Weightlifting achievements

Olympic champion (1988);
Senior world champion (1985–1987);
Silver medalist in Senior World Championships (1981 & 1982);
European champion (1984–1988);
Silver medalist in European Championships (1981, 1982, & 1990);
Set 35 world records during career.

Career bests

Snatch: 210.0 kg in the class to 110 kg;
Clean and jerk: 250.5 kg 1988 on Cardiff in the class to 110 kg;
Total: 440.0 kg (200.0 + 240.0) 1983 on Odessa in the class to 100 kg;
Total: 455.0 kg (210.0 + 245.0) 1988 Summer Olympics in the class to 110 kg.

Interestingly the highlights of the Soviet meet in Odessa 1983 were telecast to the North American Market by a US sports show. Zakharevich was in the majority of the coverage. Clearly on a BW basis this was his best lifting.  I will have to dig out that VHS tape sometime.

Yuri Zakharevich

I mainly follow the Soviet coaching system and this chart is very helpful in showing the typical progression for more Elite International lifters. My observation is that this chart is similar to many Soviet champions that I have seen published over the years in Soviet literature.

I highlighted the years 7 to 11(the number of the yr spent training) that coincide with Zakharevich’s ages 16-20 that are characteristic of a time frame that typically shows accelerated results. The initial results of training were not spectacular in part because the “soviet system” does not recommend pushing early on in development of weightlifters. I believe the best time to introduce youth to Olympic weightlifting would be 9 to 12 yrs of age.

I’m reading a rough translation of a Russian book “Noble Metal” the story of the legendary David Rigert, holder of 68 world records. In the autobiography Rigert starts the first chapter of the book with the worst and toughest episode of his lifting career, his failure in Moscow at the 1980 Olympic games.  He does keep his sense of humor by saying even he was curious occasionally to read or hear yet another “arm chair” media theory why he failed at either Munich 1972 or Moscow 1980. He sets the matter straight. His biggest failure(Moscow) cannot be spoken about until the failure at the 1972 Olympics. In reference to Munich he is candid saying his ego got in the way, it was all about setting records, and totally dominating his competition. It seems he does take full responsibility for his failure. At Montreal his tactics were different, take just enough to win the competition, if there were attempts left over that is then the time to try and set WR’s. In Montreal Rigert quickly dropped his opening snatch attempt after his team mate Poltarotsky(90kg) bombed with 162.kg in the snatch. The Olympic title was to Rigert one of the most coveted, the ultimate title, saying that Olympic gold has eluded many great champions. (Side note he mentions he B squatted 300kg before Montreal).

OK onto Moscow, the fact that the title could be won on home soil adds even more prestige, but more pressure . Rigert’s plan immediately after the 1976 Olympics was to win gold again at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow in the new 100kg category. He felt the timing was perfect; the new category was meant for him, surely this was an omen and the gods were smiling. In 1976 he was 29 yrs old and beginning to hate the tedious reduction in BW to lift at 90kg. Also wt loss over many yrs affects ultimate progress, losing bw is easier when you are young. He also remembered that his coach Rudy Plukfelder had won Olympic gold in 1964 at Tokyo at 36 yrs of age. If anyone could get him there it was his old beloved coach Plukfelder. (Rigert is very candid throughout the book saying he owes his success as a weightlifter to Plukfelder. )Yet another reason was Rigert lifted for competition, man against man on the platform. Training was necessary, but competition in his words “was a holiday”. He reckoned competition would be tougher in the 100kg category, especially in the former Soviet Union. Some notable names; Arekelov,Saidulaev,Kononov,Sots,Poltoratski,Naniev,Kozolov,Nitikin,Zakharevich to name just a few. This “heavy” competition would no doubt push him to higher limits.  As planned two months before the 1980 Olympics he had recorded the official WR 181 sn and 3 wks before an official 230kg WR CJ.

Rigert thought his special performance at the last minute should have solidified his selection at 100kg. He was wrong. It was all for naught, his recent joy of new records and dreams of future records turned to anguish when the coaching council still insisted he reduce  yet again down to 90kg for the Olympics, in spite of the fact that his BW was 99kg+. The tedious reduction down to 90kg resulted in his % body fat going medically dangerously below 4%, this was well below the Soviet standard of 7.6%. The late Ota Zaremba CZE won the 100kg at the 1980 Olympics with 180kg sn and 215kg CJ. The blooming Igor Nikitin who Rigert had give up his spot for, only did 177.5kg + 215kg for 2nd place. Unlike Munich where he took personal responsibility for his failure, in Moscow he could accept none. Chapter one ends with “In my heart, I was bitter.”

Known for drinking prodigious quantities of milk. He took a fair ribbing in training camps. His rural Soviet diet was the antithesis of the Paleo diet.