Vasily Alekseyev

Vasily Ivanovich Alekseyev (Russian: Василий Иванович Алексеев; 7 January 1942 – 25 November 2011) was a Soviet weightlifter. He set 80 world-records and 81 Soviet records in weightlifting and won Olympic gold medals at the 1972 and 1976 games.^[3]

Vasily Alekseyev

Alekseyev c. 1970
Personal information
Full name	Vasily Ivanovich Alekseyev
Nationality	Russian
Born	(1942-01-07)7 January 1942 Pokrovo-Shishkino, Ryazan Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died	25 November 2011(2011-11-25) (aged 69) Badenhausen, Germany
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Weight	160 kg (353 lb)[2]
Sport
Country	Soviet Union
Sport	Olympic weightlifting
Event	+ 110 kg
Club	Trud Rostov oblast Trud Ryazan
Medal record Men's weightlifting Representing the  Soviet Union Olympic Games 1972 Munich +110 kg 1976 Montreal +110 kg World Weightlifting Championships Total 1970 Columbus +110 kg 1971 Lima +110 kg 1972 Munich +110 kg 1973 Havana +110 kg 1974 Manila +110 kg 1975 Moscow +110 kg 1976 Montreal +110 kg 1977 Stuttgart +110 kg European Weightlifting Championships Total 1970 Szombathely +110 kg 1971 Sofia +110 kg 1972 Constanţa +110 kg 1973 Madrid +110 kg 1974 Verona +110 kg 1975 Moscow +110 kg 1977 Stuttgart +110 kg 1978 Havířov +110 kg Representing the Trud Sports Society USSR Weightlifting Championships Total 1968 Luhansk +102.5 kg 1970 Vilnius +110 kg 1971 Moscow +110 kg 1972 Tallinn +110 kg 1973 Donetsk +110 kg 1974 Tbilisi +110 kg 1975 Vilnius +110 kg 1976 Karaganda +110 kg Summer Spartakiad of the USSR Total 1971 Moscow +110 kg 1975 Vilnius +110 kg Cups of the USSR 1970 Vilnius +110 kg Clean & Press 1970 Vilnius +110 kg Snatch 1970 Vilnius +110 kg Clean & Jerk 1970 Vilnius +110 kg Total 1972 Sochi +110 kg Clean & Jerk 1972 Sochi +110 kg Total 1974 Zaporizhia +110 kg Snatch 1974 Zaporizhia +110 kg Clean & Jerk 1974 Zaporizhia +110 kg Total

Biography

At the age of 18, Alekseyev began practicing weightlifting at Trud VSS, trained by his coach Rudolf Plyukfelder until 1968, when he began to train solo. He was not a naturally large man like other super heavyweights but was encouraged to gain strength by adding weight. In January 1970, Alekseyev set his first world record, and during the 1970 World Weightlifting Championship in Columbus, he was the first man to clean and jerk 500 pounds (227 kg) in competition. During one of his early world records, Oscar State OBE remarked that the weight of over 460 pounds (209 kg) in the Olympic press looked so easy it could have been a broomstick.^[4] This was the beginning of a series of 80 world records Alekseyev set between 1970 and 1977. He received bonus funds by the Soviet government every time he set a world record (Soviet athletics were funded by the state), so he made it a point to gradually increase his world records by 1.1 pounds or 0.5 kg. He was unbeaten and held the World Championship and European Championship titles for those eight years. He was the first man to total over 600 kg in the triple event.^[4]

Alekseyev's performance in the Moscow Olympics of 1980 was a disappointment. He had by then become more of a recluse, training by himself without a coach. In the snatch he set his opening weight too high and was unable to lift it, scoring zero kilograms as the result. He retired from weightlifting after the Moscow Olympics.^[5][3]

In 1987, Alekseyev was elected to represent the Ryazan District for the Soviet Union's Congress of People's Deputies.^[4] Alekseyev worked as a coach between 1990 and 1992. Under his leadership, the Unified Team earned ten medals in weightlifting at the 1992 Summer Olympics, including five golds.^[6]

From 1966 Alekseyev lived in Shakhty, where in 1971 he graduated from the branch of the Novocherkassk Polytechnical Institute. He died on 25 November 2011 in Germany in a clinic where he had been sent for serious heart problems. He was 69.^[5][7] The Russian Weightlifting Federation reported his death and called him a "Soviet sports legend" and "one of the strongest people in the world".^[8] He was survived by wife Olimpiada and sons Sergey and Dmitry. Dmitry competed nationally in weightlifting, placing fourth at the 1988 Soviet weightlifting championships.^[3]

Legacy and awards

Vladimir Vysotsky devoted his "Song about weightlifter" (Russian: Песня о штангисте, 1971) to Alekseyev.^[9]

Alekseyev was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated 14 April 1975, titled "World's Strongest Man."^[10] In 1999, in Greece, Alekseyev was acknowledged as the best sportsman of the 20th century. He was also awarded: Order of Lenin (1972), Order of Friendship of Peoples, Order of the Badge of Honour (1970), and Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1972). In 1993, he was elected a member of the International Weightlifting Federation Hall of Fame.^[11]

