He competed for the Soviet Union at the 1968 and 1972 Olympics and won a silver and a gold medal, respectively.

He took up weightlifting while studying at the Tihemetsa Technical College of Agriculture and Forestry.

In 1967 he became the first middle-heavyweight weightlifter to break the 500 kg barrier in the total, and hence was named the best Soviet athlete of the year.

In 1998 he was inducted into the International Weightlifting Federation hall of fame.

[4] Key: OR = Olympic record; DNF = did not finish; NVL = no valid lift