In 2012, he won the Olympic Gold medal in the Men's 3 metre springboard defeating Chinese divers Qin Kai and He Chong. He also won the silver medal in the Men's synchronized 3 metre springboard, alongside Evgeny Kuznetsov, and competed in the Men's synchronized 10 metre platform, with Victor Minibaev. Zakharov was awarded the FINA Male Diver of the Year of 2012.