He competed at the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics and finished in fourth and third place, respectively.

In 1964 he moved from Perm to Yalta and then to Shakhty, to train under Rudolf Plyukfelder.

There he first worked as a farmer and ferryman, but then started competing in powerlifting and coaching the Uzbekistan weightlifting team.

In 1992, aged 49, he won a European title and a bronze medal at the world powerliting championships.

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