Masashi OHUCHI

Masashi Ohuchi took up weightlifting when he was 14-years-old and was on the Japanese national team from 1963-74. Competing mostly as a middleweight, Ohuchi won Olympic middleweight silver in 1968 and bronze in 1964, which at that time also doubled as World Championships. Ohuchi was also World light-heavyweight champion in 1969, and at the Asian Games won titles as a lightweight in 1966 and light-heavyweight in 1970. He initially also placed first in light-heavyweight at the 1974 Asian Games, but later failed a doping test and was disqualified, receiving a one-year ban, which effectively ended his sporting career. Ohuchi set 10 world records during his career, six in the snatch, and four in the total. Seven of those world records were set as a middleweight and three as a light-heavyweight. A policeman by profession, Ohuchi later worked as head coach of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and worked in the Japanese Weightlifting Association as an Executive Board Member. He also continued lifting, winning four masters’ world titles.