Veteran weightlifter George Vasiliades has been inducted into the Australian Weightlifting Hall of Fame.
George was born in Cyprus, and in 1961 he migrated with his family to Australia. His first experience of weightlifting was at Belmore South Primary (Sydney) where he was taught by a teacher from Finland whose uncle was an Olympic weightlifter. At Kingsgrove North High one of the teachers was Gary Noake, who represented Australia in hurdles at the 1964 Olympic Games. He encouraged George to take up weightlifting.
On the 29th of November, 1969, George set the Junior World Record for the Press – 97.5kg in the 52kg bodyweight class. The record stood for two years.
Vasiliades was twice Commonwealth Games Champion. In the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh he won gold in the 52kg class with a 290 total (3 lifts). In the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch he won gold in the 60 kg class with a 230kg total (2 lifts).
In 1970 he represented Australia at the World Championships in the USA where he finished in 4th place.
He also represented the AOC at the Munich Olympics in 1972 – the last Olympics to include the press, where he totalled 355kg in the 56kg class to come 6th.
The 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th placegetters were from communist countries, and the 2nd was from Iran (where weightlifting was sponsored by the Shah). These placegetters were all professional athletes, whereas George had to train part-time.
George’s four children that all became champion weightlifters as well.