Taimazov sets world and Olympic record in weightlifting (08/04/96)

Taimazov sets world and Olympic record in weightlifting

by Roman Woronowycz

ATLANTA - Timur Taimazov became the first Ukrainian to set a new world and Olympic record here, when he broke his own mark in weightlifting in the 108 kg class on July 29. He beat his old mark of 235 kg in the clean and jerk by one kilogram.

It was a quick victory in the Georgia World Congress Center for the 25-year-old strongman who needed but a single clean and jerk to take the gold. "Today I wanted to be first or nothing, that's it. First or nothing," he explained. He also said that the competition is set up so that those who are strong in the clean and jerk have the advantage.

The 1994 world champion, who hails from Kyiv, was only third after the snatch portion of the competition, trailing Nicu Vlad of Romania and Sergey Syrtsov of Russia. He holds the world record in the snatch (200 kg) but could not hoist the 197.5 kg that gave Vlad the lead.

In the clean and jerk portion, however, it was all Taimazov, and it was over in a hurry. In his first attempt Taimazov had the weight upped to 227.5 kg and then lifted it with little difficulty.

Both Syrtsov and Vlad were already on their third and last lift, and Vlad, four-time Olympian and gold medal winner in 1984, made the decision to increase the weight to 230.5 in the hope that Taimazov wouldn't handle it. However, the move backfired when he failed to jerk it himself. Syrtsov couldn't do it either, and Taimazov had the gold in an easy day at the office.

He asked that the weight be raised to 236 kg and had little problem setting a new record before a crowd that cheered wildly. Then he attempted 240 kg, cleaned the weight but then missed the jerk.

Taimazov had gotten a break before the start of the meet when his teammate and the person who was to be his biggest challenger, Ihor Razorionov, withdrew from the competition after developing back problems during warm-ups. Razorionov had lifted more weight in competition than anyone but the record holder.

Taimazov began weightlifting training after moving to Kyiv permanently in 1988, where he had been stationed while in the Soviet Army until his discharge the same year. He went into semi-retirement after his 1994 world championship. "After Istanbul I decided to take it easy and get some rest. Then I began to train for the world championships in China and I hurt my wrist," he said. "I could have gone, but I did not want to go and lose."

He said he did not compete in 1995 at all, but decided that he would train for Atlanta and had competed lately in Ukrainian meets in preparation for the Olympics.

Godfrid takes bronze

Denys Gotfrid won a bronze medal in weightlifting on July 28 in the 99 kg class. Gotfrid, 25, from Luhanske, was first after the snatch, with a lift of 187.5 kg.

However, his two main competitors, Akakide Kakhiashvilis of Greece and Anatoli Khrapaty of Russia outlifted him in the clean and jerk, Kakhiashvilis setting a new world record of 235 kg.

Gotfrid's teammate, Stanislav Rybalchenko, 25, finished fourth.

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