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.