Damir Zakhartdinov

Damir Zakhartdinov (Uzbek: Дамир Захартдинов; born January 2, 1976, in Tashkent) is a retired amateur Uzbek freestyle wrestler, who competed in the men's lightweight category.[1] Considering one of the nation's top wrestlers in his decade, Zakhartdinov has yielded a staggering record of six career medals, including a bronze in the 58-kg division at the 1999 World Wrestling Championships in Ankara, Turkey, and seized an opportunity to represent Uzbekistan in three editions of the Olympic Games (1996, 2000, and 2004). Having served as a soldier in CSKA Tashkent, Zakhartdinov trained throughout his sporting career as a member of its wrestling team under head coach Mamur Ruziev.

Damir Zakhartdinov
Personal information
Full nameDamir Zakhartdinov
Nationality Uzbekistan
Born (1976-01-02) 2 January 1976
Tashkent, Uzbek SSR,
Soviet Union
Height1.67 m (5 ft 5+1⁄2 in)
Weight60 kg (132 lb)
Sport
SportWrestling
StyleFreestyle
ClubCSKA Tashkent
CoachMamur Ruziev
Medal record
Men's freestyle wrestling
Representing  Uzbekistan
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place1999 Ankara58 kg
Asian Championships
Silver medal – second place2000 Guilin58 kg
Silver medal – second place2001 Ulaanbaatar63 kg
Silver medal – second place2003 New Delhi60 kg
Bronze medal – third place1999 Tashkent58 kg
Bronze medal – third place2005 Wuhan60 kg

Zakhartdinov made his official debut at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, where he competed in the men's bantamweight class (57 kg). Being successful early in the opening rounds, he entered the third round undefeated, but fell to Canada's Guivi Sissaouri with a 0–8 verdict. He lost again to Iran's Mohammad Talaei in the repechage 2–4, and subsequently, to Belarus' Aleksandr Guzov in the final playoff by a rigid 3–2 verdict, dropping him to eighth place.[2]

Determined to return to the Olympic scene, Zakhartdinov entered the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney as a top medal contender in the men's featherweight division (58 kg). Earlier in the process, he picked up a bronze over Armenia's Martin Berberyan at the 1999 World Wrestling Championships in Ankara, Turkey. During the preliminary competition, Zakhartdinov lost his opening match 4–1 to Russia's Murad Ramazanov, but bounced back to subdue Turkey's Harun Doğan (3–0) and pin Moldova's Octavian Cuciuc with only thirty seconds left.[3] Zakhartdinov placed first during the preliminary competition based on technical points, reached the semifinals, but fell behind Ukraine's Yevhen Buslovych in overtime with a 2–0 decision. Zakhartdinov faced U.S. wrestler Terry Brands in the bronze medal match, but could not throw him down the mat and missed the podium by a single point to close the record 3–2, finishing only in fourth place.[4][5]

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Zakhartdinov qualified for his third Uzbek squad, as a 28-year-old, in the men's 60 kg class. Weighing at two kilograms heavier than the previous Games, Zakhartdinov received a berth and rounded out the ninth spot in the lightweight category from the 2003 World Wrestling Championships in New York City, New York, United States.[6] He started the preliminary competition with a surprising 3–2 victory over Japan's Kenji Inoue, before being overwhelmed by Austria's Lubos Cikel in a 5–6 verdict and South Korea's Jung Young-ho on a marvelous technical fall. Placing last in the preliminary competition and ninth overall, Zakhartdinov failed to advance to the quarterfinals.[7]

Zakhartdinov also competed in two editions of the Asian Games (2002 and 2006), but fell behind the medal podium. Shortly after his sporting career ended in 2006, he moved to the United States to work with Rod Gaddy and coach young wrestlers for the Alabama State Wrestling Team in Birmingham, Alabama.[8][9]

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Damir Zakhartdinov". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  2. "Atlanta 1996: Wrestling – Men's Freestyle 58kg" (PDF). Atlanta 1996. LA84 Foundation. p. 197. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  3. "Sydney 2000: Wrestling – Featherweight Freestyle (58kg)" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. pp. 122–123. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 September 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  4. "Americans were sitting in great shape". The New York Times. 30 September 2000. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  5. Hirsley, Michael (2 October 2000). "Silver Lining? Not For Runners-up". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  6. Abbott, Gary (15 July 2004). "Olympic Games preview at 60 kg/132 lbs. in men's freestyle". USA Wrestling. The Mat. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  7. "Wrestling: Men's Freestyle 60kg". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  8. "Local Westlers Learn Some Old World Tricks". WVTM-TV. 18 August 2008. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  9. Sesker, Craig (19 July 2008). "Alabama's Tanner Moon shooting for title after knocking off returning champion". USA Wrestling. The Mat. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
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