The French strongman Noel le Gaulois was the man to beat at certain lifts in the late 19th century. He won the world’s championship in Brussels, Belgium in 1897, with a two-arm snatch with 220 pounds, a two-arm jerk of 253-pounds and a one-arm snatch of a 143-pounds… All lifts which would still be respectable a century later.

Like many strongmen of the period, he was also a very good wrestler. Later, Le Gaulois owned a café/gymnasium which was the gathering place for the famous strongmen of the day.  Also, so you know, “le Gaulois” was not his actual last name but a nickname The Gaul, which referred to his outstanding mustache.