Small Iraqi town a factory for raising weightlifting champs

BADRA, Iraq - While some places are known for producing oil or textiles, a small town in eastern Iraq boasts its own special conveyor belt - churning out weightlifting champions.

In cafes along the main road dissecting Badra, 10 kilometers from the border with Iran, chatter rarely veers far from the successes of local lifters.

In the old days, "men measured their performance by lifting cast iron, often spare parts of cars", said Khudeir Basha, who grew up nearby and became coach of the national weightlifting team.