Biografia
Aleksandr Medved is a Soviet Belarusian athlete, freestyle wrestler. Honored Master of Sports of the USSR. Vice President of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus. President of the Belarusian Wrestling Federation.
Aleksandr Medved three times became the Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling (1964,1968,1972), and in three different weight categories (light heavyweight, heavyweight and absolute), 7 times (1962,1963,1966,1967,1969,1970,1971) became the world champion and 3 times (1966,1968,1972) - European champion. In 1961-1970 he became the champion of the USSR 9 times.
Medved was born in the family of a forester. The boy matured early, because in order to survive in the post-war years, he had to work hard: mow, harvest, sow, uproot stumps. This required strength and endurance. All this played a role in the future.
Medved won his first Olympics in Tokyo 1964: Games of the XVIII Olympiad (1964). It was there, when everyone saw the incredible power of the athlete. Medved finished his first Olympic fight in just two minutes, putting out the Romanian wrestler Francisc Balla. The final fight lasted only 39 seconds, during which Medved managed to put the Bulgarian Said Mustafov on the shoulder blades.
The second Olympics were held in Mexico City 1968: Games of the XIX Olympiad (1968). The body of Aleksandr Medved could hardly cope with the conditions of the highlands. Rival Wilfried Dietrich, knowing this, did not hesitate for a long time and immediately launched an offensive. During the match, Dietrich knocked out Medved's thumb on his hand. The fight was stopped for medical assistance, but Aleksandr, in front of the German wrestler, amazed by his will, set his finger back in place with one click and signaled the referee to continue the fight. Dietrich was so shocked by what he saw that he could no longer adequately resist, after the passage of Medved to his feet, he suddenly limped and refused to continue the match. Medved won by the number of points scored, becoming the Olympic champion for the second time.
In 1972, the Soviet athlete became the winner of the Olympics for the third time, which was held in Munich. His opponent was Chris Taylor, who weighed more than 200 kilograms. Against its background,107-kilogram Medved looked very disadvantageous. But Aleksandr Vasilyevich was able to win. It was not for nothing that he was called the lightest of the heavyweights, but the fastest and most technical. The final meeting at the Olympics in Munich 1972: Games of the XX Olympiad (1972) was with an old friend and rival, Bulgarian Osman Duraliev. This was the last fight of Medved. And only the victory should have sounded the final chord of his magnificent sports biography. Until the last moment, Medved remained true to himself and won. To thunderous applause, Aleksandr knelt down and kissed the carpet. Three-time Olympic champion, seven-time world champion said goodbye to big sport.
