Pyotr Korol

Ukrainian Pyotr Korol took up weightlifting in 1957, but rose to prominence nearly 20 years later, in the mid-1970s. Korol was not selected for the Soviet national team until he won his only Soviet title in 1972. In addition to his Olympic title, Korol won World lightweight titles in 1974-76 and a European lightweight title in 1975. At the Soviet championships, in addition to his 1972 title, Korol won three silver (1971, 1973, 1974) and five bronze (1966-70) medals. He also won the Soviet Cup in 1970 and 1971. Korol set five lightweight world records between 1971 and 1975: four in the clean & jerk, and one in the total. After finishing his sporting career after the 1976 Olympics Korol worked as a weightlifting coach in his native Ukraine.