Tamio “Tommy” Kono was born in Sacramento, California in 1930. During World War II, his family, all of Japanese descent, were among the over 120,000 Japanese-Americans forced by the U.S. government to be detained in prison camps (aka Japanese internment camps) where he was introduced to weightlifting—which he practiced relentlessly in an effort to become healthier after experiencing severe asthma throughout his childhood.
Hear his incredible journey from prison camp to the Olympics!
