His greatest achievement came at the 1984 European Athletics Indoor Championships, where he won the gold medal in the final with a European indoor record jump of 17.33 m (56 ft 10+1⁄4 in). This was the best indoor performance that year.[1] It stood as the championship for only two years, as fellow Soviet Māris Bružiks cleared 17.54 m (57 ft 6+1⁄2 in) to win the title in 1986.[2]
Later in 1984 he set an outdoor career best of 17.30 m (56 ft 9 in) in Donetsk.[3] He was chosen to represent the Soviet Union at the Friendship Games, but managed only eighth place.[4] In the 1983 season, his highest global ranking was ninth and, after 1985 he dropped out of the global top 25.[5]
