Rodney Wilkes won Trinidad and Tobago's first Olympic medal at the 1948 Olympic Games in London, England.
The San Fernando-born Wilkes was the only weightlifter in a team of five athletes competing at the London Games.
Competing in the Men's Featherweight, Wilkes lifted a best of 97.5kg in the Press 97.5kg in the Snatch, and 122.5kg in the Clean and Jerk for a total of 317.5kg.
He took silver in the Featherweight category, beaten by a world record total of 332.5kg by Egypt's Mahmoud Fayad.
Wilkes out-lifted Fayad in the Press, but the Egyptian produced world record lifts in the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk to take the gold medal.
He finished ahead of bronze medalist Jafar Salmasi of Iran who produced a world record 100kg lift in the Press, but could only total 312.5kg.
Wilkes would go on to win a bronze medal at the 1952 Olympics and later won gold medals at the 1952 Pan American Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and at the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, Canada.
His international career would come to an end in 1958 with a bronze medal at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales.
Rodney Wilkes will go down as one of Trinidad and Tobago's greatest weightlifters and an Olympic legend in Trinidad and Tobago.