He competed at the 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics and placed fifth, second and third, respectively. At the world championships he won three gold, one silver and two bronze medals between 1949 and 1957,[1][2] becoming the first Iranian weightlifter to win a world title. Namjoo was also the first Asian weightlifter to set a world record;[3] during his career he set four: one in clean and jerk in 1949 and three in the total, in 1948, 1949 and 1951.[4]