King of weights has no plans for retirement

Having lifted a weight 1410 times in one hour, with one hand, lying on his back, Vyacheslav Khoroneko has set another record. He celebrates his 55th birthday this year, but has no plans to retire.

Certainly, I wanted to be liked by the girls! My father supported me by buying dumb-bells and installing a horizontal bar. I played football, hockey, volleyball and tennis, as well as cycling and weightlifting, but chose to pursue weights. I achieved everything I hoped for and realised that I needed more of a challenge, which is why I began using ‘tricks’, such as introducing moves while lifting weights, doing the splits or lifting while lying down, or under water.

I’ve invented my own system, combining power gymnastics with weightlifting and yoga, for one hour daily. You don’t need to go to a gym: you just need two chairs and a horizontal bar. Once a week, I go the pool and sauna.

I eat everything but have two rules: I eat often and in small portions; and I drink a glass of water on an empty stomach, and another two during the day. I like ginger and apples and recommend eating the whole apple, with core. My whole lifestyle is healthy and I know I’m a role model. Others see me and often start doing morning exercises, which is a step towards fitness. Dumb-bells enable you to exercise anywhere.

Under water, and in the splits

I have two favourites: when I lifted a 40kg water barrel 6160 times over two days, as this was a world record for the longest duration of extreme-power lifting; and my combined power record, whereby I lifted a 32kg weight 21 times with one hand, while doing the splits, underwater, at a depth of 1.7m.

I’ve several times intervened in street fights, when the situation became strained. In other cases, I prefer to avoid such confrontations.

I love reading a good book. My favourite poets are Eduard Asadov and Valery Brusov. Recently, I’ve begun enjoying filming. I’ve been invited to act in a Russian TV series called ‘Zakhvatchiki’ (Invaders) as the commander of a special detachment, called ‘the Tigers’. I’ve fallen in love with cinema work, and now take any opportunity to be involved.

I want to perform at the International Festival of Weightlifting, in Minsk, where I’ll try to improve my last record.

Vyacheslav Khoroneko is an international master of sports, having won medals from European and USSR championships. He holds the USSR and CIS Cup and has earned places in the Guinness Book of Records and in the Planet Book of Records. He is also a laureate of the books of records of the Czech Republic, Russia, the CIS and Baltic States. He graduated from the Institute of Physical Training, and has worked with the police, teaching combat and physical training at the Academy of the Interior Ministry of the Republic of Belarus. He is a lieutenant colonel in the reserve and teaches at the Command-Engineering Institute of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.