Valerios Leonidis

Valerios Leonidis

Personal information
Birth name	Valery Leonov
Nationality	Greek
Born	14 February 1966 Yessentuki, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.66 m (5 ft 5+1⁄2 in)
Sport
Country	Greece
Sport	Weightlifting
Medal record Men's weightlifting Representing Greece Olympic Games 1996 Atlanta -64 kg World Championships 1994 Istanbul -64 kg 1995 Guangzhou -64 kg 1999 Athens -69 kg European Championships 1993 Sofia -64 kg 1994 Sokolov -64 kg 1995 Warsaw -64 kg 1996 Stavanger -64 kg 1999 A Coruña -69 kg Representing Soviet Union USSR Weightlifting Championships 1986 Moscow -60 kg 1991 Donetsk -60 kg Summer Spartakiad of the USSR 1986 Moscow -60 kg 1991 Donetsk -60 kg

Valerios Leonidis (Greek: Βαλέριος Λεωνίδης; born 14 February 1966) is a Greek former Olympic medalist weightlifter and current weightlifting trainer. He has won Olympic silver medal at 1996 Atlanta Olympic games in 64 kg division. Also two silver and one bronze World Championship medals. He has competed in different weight classes from 60 kg to 69 kg. His rivalry with world-record holder Naim Süleymanoğlu in the men's 64 kg was a very popular part of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, in which he won the silver medal.

Leonidis was born in Yessentuki, Russia, to a Pontic Greek family. He was a member of the national weightlifting team of the Soviet Union from 1982 to 1990 and he moved to Greece in 1991. He was named the 1994 Greek Male Athlete of the Year.