Press releases

Wrestling legend Aleksandr Medved dies

Aleksandr Medved

MINSK, 2 September (BelTA) – The legendary Belarusian wrestler, three-time Olympic champion Aleksandr Medved passed away on 2 September, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Wrestling Federation.

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.

Lukashenko expresses condolences over death of legendary wrestler Aleksandr Medved

MINSK, 2 September (BelTA) — Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko expressed condolences to the family and friends of Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, Honored Coach of the BSSR and the USSR, multiple world and Olympic champion Aleksandr Medved, BelTA learned from the press service of the head of state.

"Please accept my sincere condolences over the death of world sports legend Aleksandr Vasilyevich Medved. A great athlete, coach and public figure has passed away. He won the Olympic gold three times, demonstrating on the mat his perfect skills and great power. He was named the best freestyle wrestler in the history of sports," the message said.

The president emphasized that Aleksandr Medved devoted his entire life to Belarus, and made an invaluable contribution to the development of the national wrestling school and the Olympic movement.

"Belarusian people will remember Aleksandr Vasilyevich as an embodiment of strength, wisdom and patriotism," the Belarusian leader pointed out.

print version

make home page

add to bookmarks