Flex Australia – June-July 2017

70 FLEX|JUNE–JULY 2017

JASON BREEZE; RIA NOVOSTI/ALAMY; MIKE LAMBERT

WEIGHTLIFTER

LEONID

TARANENKO

BORN: USSR, 1956

HEIGHT: 180cm WEIGHT: 118kg

Taranenko set the world record in

weightlifting for the clean and jerk

(266 kilograms or 582 pounds) and total

(475 kilograms or 1045 pounds) way

back in 1988 — an aeon in weightlifting

years — and these records still stand today.

Due to restructuring by the International

Weightlifting Federation of its weight

classes, Taranenko’s official records no

longer stand, but his lifts have yet to be

equalled. You know how hard it is to bench

six plates? Imagine lifting it overhead.

Now that’s power!

BORN: USA, 1982

HEIGHT: 203cm WEIGHT: 197kg

0

Shaw has placed top three at the

World’s Strongest Man a total of

seven times. A four-time WSM

winner (2011, 2013, 2015-16),

has posted bests of 972 pounds

(440kg) in the deadlift and 1150

pounds (522kg) in the Hummer

tire deadlift in competition (with

straps). In the gym, he’s credited

with squatting 905 pounds

(410kg), benching 535 pounds

(243kg) and deadlifting 985

pounds (447kg) with straps.

STRONGM A N

BRIAN

SHAW