be happy for him? That reaction was thrilling!

[easilydisliked__]

“ I didn’t want to be up there alone “ holds up a picture of his wife. That really broke me 💔😭

[urbangardeningofficial]

Every time i see this my mother starts cutting onions in the room 😓😓

[choybalsan]

I’m Chinese and I was there in the stadium at that moment~ at first we just felt funny why he’s so excited when he won the game, but after CCTV introduced his story we now know how great the love could be❤️❤️❤️ thank you Olympic 2008 to let me see this so remarkable and touching moment in my life. That might be the reason why sports are so attractive~ to show the real emotion and humanity in our heart

[MauriceGucci]

I'm not the most emotional person ever, but that story just always gets me.
There's so much tragedy and beauty in this. Wow.

[DJayAce]

I don't think he could have done that without his wife in his mind as he lifted that weight.. Its crazy how powerful emotions can be, what they can do to the body and mind in very intense moments.

[sivx]

The last bit where he's posing for the camera while holding a picture of his late wife had me choked up...

[Cruelfatalty]

"Perhaps the heaviest things that we lift are not our weights, but our feels"
-anon

[Nobli]

6:13 When all his emotions explode... his story really touched me.

[silence]

Für diesen Man empfinde ich tiefsten Respekt. Emotionen haben manchmal eine so viel größere Kraft als man denkt..

[jessearmstead]

That was amazing! His outpouring of emotion was so overwhelming powerful, He’s right, he had been carrying a heavier burden going into that competition. What triumph for him and beautiful tribute to love!

[stephenryder]

I know what he went through because I’ve been there. I lost my wife too. It’s amazing how he found the strength figuratively and literally to carry on. It’s what his wife would have wanted ❤

[EJStormful]

After he lifted his ultimate weight, he`s going down and his face seems to express all his torture and grief, his longing and humbleness in the second of his greatest success in life.
He will be in my heart not because he was professional but because he was a human being torn by doubt.and faith, outgrowing himself in his most authentic second of his life.
That`s what live is about, far away from consume, profession and security, there he is, the inner core we are searching for.