Vern Barberis Athlete
Verdi "Vern" Barberis (27 June 1928–6 January 2005) was an Australian weightlifter. Barberis grew up in Melbourne and attended the University of Melbourne. At the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland, New Zealand, he won bronze in the Lightweight category lifting a total of 730 lb (330 kg). This was the first time that weightlifting had been contested at Games. At the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, he won bronze in the Lightweight category lifting a total of 350 kg (770 lb). In doing so he became the first Australian to win a medal of any colour in weightlifting at the Olympics. At the 1953 World Weightlifting Championships in Stockholm, Sweden, he was just failed to win a medal when he finished fourth in the lightweight category. At the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, Canada, he became the first Australian to win a weightlifting gold medal when he won the Lightweight category lifting a total of 347 kg (770 lb). The seven time Australian champion rounded out his career at the 1956 Summer Olympics in his home city of Melbourne where he finished 11th in Lightweight category. In another first, Barberis was the first Australian lightweight to clean and jerk over 300 lb (140 kg) which at the time exceeded the Victorian heavyweight record. His Australian records stood for many years and his Victorian snatch record lasted twenty years. Barberis was a highly respected teacher and principal. From 1969-1971, Vern also held the position of President of the Australian Weightlifting Federation. He was later inducted into the AWF Hall of Fame On 30 August 2000, Barberis was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his weightlifting achievements.