Aleksandr Karelin

Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Karelin (born 19 September 1967) is a Russian politician and retired athlete.

Aleksandr Karelin is a Russian politician and statesman born on September 19, 1967, in Novosibirsk. He was a citizen of both the Soviet Union and Russia. Karelin is a Merited Master of Sports of the USSR, an award recognizing his achievements in sports. Currently, he resides and works in Russia.

Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Karelin (kah-RE-lin, Russian: Александр Александрович Карелин, IPA: [ɐljɪkˈsandr ɐljɪkˈsandrəvjɪtɕ kəˈrjeljɪn]; born 19 September 1967) is a Russian politician and retired athlete.

Three-time winner of the Olympic Games (1988, 1992, 1996; in the category up to 130 kg), nine-time world champion (1989-1991, 1993-1995, 1997-1999), 12-time European champion (1987-1991, 1993-1996, 1998 -2000), silver medalist of the 2000 Olympic Games, world champion among juniors in 1988, 13-time champion of the USSR, CIS and Russia (1988-2000). Winner of the Cup "Absolute World Champion" 1989. Four times awarded the "Golden Belt" as the best wrestler on the planet - in 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994. Winner of the IV international tournament "For the prizes of Alexander Karelin" (1995). Six-time winner of the international tournament in memory of Ivan Poddubny. He was recognized as the best athlete of the year in the world. Twice he was recognized as the best athlete in Russia. Throughout his sports career, he won 888 fights (887 in wrestling and 1 in MMA) and suffered only five defeats. Included in the top 25 athletes of the world of the XX century. Listed in the Guinness Book of Records as an athlete who has not lost a single fight for thirteen years. And for 6 years he has not lost a single point in all official fights. There are cases when rivals refused to fight him.

Karelin competed in Greco-Roman wrestling, representing the Soviet Union and Russia between 1987 and 2000. Nicknamed the "Russian Bear", "Russian King Kong", "Alexander the Great" and "The Experiment", he is widely considered to be the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler of all time. Karelin won gold medals at the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games under a different flag each time (Soviet Union, Unified Team and Russia respectively), and a silver medal at the 2000 Olympic Games. His wrestling record is 887 wins and two losses, both by a single point. Prior to his farewell match versus Rulon Gardner in September 2000, a point had not been scored on him within the previous six years. He went undefeated in the world championships, having never lost a match. Karelin was the national flag bearer at three consecutive Olympics: in 1988 for the Soviet Union, in 1992 for the Unified Team, and in 1996 for Russia.

Wrestling career

Karelin was born as a 5.5 kilograms (12 lb) baby. He began training in 1981, under Viktor Kuznetsov, who remained his coach through his entire career. Before that he tried boxing, weightlifting, volleyball, basketball and skiing. Being naturally very big, he came to a wrestling gym, aged 13, standing 179 centimetres (5 ft 10 in) tall and weighing 79 kilograms (174 lb), Karelin grew physically very fast and from 16 years of age throughout his entire career he competed in the super heavyweight division, he went undefeated for the first time from 1982 to 1987 and second time from 1987 to 2000. In 1985 he came to an international competition and won a junior world title. He had his first loss (score 0–1) at the USSR championships in 1987, to the reigning Russian and European champion Igor Rostorotsky; he defeated Rostorotsky at the next USSR championships while recovering from a flu and a recent concussion.

In the 1988 Olympic final Karelin came close to losing to Rangel Gerovski, but with 15 seconds left managed to execute his signature Karelin Lift and won. At the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Karelin faced American Matt Ghaffari for the gold medal. Karelin had come off a shoulder surgery and looked vulnerable against a strong Ghaffari, who was able to repel Karelin's efforts to lift and slam him, forcing Karelin to use all of his skill and experience to defend a 1–0 lead.

After going 13 years undefeated in international competition and six years without giving up a point, he lost 0–1 to Rulon Gardner of the United States in the final of the Sydney Olympics. His loss in the final of the Sydney Olympics was his first and only international loss, having previously been unbeaten throughout his international career. Karelin retired from competitions in 2000.

Training style

Karelin was revered for his extraordinary strength and unprecedented success in international competition. He competed in the heaviest weight class of his day, 130 kg (286 lb). His coach was at first skeptical about a big but undeveloped boy, yet he accepted Karelin and motivated him for hard training, both in wrestling technique and physical strength. As a result, over the years Karelin progressed from 0 to 42 pull-ups. His conditioning and quickness combined with his dominance of the sport, led to him being known as "The Experiment". When asked why he thought he was called that (referring to a biased opinion on his alleged PED use), Karelin noted that: "No one can completely believe that I am natural. The most important drug is to train like a madman – really like a madman. The people who accuse me are those who have never trained once in their life like I train every day of my life."

