He placed second at the 1986 Goodwill Games and competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics, but failed to finish due to a leg infection.

[4] Apaychev couldn't compete at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles due to the Soviet-led boycott; instead, he took part in the Friendship Games in Moscow.

[3] Track & Field News ranked him fourth in the world that year, behind Olympic top two Daley Thompson and Jürgen Hingsen and Friendship Games gold medallist Grigoriy Degtyaryev.

[1][3] He was in good shape in 1988 and was one of the favorites for the Summer Olympics in Seoul, but a leg infection spoiled his chances[3] and he gave up without finishing even the first event, 100 metres.

[6] The infection effectively ended his career, as he took more than a year to recover; he attempted a comeback in 1990, but injured himself and retired from competition.