In Shakhty, where he lived much of his life, there is a street and park named after him,^[12] as well as his monument installed in 2014.^[13]

Career-bests

• Snatch: 190.0 kg (419 lbs) on 1 September 1977 in Podolsk;
• Clean and press: 236.5 kg (521 lbs) on 15 April 1972 in Tallinn;
• Clean and jerk: 256.0 kg (564 lbs) on 1 November 1977 in Moscow;
• Total: 645.0 kg (clean and press+snatch+clean and jerk), on 15 April 1972 in Tallinn, the official world record total in 1972;^[14]
• Total: 445.0 kg (snatch + clean and jerk) in Podolsk.^[1]

World records

24 January 1970 Clean & Press 210.5 kg (464lb) Super Heavyweight Velikie Luki[1] 24 January 1970 Clean & Jerk 221.5 kg Super Heavyweight Velikie Luki 24 January 1970 Total (3) 592.5 kg Super Heavyweight Velikie Luki 24 January 1970 Total (3) 595 kg Super Heavyweight Velikie Luki 18 March 1970 Clean & Press 213 kg (469.5lb) Super Heavyweight Minsk 18 March 1970 Total (3) 600 kg Super Heavyweight Minsk 26 April 1970 Clean & Press 216 kg (476lb) Super Heavyweight Vilnius 26 April 1970 Clean & Jerk 223.5 kg Super Heavyweight Vilnius 26 April 1970 Total (3) 602.5 kg Super Heavyweight Vilnius 26 April 1970 Total (3) 607.5 kg Super Heavyweight Vilnius 28 June 1970 Clean & Press 219.5 kg (483.9lb) Super Heavyweight Szombathely 28 June 1970 Clean & Jerk 225.5 kg Super Heavyweight Szombathely 28 June 1970 Total (3) 610 kg Super Heavyweight Szombathely 28 June 1970 Total (3) 612.5 kg Super Heavyweight Szombathely 20 September 1970 Clean & Jerk 227.5 kg Super Heavyweight Columbus 17 November 1970 Clean & Press 220.5 kg (486lb) Super Heavyweight Volgograd 17 November 1970 Clean & Jerk 228 kg Super Heavyweight Volgograd 12/4/1970 Snatch 177 kg Super Heavyweight Shakhty 12/4/1970 Clean & Press 221 kg (487.2lb) Super Heavyweight Shakhty 12/4/1970 Clean & Jerk 228.5 kg Super Heavyweight Shakhty 12/4/1970 Total (3) 615 kg Super Heavyweight Shakhty 12/4/1970 Total (3) 620 kg Super Heavyweight Shakhty 26 December 1970 Clean & Press 222 kg (489.4lb) Super Heavyweight Dnipropetrovsk 26 December 1970 Clean & Jerk 229.5 kg Super Heavyweight Dnipropetrovsk 26 December 1970 Total (3) 622.5 kg Super Heavyweight Dnipropetrovsk 26 December 1970 Total (3) 625 kg Super Heavyweight Dnipropetrovsk 14 February 1971 Snatch 177.5 kg Super Heavyweight Paris 14 February 1971 Clean & Press 222.5 kg (490.5lb) Super Heavyweight Paris 14 February 1971 Clean & Jerk 230 kg Super Heavyweight Paris 26 March 1971 Clean & Press 223 kg (491.6lb) Super Heavyweight Wienn 4/7/1971 Clean & Press 223.5 kg (492.7lb) Super Heavyweight Moscow 18 April 1971 Clean & Jerk 230.5 kg Super Heavyweight Taganrog 27 June 1971 Clean & Press 225 kg (496lb) Super Heavyweight Sofia 27 June 1971 Clean & Jerk 231 kg Super Heavyweight Sofia 27 June 1971 Clean & Jerk 232.5 kg Super Heavyweight Sofia 27 June 1971 Total (3) 627.5 kg Super Heavyweight Sofia 27 June 1971 Total (3) 630 kg Super Heavyweight Sofia 24 July 1971 Snatch 180 kg Super Heavyweight Moscow 24 July 1971 Clean & Press 225.5 kg (497.1lb) Super Heavyweight Moscow 24 July 1971 Clean & Jerk 233 kg Super Heavyweight Moscow 24 July 1971 Clean & Jerk 235 kg Super Heavyweight Moscow 24 July 1971 Total (3) 632.5 kg Super Heavyweight Moscow 24 July 1971 Total (3) 637.5 kg Super Heavyweight Moscow 24 July 1971 Total (3) 640 kg Super Heavyweight Moscow 26 September 1971 Clean & Press 227 kg (500lb) Super Heavyweight Lima 26 September 1971 Clean & Press 230 kg (507lb) Super Heavyweight Lima 26 September 1971 Clean & Jerk 235.5 kg Super Heavyweight Lima 19 March 1972 Clean & Press 231.5 kg (510.3lb) Super Heavyweight Bollnas 19 March 1972 Clean & Press 235.5 kg (519.1lb) Super Heavyweight Bollnas 15 April 1972 Clean & Jerk 236 kg Super Heavyweight Tallinn 15 April 1972 Clean & Press 236.5 kg (521.3lb) Super Heavyweight Tallinn 15 April 1972 Clean & Jerk 237.5 kg Super Heavyweight Tallinn 15 April 1972 Total (3) 642.5 kg Super Heavyweight Tallinn 15 April 1972 Total (3) 645 kg Super Heavyweight Tallinn 29 April 1972 Clean & Jerk 238 kg Super Heavyweight Donetsk 18 June 1973 Clean & Jerk 240 kg Super Heavyweight Madrid 18 June 1973 Total 417.5 kg Super Heavyweight Madrid 1/3/1974 Clean & Jerk 242 kg Super Heavyweight Glazov 20 March 1974 Clean & Jerk 240.5 kg Super Heavyweight Erevan 28 April 1974 Clean & Jerk 241 kg Super Heavyweight Tbilisi 28 April 1974 Total 420 kg Super Heavyweight Tbilisi 6 June 1974 Snatch 187.5 kg Super Heavyweight Verona 6 June 1974 Total 422.5 kg Super Heavyweight Verona 23 September 1974 Clean & Jerk 245.5 kg Super Heavyweight Moscow 29 September 1974 Clean & Jerk 241.5 kg Super Heavyweight Manila 29 September 1974 Total 425 kg Super Heavyweight Manila 27 November 1974 Clean & Jerk 242.5 kg Super Heavyweight London 14 December 1974 Clean & Jerk 243 kg Super Heavyweight Zaporizhia 29 December 1974 Clean & Jerk 243.5 kg Super Heavyweight Lipetsk 7/11/1975 Clean & Jerk 245 kg Super Heavyweight Vilnius 23 September 1975 Total 427.5 kg Super Heavyweight Moscow 11 November 1975 Clean and Jerk 246 kg Super Heavyweight Arkhangelsk 11 November 1975 Total 430 kg Super Heavyweight Arkhangelsk 12/7/1975 Clean & Jerk 247.5 kg Super Heavyweight Montreal 15 May 1976 Total 435 kg Super Heavyweight Karaganda 27 July 1976 Clean & Jerk 255 kg Super Heavyweight Montreal 9/1/1977 Clean & Jerk 255.5 kg Super Heavyweight Podolsk 9/1/1977 Total 445 kg Super Heavyweight Podolsk 11/1/1977 Clean & Jerk 256 kg Super Heavyweight Moscow

