On Jan. 30, Team Georgia’s sports doctor Giorgi Tchintcharauli posted a Reel of Lasha Talkahadze entering the training hall, putting his shoes on, and warming up.
The caption? “The King is back.” Our first question was whether they were serious.
Lasha Talakhadze soft-retired from weightlifting after the 2024 Olympics. At the time, everyone thought the grand dream—the first 500-kilogram total lifted overhead by a human being—was dead and buried.
And it seems like it is. Talakhadze tried his hand in politics for a time before his desire to strap back up with the barbell kicked in. Maybe it was the fact that the European Championships are on his home turf in Batumi, Georgia, this year.
Maybe he just wants a fourth Olympic gold medal.
Lasha Talakhadze's Comeback
Remind me: After his narrow win in Paris—Lasha finished just three kilos ahead of silver medalist Varazdat Lalayan—Talakhadze was expected to leave the sport behind.
Two years prior, he suffered a leg injury prior to the '22 Europeans which left him depowered for the remainder of the quad. To eke out a victory at the Olympics, Lasha needed 9 full months off between Worlds '23 and the following summer Games.
But it's hard to resist the call of the barbell We spoke with Giorgi briefly to get a sense of where Lasha is at in the early days of his comeback, and where he's going.
Here's what we know.
Weightlifting House (WH): What’s the immediate plan?
“We don’t know yet about Europeans or Worlds. So far, he has only completed a few training sessions.”
WH: Has Lasha healed in the last 18 months since he lifted in Paris?
“He is feeling much better—fully rested and in a positive mood. At this stage, there are no issues troubling him.”
WH: Is gold in Los Angeles his #1 goal?
“Lasha is determined to stay in top shape and, if the opportunity arises, to target the gold medal in Los Angeles.”
WH: Is the 500KG total still possible?
“He admits it’s out of reach, but he’s ready to give everything he has to win. Right now, Lasha’s focus is on strengthening the Georgian team in cooperation with head coach Giorgi Asanidze and our federation’s President.”
