{{short description|British weightlifter}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Halil Zorba | image = | image_size = <!--Only for images narrower than 220 pixels.--> | caption = | birth_name = | fullname = | nickname = | nationality = | residence = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|9|22|df=y}} | birth_place = London, England | death_date = | death_place = | height = <!-- {{convert|}} (yyyy) --> | weight = <!-- {{convert|}} (yyyy) --> | website = <!-- {{URL|www.example.com}} --> | country = {{GBR}}<br />{{ENG}} | sport = Weightlifting | event = -77kg division | collegeteam = | universityteam = | club = | team = | turnedpro = | coach = Keith Morgan | retired = | coaching = | worlds = | regionals = | nationals = | olympics = | paralympics = | highestranking = | pb = | medaltemplates = | show-medals = | updated = 11 July 2012 }} '''Halil Zorba''' (born 22 September 1988) is a British weightlifter. He represented England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and was in contention for the British team for the 2012 Summer Olympics but was ultimately not chosen for the team despite being British Champion in his weight class. He competes part-time, continuing with his career as a civil engineer.
==Early life== Halil Zorba was born on 22 September 1988,<ref name=wait/> and is of Turkish Cypriot heritage.<ref name=BBC/> He attended Bethnal Green Technology College, where he was taught PE by 1964 Olympian George Manners.<ref name=epsom/> He took up weightlifting whilst at the college, before going to University, and he receives funding support to compete from the National Lottery.<ref name=BBC />
==Career== He broke into the world's top 100 in his weight division, 69 kg, at the age of 19, and was ranked second in the British senior rankings.<ref name=BBC>{{cite news|author=BBC|title=Zorba aims to lift London in 2012|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/weightlifting/7279197.stm|access-date=1 March 2011|work=BBC News|date=13 March 2008}}</ref> A back injury saw him miss the 2008 European Championships.<ref name=BBC /> He represented England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi; competing in the 69 kg category, he managed to come 4th in group B and went on to finish 10th overall out of 18.<ref name=Brighton>{{cite web|author=University of Brighton|title=Halil competes at the Commonwealth Games|url=http://www.brighton.ac.uk/sportbrighton/about-us/news/37-uob-scholar-halil-competes-at-the-commonwealth-games|accessdate=1 March 2011}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
At the 2011 World Weightlifting Championships, he lifted {{convert|125|kg}} in the snatch, setting a new personal best; however, he suffered an injury to his leg prior to the clean and jerk, resulting in a lift of only {{convert|165|kg}}. This resulted in the combined weight being less than the minimum standard to be considered for the 2012 Summer Olympics.<ref name=epsom>{{cite news|last=Moody|first=Graham|title=Zorba's Olympic weightlifting ambition|url=http://www.epsomguardian.co.uk/sport/9381020.Zorba_s_Olympic_weightlifting_ambition/|accessdate=11 July 2012|newspaper=Epsom Guardian|date=24 November 2011}}</ref>
Zorba went into the English Championships seeking to make the Olympic qualifying standard.<ref name=quest>{{cite news|last=Moody|first=Graham|title=Zorba takes Olympic quest to English Championships|url=http://www.suttonguardian.co.uk/sport/9537973.Zorba_takes_Olympic_quest_to_English_Championships/|accessdate=11 July 2012|newspaper=Sutton Guardian|date=17 February 2012}}</ref> He reached the Olympic B grade, setting a new British record in the clean and jerk of {{convert|171|kg}} at the same time. Following the breaking of the record, he twice attempted to lift {{convert|175|kg}}, but failed on each occasion. His performance made Zorba the second British competitor to meet the Olympic standard after Jack Oliver.<ref name=pleasedtomakegrade>{{cite news|last=Moody|first=Graham|title=Zorba pleased to make the Olympic grade|url=http://www.streathamguardian.co.uk/sport/9550605.Zorba_pleased_to_make_the_Olympic_grade/|accessdate=11 July 2012|newspaper=Streatham Guardian|date=23 February 2012}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
He was named to the British team for the 2012 European Weightlifting Championships.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hope|first=Nick|title=London 2012: GB weightlifter Zoe Smith closes in on Olympic place|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/weightlifting/17682331|access-date=11 July 2012|newspaper=BBC Sport|date=11 April 2011}}</ref> He lifted a combined weight of {{convert|285|kg}}, finishing in 21st position.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} He was a candidate for one of the three male weightlifting spots for the host country at the 2012 Olympics, having won the British Championship at the British Olympic trials in addition to achieving the B qualifying standard.<ref name=wait/> However, he was not chosen for the British team, with Oliver, Peter Kirkbride and Gareth Evans chosen instead.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}
Zorba trains at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre with coach Keith Morgan.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bird|first=Emma|title=Zorba's hopes boosted|url=http://www1.skysports.com/olympics/story/21822/7533557|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130202130450/http://www1.skysports.com/olympics/story/21822/7533557|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 February 2013|accessdate=11 July 2012|newspaper=Sky Sports|date=20 February 2012}}</ref> Zorba remains British record holder in several categories, including both the clean and jerk and the snatch in the 69 kg category of the men's under eighteen competition,<ref>{{cite web|title=Men's U18 Records|url=http://www.worldclasslifting.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=172:mens-u18-records&Itemid=122|publisher=British Weightlifting|accessdate=11 July 2012}}</ref> and the clean and jerk in both the 69 kg and 77 kg categories of the men's under 23 competition.<ref>{{cite web|title=Men's U23 Records|url=http://www.worldclasslifting.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=170:mens-u23-records&Itemid=118|publisher=British Weightlifting|accessdate=11 July 2012}}</ref>
==Personal life== Zorba is related to the former British javelin thrower and multiple medal-winner Fatima Whitbread on his mother's side of the family.<ref name=BBC/> He works as a civil engineer full-time having qualified from the University of Brighton,<ref name=wait/><ref name=Brighton/> splitting his time between that and his sport.<ref name=wait>{{cite news|last=Hope|first=Nick|title=London 2012: Nervous wait for GB weightlifters after Olympic trials|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/18233017|access-date=11 July 2012|newspaper=BBC Sport|date=1 June 2012}}</ref> == References == {{reflist|2}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zorba, Halil}} Category:Living people Category:1988 births Category:Alumni of the University of Brighton Category:British male weightlifters Category:English people of Turkish Cypriot descent Category:Weightlifters at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Category:Commonwealth Games weightlifters for England Category:21st-century British sportsmen