Karelin's daily training drills included hours of rowing and long runs through Taiga forest often with a large log on his back. He favored the overhead press and also used standard 2-pood kettlebells (32 kilograms (71 lb)) for arm exercises at a daily weight routine. He is said to have clean and pressed 190 kilograms (420 lb). He would routinely bench press 204 kilograms (450 lb) as part of his workout. Despite his large physique, he was flexible and agile enough to do backflips and splits. When asked about his toughest opponent, Karelin instantly replied: "My refrigerator," referring to one of his drills, for which he bear hugged his refrigerator and carried it up through eight flights of stairs of his hometown 9-storied apartment building.

Wrestling style

Karelin was famous for his reverse body lift, the Karelin Lift, where facing the opponent who was lying flat on the mat to keep from being thrown, Karelin hoisted his opponents into the air and slammed them violently to the mat. This devastatingly effective maneuver, when properly executed, awarded Karelin 5 points per throw, the maximum awarded in Greco-Roman wrestling. The throw had long been in use by lighter wrestlers but not by heavyweights – because of the immense strength required to raise, spin and hit the mat with a 560+ lbs combined weight of both athletes (280+ of which resist desperately to the performed maneuver). Karelin's ability to perform this throw against elite opponents weighing as much as 130 kg amazed other participants and observers of the sport.

Injuries

Like most top wrestlers, Karelin had a number of severe injuries through his career. He credits his fast recoveries to Valery Okhapkin, physician of the national wrestling team, and claims that Okhapkin extended his competition lifetime by several years.

At the age of 15 Karelin broke his leg while training; having learned about this accident his mother burned his wrestling uniform and forbade him to wrestle. Since then he broke his arms twice and ribs thirteen times. Around January 1988 he had a serious concussion, and doctors considered removing him from the 1988 Olympic team. Karelin won the 1993 World Championships despite breaking two ribs in the opening bout against Matt Ghaffari. At the 1996 European Championships in Budapest, he had torn the right pectoralis major muscle so badly that doctors predicted he would not be able to use his right hand for several months. Karelin won the Championships, but had to be urgently operated on in Budapest. He recovered within three months to compete at the 1996 Olympics. As many other wrestlers, Karelin has a bit tongue (which was and still is a very frequent wrestling injury before the advent of contemporary chin-tight wrestling headgear), which affects his pronunciation and speech, limiting r-containing words usage. And as many other wrestlers he has multiple ear cartilage injuries of both ears.

Sports records

Listed in the Guinness Book of Records as an athlete who has not lost a single fight for thirteen years.

The first three-time Olympic champion up to 130 kg Greco-Roman style.

Nine-time world champion up to 130 kg Greco-Roman style.

Twelve-time European champion up to 130 kg Greco-Roman style.

Thirteen-time champion of the USSR, CIS and Russia up to 130 kg Greco-Roman style.

Over the entire sports career, he won 888 fights

Three times he was the flag bearer of the national team at the opening of three Olympic Games 1988 - USSR, 1992 - CIS, 1996 - Russia

The first at the age of 21 became the youngest Olympic champion up to 130 kg Greco-Roman style.

In 1986 he took part in fourteen tournaments and all tournaments were won.

Merits

Three-time Olympic winner in the category up to 130 kg (1988, 1992, 1996), nine-time world champion (1989-1991, 1993-1995, 1997-1999), twelve-time European champion, Olympic silver medalist in 2000, world champion among juniors in 1985 of the year, 13-time champion of the USSR, CIS and Russia (1988-2000). He was the flag bearer of the national team at the opening of three Olympic Games: 1988 - USSR, 1992 - CIS, 1996 - Russia. Twice he was recognized as the best athlete in Russia.

The International Federation of United Wrestling Styles Alexander Karelin is recognized as the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler of the 20th century.

Winner of the fair play prize for fair play in sports, founded by the Russian Olympic Committee, laureate of the Siberian of the Year title, established by Novaya Sibirskaya Gazeta (1993 and 1995).

Participated in the opening of the monument to V. S. Vysotsky in Novosibirsk on July 25, 2005.

On December 7, 2013, he lit the Olympic cauldron in Novosibirsk.

Participated in the ceremony of bringing to the stadium of the Olympic flame during the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi on February 7, 2014.

Since 2004, in Sochi (Krasnodar Territory), on the basis of the boarding house "Vesna", the Alexander Karelin Training Center for National Teams of Russia has been operating.

Since 2007, in Krasnoarmeysk (Moscow region), a children's and youth wrestling school named after Alexander Karelin has been opened.

