Viktor Sergeyevich Kurentsov (Russian: Виктор Серге́евич Куренцов; 20 May 1941 – 6 July 2021) was a Soviet and Russian weightlifter who competed in the middleweight (75 kg) category. He is best known for winning the gold medal in the 75 kg class at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
Early life and education
Kurentsov was born in the village of Baitogor, within the Russian SFSR, Soviet Union. He began weight training during his teenage years and later attended the Moscow Institute of Physical Culture, where he specialized in sports training and coaching.
Weight‑lifting career
- National competitions: Kurentsov won multiple Soviet national championships in the middleweight division throughout the 1960s.
- World Championships: He secured the gold medal at the 1969 World Weightlifting Championships in Warsaw, Poland, and earned silver medals at the 1967 and 1970 editions.
- Olympic Games: At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Kurentsov lifted a total of 475 kg (210 kg in the press, 150 kg in the snatch, and 115 kg in the clean and jerk), achieving the highest total in his weight class.
- Records: During his career, he set several world records in the clean and jerk and total lifts for the 75 kg category.
Later life and legacy
After retiring from competition in the early 1970s, Kurentsov worked as a weight‑lifting coach at the Dynamo Sports Club in Moscow and contributed to the development of Soviet weight‑lifting programs. He was awarded the title "Honoured Master of Sport of the USSR" and received the Order of the Badge of Honour for his contributions to Soviet sport.
Kurentsov passed away on 6 July 2021 in Moscow at the age of 80. His achievements remain part of the historical record of Soviet weight‑lifting excellence.
