Leonid Taranenko

:: 2/17/2023: Arthur Chidlovski, , USA
To Mr. James Salemi: Both Rakhmanov and Pisarenko won gold medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics. Rakhmanov in the 110+kg (super heavyweight) class and Taranenko in the 110kg (heavyweight) class.

:: 2/17/2023: James Salemi , salemijames0@gmail.com Florida, United States
Was Rhakmanov or Taranenko GOLD in 1980 Moscow Olympics ? Their respective history shows both First place. Thank You.

:: 6/16/2021: Kevin St. John, Rochester NY, US
65 years old and he is still holds the all time greatest clean and jerk mark! He may lose it soon, though.

:: 1/7/2020: Fredrik Farhadian, Lund Skåne, Sweden
Leonid, you were a fantastic lifter and in my book your 266 kg still is the WR.

:: 9/17/2019: AJAX, , USA
We all hope that you are in good health. For you to lift the heavy weights as you did ... not only tough strong physically but to convince your brain that you can do it is very special. Try to relax now and be happy Make as many appearances at lifting meets as you can. I'm sure the promoters will pay your expenses and fee to you just to show up and greet and sign your autograph and people want to get picture with you before you cross that rainbow bridge ... as one day we all shall cross and become history. Take good care

:: 6/13/2019: Kevin St. John, Rochester NY, US
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LEONID! You are still the greatest!

:: 5/21/2013: Kevin St. John, Rochester N.Y., USA
A few days ago I viewed the tape of Taranenko @ the 1988 Europeans in Cardiff. I remember that he attempted 267.5 at this meet but had never seen a video. Wow, it was a heck of an effort. Based on that video I think he should have tried that wt. later in Austalia. He would have had a great chance to make it. In Canberra he was too gassed to take a third attempt. His result in Soviet championships in 1987 also had him making 265.5 so he may have more cleans over 265 than anyone. Cleans don't count for anything but wow, what a beast!

:: 5/14/2013: Kevin St. John, Rochester N.Y., USA
Hello John C.. I liked Taranenko very much as a super but we must also remember him as a great 110 lifter. He was Olympic champion in 1980 with world record results. Due to the HUGE depth of the Soviet team @110 he didn't always get the call for international events but domestically he was continuing to do records in both lifts. I couldn't wait to get issues of old 'Iron Man' magazine because they always had write ups of contests in Europe thanks to their contacts. He would be there in the results with great results some times as an entry and other times as an extra lifter. I think he finally moved up in class because He knew there were better chances as a super. I'd love to get to talk to him and ask. Also very happy he dropped bwt. after he retired. I wish I could do the same.

:: 1/19/2013: john coniff, wheeling wv, usa
the stongest man who ever lived 475 kg total.a real class act

:: 8/4/2011: Gioacchino Ricci, Rome , Italy
Derek is confusing wl with bodybuilding, where is a fact of apparence and not performance, but top athletes of 40 are still rare. -much depends on when you start, if at 12 you may peak at 20, but unlikely you'll stay at the top over 26-27 years, but if you start at 20 you can improve even up to 35. -Alekseev and Zhabotinsky set their last WR at 35, Suleymanoglu(starting at 10yrs) his first at 17, Vorobyev even at 36, but started at 22, the age of end of career for many contemporary Bulgarian lifters, in the old times only adult individuals dared to enter in a weight gym. But both if one is able to break records at 35, unlikely he have done so at 20, and if you break records at 20, is almost sure that you can not do after 30. George Foreman became world champ a second time at 46, but after the first time at 24 he retired at 27, restarting at 38yrs, a second life. The aging process begins at 28-29 years, and starting late you must be lucky about your condition.

:: 5/28/2011: David, Kyiv Ukraine, Ukraine
Derek, you're fucking retard! The best age for weightlifter is between 22 and 27-28/

:: 3/10/2011: Baz singh, Amritsar Punjab, India
I will to break his record.

