Is there a weight Georgian weightlifter Lasha Talakhadze can’t lift? Of course. But every time Talakhadze films a training session, it’s a question worth pondering. Recently, the world record holder for every lift in the super heavyweight division loaded 300 kilograms (661.4 pounds) onto a barbell, threw on a pair of lifting straps, stepped onto a lifting platform that gets a lot of natural light, and clean pulled it for a super smooth triple.
If you have not yet seen Talakhadze’s clean pull triple, check it out in the video below from his Instagram page. While your eyes consume the display of raw strength, keep in mind this man has a goal of being the first human ever to total 500 kilograms (1,102.3 pounds). His current world record is just 15 kilograms (33.1 pounds) shy:
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This is not the first time Talakhadze has clean pulled this amount of weight. He’s actually pulled heavier, like that time he did a 310-kilogram (683.4-pound) clean pull single. There are some notable differences in the movement of the single versus triple, though.
Both lifts are done fluidly, but the 310-kilogram (683-pound) lift includes minimal shoulder movement — Talakhadze rolled the barbell towards himself and moved from squatting to standing. Once fully standing, he dropped the barbell. This recent clean pull triple shows a clear pull from the elbows at the top of each lift (almost as though he is doing a shrug at the top of each rep) before Talakhadze lowered the barbell back to the floor.
Combine this apparent increase in strength with the fact that Talakhadze recently lifted the heaviest snatch and clean & jerk ever caught on camera — 225 kilograms and 270 kilograms, respectively — and that 500-kilogram total seems like a milestone that will fall when Talakhadze next gets the opportunity.
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2020 Tokyo Olympic Games
For reference, here are the current world records in the +109-kilogram division, two of which Talakhadze scored recently at the 2021 European Weightlifting Championships:
- Snatch — 222 kilograms (489.4 pounds)
- Clean & Jerk — 264 kilograms (582 pounds)
- Total — 485 kilograms (1,069.2 pounds)
When Talakhadze steps on the lifting platform at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, don’t be shocked if he ups the world records for each lift again to achieve his target of a 500-kilogram total.
Feature image: @talakhadzelasha_official on Instagram
