Oleksandr Perviy

Personal information
Born	28 October 1960 Bilozerske, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Died	25 September 1985 (aged 24) Donetsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight	74 kg (163 lb)
Sport
Sport	Weightlifting
Club	Soviet Armed Forces
Medal record Representing the  Soviet Union Olympic Games 1980 Moscow -75 kg World Weightlifting Championships 1980 Moscow -75 kg 1981 Lille -75 kg 1982 Ljubljana -82.5 kg European Weightlifting Championships 1980 Belgrade -75 kg 1981 Lille -75 kg 1982 Ljubljana -82.5 kg

Oleksandr Ivanovych Perviy (Ukrainian: Олександр Іванович Первій, 28 October 1960 – 25 September 1985) was a Ukrainian weightlifter. Between 1980 and 1982 he won a silver medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics and six medals at the world and European championships; he also set four world records: three in the clean and jerk and one in the total.^[1][2][3]

Perviy was known for his weak health and drinking habits. In early 1983, he had his first heart attack, which forced him to retire from sports and from the Soviet Army. Depression and lack of a job resulted in alcoholism and consequent death from another heart attack at the age of 24.^[1]

References