:: 8/12/2010: arthur chidlovski, boston ma, usa
derek, unfortunately facts disagree with your sentiment. can you name a dozen 40-year olds that won top international tournaments in modern olympic weightlifting? very doubtful.

:: 8/10/2010: Derek, Tampa Florida, United States
The age(40)prevented him from succeding in this last quest of his weightlifting career??? That's joke? Strenght athletes peaking at 40 even higher. You need 15-20 years to hit the peak. What slows him down was injures. At 40 you're in youre best. Period.

:: 8/10/2010: Derek, Tampa Florida, United States
The age(40)prevented him from succeding in this last quest of his weightlifting career??? That's joke? Strenght athletes peaking at 40 even higher. You need 15-20 years to hit the peak. What slows him down was injures. At 40 you're in youre best. Period.

:: 5/14/2009: ted neville, cork , ireland
I believe Taranenko recorded the heaviest ever clean in weightlifting . 267.5 kg at the Europeans in Cardiff in 1988 . The jerk was within a half centmetre of sucess but forward and lost. I still have a photograph of the loaded bar on the platform as the lifters were presented with their medals.

:: 7/4/2008: Alex, Beer Sheva , Israel
The strongest lifter in the world. BTW thanks for this wonderful site!

:: 5/2/2008: Alex Vetcher, Gaithersburg TX, USA
I used to attend the same gym with Leonid (1988-1995), where I made acquaintance with him, his coach Dr Logvinovich, as well as with his brother Yuri who was the gym manager. I'm very surprised that there so many on I-net about Leonid, but nothing about his outstanding coach, who BTW coached a group of Byelorussian famous athletes like Kurlovich, etc.

:: 2/29/2008: Nathan, , Australia
I remember watching him when i was a youngster, in 88 i was 8 years old and to see that on TV i was amazed.....Still am today, as i am now in the weightlifting game, i use weightlifting programs to make great power gains......Will 266.5kg ever be attempted again? hmmm A man infront of his time.....

:: 2/14/2008: Stephen Powell, Irmo SC, Richland
The most powerful Super ever! In his prime you could hear the power transfer he put into the bar from the back of the arena. It sounded like a martial artist breaking a stack of bricks.

:: 2/11/2008: Jim O'Malley, , USA
I had the opportunity to meet and briefly speak with Leonid Taranenko in 1983 in Allentown Pa. where the best lifters in the world gave an inspiring exhibition of Olympic lifting. He was very nice and low key guy. At about 5 feet 11 and 110kg back then (and not an ounce of fat on him) he was an incrdible physical specimen. Reading his interview was a sad experience for me as he seemed to really have been shafted big time by the powers that be. That is a real shame. I hope he is doing ok now.

:: 8/17/2007: SURRINDER S. Dhah, Fresno ca., U.S.A.
Leonid Taranenko became the head coach of India's National team, few yaers ago and became very successful. But he was reprimanded because some Indian lifters tested positive for some illegal diuretics. I believe he is coaching in India, but I am not sure. I would suggest Mr. Danny Chiasson of Ontario to contact Indian Weightlifting Authorities, that might help him locate Leonid Taranenko.

:: 6/24/2007: Danny Chiasson, St. Catharines Ontario, CANADA
He was a great athlete in the sport. Phenomenal performances when you would least expect them. It's very unfortunate the things that happened to him during his lifting career. I really believe he would have cracked the 600 lb barrier in the 'Clean and Jerk' if there was a way for him to avoid the pneumonia that caught up with him. Watching his video clips on youtube.com still inspire me to practice Olympic lifting for Powerlifting. It makes a great difference with power and speed in the legs and lower back. I have been trying to contact him, if possible. I want to ask some questions on shoulder development and on stability exercises to better my progress with Powerlifting. By chance, is there anyone who knows how I can contact him via email or something? If not that, someone who can direct me to a person who might know how I can contact him? I tried searching, but with no success. I can really use some help in trying to contact him.

:: 4/13/2007: ghislain, sedan , france
19 ans apres il est toujours l'homme le plus fort du monde

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