This is the 2943rd most frequent Russian word.
выступал
"Выступал" means "performed," "spoke," or "appeared" (past tense, masculine).
In this sentence, 'выступал' refers to the act of delivering a speech or presentation.
Я выступал на конференции вчера.
I gave a talk at the conference yesterday.
Here, 'выступал' describes the act of competing or performing in a sports event.
Спортсмен выступал отлично и завоевал золото.
The athlete performed excellently and won the gold.
In this context, 'выступал' means expressing an opinion or openly opposing something.