References

1. "Vasiliy Alexeev". Lift Up. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
2. "Alexeev Vasili (URS)". Database Weightlifting. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
3. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Vasily Alekseyev". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 22 June 2016.
4. Croft, Lee B (2002) [1992]. Dawson, Dawn P (ed.). Great Athletes. Vol. 1 (Revised ed.). Salem Press. pp. 35–37. ISBN 1-58765-008-8.
5. Fyodorov, Gennady (25 November 2011). "Weightlifting-World-record-holder Alekseyev dies at 69". Reuters. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
6. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Unified Team Weightlifting at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
7. Goldstein, Richard (27 November 2011). "Vasily Alekseyev, 69, Champion Weight Lifter, Dies". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
8. Original Russian text: "легендой советского спорта" and "один из сильнейших людей планеты". Ушел из жизни один из самых сильных людей планеты, Василий Иванович Алексеев (in Russian). Russian Weightlifting Federation. 25 November 2011. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
9. Vysotsky, Vladimir (2015). Собрание сочинений в одном томе. Эксмо. p. 391. ISBN 978-5-457-05335-9.
10. "April 14, 1975 – Volume 42, Issue 15". Sports Illustrated. 14 April 1975. Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
11. "Weightlifting Hall of Fame". International Weightlifting Federation. Archived from the original on 13 September 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2008.
12. Ivanova, Yekaterina (10 March 2012) В Шахтах появился проспект имени штангиста Василия Алексеева Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. rostov.kp.ru.
13. Памятник легендарному штангисту Василию Алексееву открыт в Шахтах Ростовской области Archived 13 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. tass.ru. 25 December 2014
14. "World Records from 1896 – 1972". Weightliftingexchange.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2007. Retrieved 27 July 2009.

External links

• Vasily Alekseyev at Olympics.com
• Vasily Alekseyev at Olympic.org (archived)
• Vasily Alekseyev at Olympedia
• Vasily Alexeev at Lift Up
• Vasily Alexeev at the Lift Up Hall of Fame

Olympic Games
Preceded by Aleksandr Medved	Flagbearer for  Soviet Union (opening ceremony) Montreal 1976 (with Ivan Yarygin)	Succeeded by Nikolay Balboshin