Tommy Kono won Olympic medals in three different weight classes from 1952 to 1960: gold in lightweight, gold in light heavyweight, silver in middleweight. He also set world records in four different weight classes, an amazing accomplishment by today's standards. Besides winning world class Olympic weightlifting competitions, he was also a physique champion, winning the "Mr. Universe" title three times.

After retiring from competition, Kono became a successful lifting coach, training the Mexican national teams from 1966 - 1969 and then coaching the West German national teams from 1969 through 1972. He also coached the first three U.S. women's weight-lifting teams. He led the women to a second-place finish in the first world championship in 1987, and two more runner-up finishes in subsequent world championships.