According to multiple sources, weightlifter Oleksandr Pielieshenko, who won two continental titles for Ukraine and finished fourth in his weight class at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, has died while fighting in the Ukraine-Russia war.
The news of Pielieshenko’s passing was announced on May 6, 2024, by Ukraine’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) and National Weightlifting Federation. Pielieshenko was reportedly killed in action during a rocket attack on May 5.
Ukraine’s NOC said in a statement: “From the first days of the full-scale invasion, Oleksandr joined the ranks of the Armed Forces. Yesterday we received the sad news of his death … The Olympic family sincerely sympathizes with the family, loved ones and friends of [Pielieshenko.]”
Oleksandr Pielieshenko Weightlifting Career
Pielieshenko’s weightlifting career took place mainly in the 85-kilogram division, a weight category that no longer exists after the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) reorganized the divisions in 2018.
Pielieshenko was a two-time gold medalist at the European Weightlifting Championships (EWC) in 2016 and 2017. He also finished fourth at the 2016 Olympics behind Kianoush Rostami from Iran, Tian Tao from China, and Denis Ulanov from Kazakhstan.
Pielieshenko competed only nine times internationally. His last international appearance was in April 2017, when he was just 23. He passed at age 30.
Oleksandr Pielieshenko (85KG, UKR) | Career Highlights
- 2015 World Championships: 4th, 368 (167/201)
- 2016 European Championships: 1st, 372 (168/204)
- 2016 Olympic Games: 4th, 385 (175/210)
- 2017 European Championships: 1st, 386 (175/211)
Editor’s Note: The notation above refers to Pielieshenko’s Total in kilograms, which is the sum of his best in-competition snatch and clean & jerk, parenthesized.
The Community Reacts
News of Pielieshenko’s passing spread rapidly throughout the weightlifting community. On Facebook and throughout a conversation with BarBend correspondent Brian Oliver, Viktor Slobodianiuk, an official within Ukraine’s Ministry of Sport, said:
“This is a very heavy loss … Oleksandr loved weightlifting. It was his life. [Pielieshenko] worked as a coach in Kyiv [capital of Ukraine] and wanted to compete again. When this war started, he joined the army [on] the first day.” Pielieshenko was married but did not have children, Slobodianuk said.
In an exclusive BarBend interview on May 7, fellow Olympian from Ukraine and longtime teammate Oleksiy Torokhtiy said of Pielieshenko, “We were very close for a few years and spoke to each other almost every day. We were like partners.”
Torokhtiy continued: “[Pielieshenko] was very focused on the war, on fighting for his land, his memories, his family and friends. He was like a warrior on the platform and as we now know he was a warrior in life.“
Ukraine’s NOC also expressed its condolences, stating, “The Olympic family sincerely sympathizes with [Pielieshenko’s] family, friends, and relatives.”
In late Feb. 2024, Ukraine’s Ministry of Sports reported that 443 Ukrainian athletes and coaches had been killed in the two years since the war began. Five hundred and two sports facilities have been destroyed or damaged in the conflict. As of Feb., 81 of those sites have been restored.
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Featured Image: @sickangles on Instagram
Disclaimer: Brian Oliver is an independent correspondent for BarBend. The views and opinions expressed on this site do not necessarily reflect his own. Oliver is not directly affiliated with any of BarBend’s existing media partnerships.
