Naim Süleymanoğlu was born on 23rd January 1967, in Bulgaria. He had the Turkish family who lived in Kircali. He had a brother. His name was Muharrem. Naim didn’t like to talk by half so, he was a quiet boy.

naim's nick name was pocket hercules because of he was short and powerful. naim started weightlifting while he was fifteen years old. naim set his first world record when he was sixteen years old. pocket hercules won three olympic gold medals representing turkey.

LİFE İN BULGARİA

First of all, bulgaria was represented by naim süleymanoğlu to start weightlifting. unfortunately, naim missed his first change at olympic success in 1984 when bulgaria join the soviet boycott of the los angeles games.

repression against ethnic turks was grawing in bulgaria ;one measure required them use to bulgarian adaptations of their names , so naim süleymanoğlu became naum shalamonov. naim wanted totake back his turish last name . naim can't satand the pressure of communist bulgarian therefore , he decided that he had to revolt from bulgaria

turkısh prime minister turgut özal wanted to help naim süleymanoğlu. in 1986, after winning the gold medal at a woeld cup wrestling tournament in australia , he fled from bulgarian oppressions and he went into hiding turkish consulate australia.