Kakhi Kakhiashvili
Encyclopedia
Kakhi Kakhiashvili(born July 13, 1969 in Tskhinvali
, South Ossetian AO
, Georgian SSR, USSR
), a Georgian
-Greek
weightlifter, is one of only four weightlifters to have won three consecutive gold medals at Olympic Games
.
He won his first at Barcelona 1992
, competing with the Unified Team
, and later as a citizen of Greece
at Atlanta 1996
and in Sydney 2000
.
He won three Senior World Championships (1995, 1998, 1999), was twice a silver medalist at the Senior World Championships (1993 and 1994), and set seven world records during his career.
Kakhiashvili is renowned in weightlifting circles primarily because when he lifted for Georgia, he went against the instructions of his Coach Vasily Alexeev, the all time weightlifting great. His coach wanted a Russian boy to take the contest and did not let Kakhiashvili try to lift heavier to beat the Russian. Khaki however ordered a full extra 10 kilos to be put on in order to beat his Russian teammate. He won, lifting the weight in a spectacular fashion that established his right to the title of one of the sports elite lifters.
Kakhiashvili is also renowned in weightlifting circles for his uncanny ability to lift exactly what was required to win. Dubbed as a "computer" by some competitors, he also had the ability to block out everything that was not relevant to the competition at hand.
Tskhinvali
Tskhinvali , is the capital of South Ossetia, a disputed region which has been recognised as an independent Republic by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Nauru, and is regarded by Georgia and the rest of the world as part of the Shida Kartli region within Georgian sovereign territory.It is located...
, South Ossetian AO
South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast
The South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast was an autonomous oblast of the Soviet Union created within the Georgian SSR on April 20, 1922. Its autonomy was revoked on December 10, 1990 by the Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR, leading to the First South Ossetian War...
, Georgian SSR, USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
), a Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
-Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
weightlifter, is one of only four weightlifters to have won three consecutive gold medals at Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
He won his first at Barcelona 1992
Weightlifting at the 1992 Summer Olympics
The Weightlifting Competition at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona consisted of ten weight classes, for men only.-Medal summary:-Medal table:-References:*...
, competing with the Unified Team
Unified Team
The Unified Team was the name used for the sports team of the former Soviet Union at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville and the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. The IOC country code was EUN, after the French name, Équipe Unifiée...
, and later as a citizen of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
at Atlanta 1996
Weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The weightlifting competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta consisted of ten weight classes, for men only. The range of each weight class was adjusted by 1–4 kg for these Games, marking the first redefinition of Olympic weightlifting weight classes since they were introduced in...
and in Sydney 2000
Weightlifting at the 2000 Summer Olympics
The Weightlifting Competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia saw the introduction of women's weightlifting.-Men's Competition:-Women's Competition:-Participating nations:...
.
He won three Senior World Championships (1995, 1998, 1999), was twice a silver medalist at the Senior World Championships (1993 and 1994), and set seven world records during his career.
Kakhiashvili is renowned in weightlifting circles primarily because when he lifted for Georgia, he went against the instructions of his Coach Vasily Alexeev, the all time weightlifting great. His coach wanted a Russian boy to take the contest and did not let Kakhiashvili try to lift heavier to beat the Russian. Khaki however ordered a full extra 10 kilos to be put on in order to beat his Russian teammate. He won, lifting the weight in a spectacular fashion that established his right to the title of one of the sports elite lifters.
Kakhiashvili is also renowned in weightlifting circles for his uncanny ability to lift exactly what was required to win. Dubbed as a "computer" by some competitors, he also had the ability to block out everything that was not relevant to the competition at hand.
Career bests
- SnatchSnatch (weightlifting)The snatch is one of the two olympic weightlifting events .The essence of the event is to lift a barbell from the platform to locked arms overhead in a smooth continuous movement. The barbell is pulled as high as the lifter can manage at which point the barbell is flipped overhead...
: 188.0 kg 1999 in AthenAthenAthen may refer to:* Athens, capital of Greece - Athen in German, Norwegian, and Danish* SS Athen , German merchant ship lost off Portland Bill in the English Channel in 1906, and now a dive site....
in the class to 94 kg (World record). - Clean and JerkClean and jerkThe clean and jerk is one of the two Olympic weightlifting events .The clean portion of the lift refers to the lifter explosively pulling the weight from the floor to a racked position across deltoids and clavicles...
: 235.0 kg 1992 Summer Olympics1992 Summer OlympicsThe 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in the class to 90 kg. - Total: 412.0 kg (188.0 + 225.0) 1999 in Athen in the class to 94 kg (World record).
- Total: 420.0 kg (185.0 + 235.0) 1996 Summer Olympics1996 Summer OlympicsThe 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in the class to 99 kg.