He is 187 cm tall. At the 2000 Summer Olympics he competed in the 105 kg category, ranking 5th. Snatch: 211.0 kg 2005 World Weightlifting Championships. Clean and jerk: 250.0 kg 2008 Summer Olympics.
Total: 460.0 kg (2100+2500) 2008 Summer Olympics.
He won overall silver at the 2005 World Championships, with a total of 457 kg, and at the 2007 World Championships, with a total of 441 kg. He also won overall silver at the 2005 and 2007 European Championships, and bronze at the 2008 European Championships. Chigishev won the silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics, with a combined total of 460 kg (snatch - 210 kg, clean and jerk - 250 kg).