From 1992 to 2011 in Russia, in the cities of the Siberian Federal District, the Karelin Prize wrestling tournaments were held. The international Greco-Roman wrestling tournament Karelin Prize was held from 1992 to 2011 in seven cities of the Siberian Federal District. Competitions were hosted by: Barnaul (1992, 1993, 1994, 2003, 2007 [all tournaments among youth athletes aged 15-16]), Novosibirsk (1995 [adults], 1997, 2001, 2009, 2011 [all tournaments among junior athletes] athletes aged 15-16]), Omsk (1996 [juniors], 2000, 2008 [all tournaments among youth athletes aged 15-16]), Tomsk (1998, 2004, 2010 [all tournaments among youth athletes 15-16]), Kemerovo (1999 [young athletes aged 15-16]), Novokuznetsk (2002 [male athletes aged 15-16]), Chita (2005 [male athletes aged 15-16]). 16 years, cup format]). Two decades of the Karelin Prize are more than 30 donated wrestling mats, several dozens of repaired and built training halls and complexes for wrestling in the cities of Siberia, Transbaikalia and the Far East.

Since 1997, the Karelin Prize has been given the status of qualifying for the world and European championships in Greco-Roman wrestling among cadets (15-16 years old). The tournament has become a launching pad for young athletes who want to achieve high results in prestigious Greco-Roman wrestling competitions. The Karelin Prize is a model for holding World, European and Olympic Games championships. Over 20 years, more than 10 thousand athletes from the territories and regions of Russia, countries of near and far abroad have participated in the competition. In particular, in different years sports delegations from Armenia, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, the USA, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Finland came to the Karelin Prize. The tournament was attended by over half a million spectators. Five winners of the Karelin Prize became the winners of the Olympic Games. These are Alexander Karelin (1988, 1992, 1996), Murat Kardanov (2000), Varteres Samurgashev (2000), Alexei Mishin (2004), Roman Vlasov (2012, 2016).

Since 1997, the Karelin Prize has been given the status of qualifying for the world and European championships in Greco-Roman wrestling among cadets (15-16 years old). The tournament has become a launching pad for young athletes who want to achieve high results in prestigious Greco-Roman wrestling competitions. The Karelin Prize is a model for holding World, European and Olympic Games championships. Over 20 years, more than 10 thousand athletes from the territories and regions of Russia, countries of near and far abroad have participated in the competition. In particular, in different years sports delegations from Armenia, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, the USA, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Finland came to the Karelin Prize. The tournament was attended by over half a million spectators. Five winners of the Karelin Prize became the winners of the Olympic Games. These are Alexander Karelin (1988, 1992, 1996), Murat Kardanov (2000), Varteres Samurgashev (2000), Alexei Mishin (2004), Roman Vlasov (2012, 2016).

Since 1997, the Karelin Prize has been given the status of qualifying for the world and European championships in Greco-Roman wrestling among cadets (15-16 years old). The tournament has become a launching pad for young athletes who want to achieve high results in prestigious Greco-Roman wrestling competitions. The Karelin Prize is a model for holding World, European and Olympic Games championships. Over 20 years, more than 10 thousand athletes from the territories and regions of Russia, countries of near and far abroad have participated in the competition. In particular, in different years sports delegations from Armenia, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan,

From 1992 to 2011 in Russia, in the cities of the Siberian Federal District, the Karelin Prize wrestling tournaments were held. The international Greco-Roman wrestling tournament Karelin Prize was held from 1992 to 2011 in seven cities of the Siberian Federal District. Competitions were hosted by: Barnaul (1992, 1993, 1994, 2003, 2007 [all tournaments among youth athletes aged 15-16]), Novosibirsk (1995 [adults], 1997, 2001, 2009, 2011 [all tournaments among junior athletes] athletes aged 15-16]), Omsk (1996 [juniors], 2000, 2008 [all tournaments among youth athletes aged 15-16]), Tomsk (1998, 2004, 2010 [all tournaments among youth athletes 15-16]), Kemerovo (1999 [young athletes aged 15-16]), Novokuznetsk (2002 [male athletes aged 15-16]), Chita (2005 [male athletes aged 15-16]). 16 years, cup format]). Two decades of the Karelin Prize are more than 30 donated wrestling mats, several dozens of repaired and built training halls and complexes for wrestling in the cities of Siberia, Transbaikalia and the Far East.

Since 2007, in Krasnoarmeysk (Moscow region), a children's and youth wrestling school named after Alexander Karelin has been opened.

From 1992 to 2011 in Russia, in the cities of the Siberian Federal District, the Karelin Prize wrestling tournaments were held. The international Greco-Roman wrestling tournament Karelin Prize was held from 1992 to 2011 in seven cities of the Siberian Federal District. Competitions were hosted by: Barnaul (1992, 1993, 1994, 2003, 2007 [all tournaments among youth athletes aged 15-16]), Novosibirsk (1995 [adults], 1997, 2001, 2009, 2011 [all tournaments among junior athletes] athletes aged 15-16]), Omsk (1996 [juniors], 2000, 2008 [all