M. FRAIFELD «Satisfied and Dissatisfied»

29.12.1970 (Sports)

Our republic's strongmen have returned from Dnepropetrovsk, where the USSR Cup in weightlifting took place. We asked the head of the Latvian delegation, Honored Coach of the USSR M. FRAIFELDS, to tell us about the successes and failures of our athletes in this tournament.

- In the team rankings, Latvia was sixth. Before us were Ukraine, the CPSU, Moscow, Kazakhstan, Belarus, behind us were Leningrad, Georgia, Armenia, Lithuania...

Are we satisfied with the place we won? Yes and no. It should be noted that the numerical composition of the delegations was very uneven. For example, 32 weightlifters from the KPPSR started, 35 from Ukraine. Eleven athletes were allowed to start from Latvia. The score was based on the Starodubtsev points tables, so the numerically larger teams had an undoubted advantage. Considering our opportunities in this tournament, we decided not to strive to take a higher place at all costs, but simply let our best ones compete with themselves, show good results. That is why Ivanchenko did not participate, who could have given the team a solid amount of points, but could also have been injured after many responsible starts this season. We also wanted to check how the new candidates for the republican national team S. Bizulis and J. Balgalvis "feel" in big competitions. We can be satisfied with the individual results - 14(!) new Latvian records were set. But now about the fights in individual weight categories.

In the lightweight category, S. Bizulis did not live up to the expectations placed on him, competing worse than he is capable of. Although he did not receive a "zero" in any triathlon exercise, he did not show any real will to fight. In the light lightweight category, our A. Diņņikovs and V. Aņikins also competed with all the best in the country. A. Diņņikovs competed according to a previously drawn-up schedule, set four new Latvian records: in the snatch - 115, in the clean and jerk - 147.5 (both are also "Dinamo" CP records), after the first attempt in the snatch he reached a new record weight in the triathlon - 375 kg, after the second attempt he improved it to 380 kg, which is also a "Dinamo" CP record. Aleksandrs won first place and was included in the USSR national team. In the future - the national Olympic team. Our other representative V. Aņikins, although in excellent athletic shape, nevertheless seemed to overestimate his strength. He started the press with 122.5 kg and was unable to cope with this weight. However, in such tournaments one should start more cautiously. In the welterweight category, veteran A. Majasins lifted to the limit of his abilities and collected 407.5 kg in the triple. 

Our light heavyweight athlete V. Pērkons has always been famous for his clean, technical execution of techniques. Vilis's "dream" was to reach the 500 kg mark, which he did. Fourth place in a very strong competition (not only V. Kolotova and S. Poltorackas were there) - an excellent success. S. Poltorackis did not start due to an injury.

K. Pumpuriņš's task in his debut in the first heavyweight was to get closer to the international master's norm of 540 kg. Kārlis fulfilled the task with flying colors. Already in the press he set three republican records (the first two, of course, immediately correcting) 180 kg, 187.5 kg. 192.5 kg. In the snatch, Kārlis lifted 145 kg, then also 150, but a small technical inaccuracy, and the last weight was not counted. After the snatch, a new Latvian record in this exercise (202.5 kg) and three republican records in a row were set in the triple jump: after the first attempt - 527.5, after the second 532.5, after the third 540 kg! He fulfilled the norm of the USSR international master of sports and secured a place in the national team. Our other athlete in this weight, V. Bročs, had not competed for a long time and failed in the snatch.

In the second heavyweight category, A. Sliede competed in such a large-scale tournament for the first time. His task was to gain experience and stay within the limits of the recently lifted 540 kg. Having set Latvian records in the snatch - 155 kg, in the clean and jerk - 207.5 kg and in the clean and jerk - 542.5 kg, Artūrs remained fourth among the strongest and also became a member of the national team. A. Sliede also tried to jerk 215 kg, but this time he did not succeed. J. Balgalvis, who competed in this weight category in the interests of the team, showed excellent qualities of a fighter and reached 467.5 kg in the clean and jerk. 

So, together with G. Ivanchenko, S. Poltoratsky, V. Anikin, we now have six members of the national team.

In conclusion, on behalf of the weightlifting family, I would like to thank our fans and wish everyone, but especially the future weightlifting team athletes, a successful 1971!

The conversation was recorded by H. Lasmanis.