OLYMPICS / Barcelona 1992 - Round-Up: Weightlifting: Coup for Kurlovich

ALEXANDER KURLOVICH, who was banned for two years for steroid trafficking before the Seoul Olympics, retained his super-heavyweight weightlifting title in unexpectedly easy fashion.

The event was supposed to have been a private battle between Kurlovich and his fellow Belarussian, the 1980 champion Leonid Taranenko (above), but a knee injury to Taranenko effectively put paid to his challenge yesterday.

No world records were set at the championships although Kakhiachvili equalled the clean and jerk mark of 235 kilograms (518 pounds). There were only two Olympic records.

(Photograph omitted)