Oleksandr Pielieshenko — a former weightlifting champion who competed in the 2016 Olympics — tragically died while fighting in the Ukraine-Russia war, the Ukrainian Weightlifting Federation announced Monday.
He was only 30 years old.
UWF official Viktor Slobodianiuk said in a social media post that the Olympian died while “defending Ukraine from foreigners.”
Further details about the athlete’s death were not revealed.
“I express my sincere condolences to Alexander’s family and loved ones!” Slobodianiuk said. “This is a very heavy loss for the entire Ukrainian heavyweight community.”
“Heroes don’t die.”
Pielieshenko won gold medals in weightlifting events at the 16 and 17 European championships. He also competed in the sport at the 2016 Rio Games.
But he was later banned in 2018 after failing a drug test.
According to the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, Pielieshenko had just joined Ukraine’s military forces… at the start of the 2022 invasion of Russia.
“We express our sincere condolences to the family and everyone who knew Alexander,” UWF said.
TO TEAR APART.