Leonid Taranenko

Leonid Arkadevich Taranenko (Russian: Леонид Аркадьевич Тараненко, born June 13, 1956 in Malaryta, Byelorussian SSR) is a former Soviet/Belarusian weightlifter.

Weightlifting career

Taranenko trained at VSS Uradzhai in Minsk. His first major success took place at the 1980 Olympics, when, competing for the USSR, he won the gold medal in the 110 kilogram class with a 422.5 kg total. He was unable to compete in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles due to the Soviet boycott. However, competing in the 1984 Friendship Games, Taranenko won the 110 kg class with a world record total of 442.5 kg, exceeding the winning total in Los Angeles (by Norberto Oberburger) by 52.5 kg.

After this, Taranenko moved up to the super-heavyweight class. Lifting in Canberra, Australia on November 26, 1988, he set a world record of 266.0 kg in the clean and jerk, and 475.0 kg in the total. Due to the restructuring of the competitive weight classes that took place in 1993 and 1998, these lifts are no longer recognized as the official world records. However, these remain the highest figures ever posted in competition.

In 1992, Taranenko represented the Unified Team at the Olympics in Barcelona. He took the silver medal in the super-heavyweight class with a total of 425.0 kg.

Taranenko's other victories include the 110 kg class titles at the 1980 World and European championships, and super-heavyweight titles at the 1990 World championship and 1988, 1991, and 1996 European championships.

Career bests

• Snatch: 210.0 kg in the class over 110 kg;
• Clean and jerk: 266.0 kg (official world record, though this record has been expunged due to restructuring of weight classes, however this is the largest amount ever lifted in competition);
• Total: 442.5 kg (200.0 + 242.5) 1984 in Varna in the class to 110 kg;
• Total: 475.0 kg (210.0 + 266.0),^[1] in Canberra, Australia on November 26, 1988, in the class over 110 kg.^[2]

Notes and references

External links

• World records and titles by Leonid Taranenko