Dito Shanidze
History in Color:
2x Olympic vice champion, champion of the World, Europe and USSR, Dito Shanidze of the Gantiadi Club, Tbilisi is competing at the local meet in his native Georgia.
Dito Shanidze (1937-2010) of Georgia was one of all time best Soviet featherweights.
He competed for Kolmeurne Club of Kutaisi, Georgia and Gantiadi Club of Tbilisi. Georgia.
He was a 2x Olympian for Team USSR Weightlifting and both times he brought home silver Olympic medals – from Mexico City (1968) and from Munich (1972).
Besides Olympic medals, Dito Shanidze was a World champion (1973), 2x European champion (1972, 1973), 1971 USSR Spartakiade champion and 6x USSR Champion (1969-1974). He set world records in cj and total. On the international arena, Shanidze also won Baltic Cup (1968) and 3 Friendhip Cups (1967, 1969, 1971).
Needless to say, Shanidze won his second Olympic trophy when he was already 35. Shanidze was what one might call a late bloomer. The coaches began to call Shanidze for top competitions late in his career.
He competed in the USSR Championships from 1962 to 1979. At 31, he was a rookie at the World Championships. When he was 36, he won his 1st World title. At 38, Dito took the 4th place at the 1975 USSR Spartakiade with 117.5+152.5 = 270kg.
Dito Shanidze owns an eternal record in the total of 3 lifts. At the 1972 USSR Championships in Tallinn, Shanidze won with the last world records in total with the press – 402.5 кг (125+122.5+155).