Image: The Pocket Hercules (here)
The 3 Prompts:
3WW:compact jubilant neglected
Poetry Jam: hands
d’Verse: winners and losers
Naim Süleymanoğlu was a Turkish World and Olympics Champion. He was nicknamed ‘The Pocket Hercules’ due to his small stature of 4 ft 11 in. He became the strongest man ever, pound-for-pound, by lifting 3.16 times of his body weight in the 1988 Summer Olympics. Won three Olympics, seven world Championships six European titles and set 46 world records
In politics later he stood in the 1999 general elections and again in 2006. In 2002 he was the candidate for mayor of Kıraç municipality. He was unsuccessful in all these attempts - Wiki
Packed into a compact frame of barely 5 feet tall
he was nicknamed the Pocket Hercules
Jubilant upon winning Olympics and
World Championships as a weight-lifter
he had the whole nation behind him.
He was a winner hands-down
But reputedly a playboy he was nightclubbing
and smoking 50 cigarettes a day.
He neglected his health and suffered
a heart attack in 2009 at the age of 42
Tried as he might in politics
but his fortunes took a dip
One could be winners and losers
within a lifetime.
As long as the sufferings and the setbacks were not material
it would have been a good life
Naim had had a good life and everything to be proud of
despite some hiccups
For Thomg's at 3WW # 404
Laurie's at Poetry Jam - hands and
Mary's at d'Verse : Poetics - winners and losers
Laurie's at Poetry Jam - hands and
Mary's at d'Verse : Poetics - winners and losers
So much going for him if not for his dark side...
ReplyDeleteSo true that one can be both winner and loser at different times. You shared a fascinating tale, Hank!
ReplyDeleteHe-he you got me thinking there so i pulled out my handy calculator and figured out i can lift 3.6 times my weight... at 810 LBS.. butt only with my legs.. as a congenitally fused vertebrae will not allow too much weight on my back..:) and yeah at a little more than foot taller as well..;)
ReplyDeleteThis is a great story and i truly believe that physical intelligence is every bit or more important than standard IQ.. as now science shows that it also regulates emotional and sensory integration... for way of living life in balance..:)
just because you win in one realm does not always translate to another...and push yourself so hard something has to give eventually...
ReplyDeleteI think you have the nail on the head Hank, in everyone's lives there are times of winning and losing. Hopefully we win more than we lose.
ReplyDeleteInspiring story with a lesson--just because you win big at one thing does not mean you don't have to abide by the rules (of health and apparently of politics). Interesting to read his story.
ReplyDeleteI hope he quit smoking!
ReplyDeleteWinning isn't always a good thing
ReplyDeleteWe can sure win and lose multiple times in a lifetime
ReplyDeleteA tale, beautifully told!
ReplyDeleteAn interesting biography ... life is such a roller-coaster ... thanks for sharing the story!
ReplyDeleteSo lovely! Winners always inspire.
ReplyDeleteGreat combination of the prompts :)
To be a winner in one place -- so very rare to become a winner in another.. so often actually turns out to be the opposite.
ReplyDeleteah...sad outcome....I think there comes a responsibility with everything.....nicely told...
ReplyDeleteThis is a fascinating destiny, Hank! Sometimes people fly too high and then the fall feels even worse.
ReplyDeleteVery few Olympic athletes continue to curry public favor post-games; the commercial offers trickle off, people forget; but the arrogance, the playboy syndrome, the smoking--oh yes, hubris at work; a fine use of the three prompts, Hank.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting and insightful story, Hank. Thank you! x
ReplyDeleteWay too much, too soon ~ Thanks for showing us his winning and losing sides Hank ~ Have a good week ~
ReplyDeleteInteresting contrast - true how failure can take over after a significant success, but yes, all over, he had a good life.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting post, it's a shame he neglected his health and I like how you've illustrated here to us that one's life can contain great success along with failure.
ReplyDeleteHank,
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting story, where hands were the source of his good luck, good times and lifestyle...However, his hands caused his troubles and touched temptations as well..Thank you for this most original prompt link...
Eileen
Isn't that the way sometimes it's life's choices that take away the good and replace it with bad
ReplyDeleteWinning "first place" does not make one a winner in life. Fame and glory often become a vice…
ReplyDeleteLife is full of many twists and turns you have made these alive in your words.
ReplyDeleteA lovely poem with a lesson for all :)
ReplyDeleteinteresting , real and human...thanks!
ReplyDeletehave to watch the hiccups in life..
ReplyDeleteinformative and beautifully expressed in the poem
ReplyDeleteTrustworthy
Life comes with many twists and turns, it is which path we choose is the key.
ReplyDeleteit's interesting to see so many facets of human mind..very nice Hank
ReplyDelete