What's Beyond the Equator?

20.01.1974 (Sports)

The past year was like an equator line for Latvian weightlifters on the way to the finals of the 6th Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR.

Before evaluating the achievements, it should be recalled that 1973 was the first year when athletes and coaches completely switched to preparing for the performance of exercises in the two-event, and not in the three-event, as had been the case until then. This forced the coaches to think about a new methodology. Naturally, it was difficult for both the coaches and the athletes, who had to change the usual, dynamic stereotype, to solve all the problems that arose in one year.

The Latvian weightlifting team is currently going through difficult times. Our famous international-class masters of sports Kārlis Pumpuriņš , Valentīns Bročs and master of sports Artūrs Sliede (all «Dinamo») have finished their careers in the big sport. All of them have written glorious pages in the history of Latvian weightlifting. Kārlis Pumpuriņš is Latvia's first «five hundred», he has set five world and 25 Latvian records. Valentīns Bročs has broken republic records sixteen times in the last four years, and has also set the «Dinamo» Central Council record. Our super heavyweight Artūrs Sliede set his thirty-seventh (37th) republic record on October 23 of last year, competing in his last competition.  Yes, the starts of these athletes were real weightlifting model hours for the young. [...]

Gennady Ivanchenko («Dinamo», coach M. Fraifeld) received a silver medal in the sum of two fights at the USSR championships in Donetsk. He was first in the middleweight category at the Baltic Cup. However, it seems that last year's results do not satisfy G. Ivanchenko himself. [...]