Wrestling legend Aleksandr Medved dies

The legendary Belarusian wrestler, three-time Olympic champion Aleksandr Medved passed away on 2 September.

Aleksandr Medved was born on 16 September 1937. He won his first Olympic gold at the Tokyo 1964 Summer Olympics. He defended his title at the Olympic Games in Mexico City in 1968 and Munich in 1972. Over the course of his long sports career, Aleksandr Medved became a seven-time world champion, three-time European champion and nine-time champion of the Soviet Union in freestyle wrestling. For his outstanding achievements, he was awarded the title of Honored Master of Sports of the USSR. In 2001 he was named Belarus’ best athlete of the 20th century; in 2005 the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles named him best freestyle wrestler of the 20th century.

After retiring from sports, Aleksandr Medved started coaching. He was vice-president of the National Olympic Committee, headed up the Belarusian freestyle wrestling team and the Belarusian Wrestling Federation.