Born on March 23, 1929 in Tbilisi. Weightlifter (56kg, 60 kg).

Champion of the XV Olympic Games (1952 Helsinki), two-fold world champion (1954, 1955) and a two-fold second-prize winner (1950, 1953), six-fold European Champion (1950, 1951, 1954-1957) and a second-prizewinner (1953), Champion of the World Student Games (1951), ten-fold USSR Champion (1949-1960), 11-fold World record holder, among them are three records in triathlon: 337,5 kg (1952), 340 kg (1953), 342,5 kg, 345 kg 350 kg (1954). Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, Coach of International Category, Honored Citizen of Tbilisi, Commander of the Order of Honor and the Vakhtang Gorgasali II class Order.