USSR Weightlifting Championship

USSR Weightlifting Championship - a competition of the best Soviet weightlifters for the title of champion of the USSR . It was first held in 1918 in Moscow . Then 15 athletes took part in it, divided into 5 weight categories. Since 1932 it took place annually (except for 1941 and 1942). In 1956, 1959, 1963, 1967, 1971 and 1975, the USSR championships were held as part of the weightlifting tournaments of the Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR , and in 1979, 1983 and 1991 in parallel with them.

The championship program has changed twice. Until 1936, it consisted of pentathlon ( bench press , jerk with one hand, jerk with two hands , jerk with one hand and jerk with two hands ), in 1936-1972 - from triathlon ( bench press , jerk and jerk ), since 1973, participants competed in biathlon ( jerk and push ).

In total, from 1918 to 1991, 66 USSR weightlifting championships were held. In 1992, in connection with the collapse of the USSR, the only CIS championship was held , which became an important stage in the selection for the Unified Team for the Olympic Games in Barcelona . Subsequently, in each country that was previously part of the USSR, its own national championship began to be held.