Aleksandr Karelin

Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Karelin is a legendary Russian athlete and politician. He is widely considered the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler of all time. Greco-Roman wrestling is a style that focuses on upper-body throws. Karelin competed at the highest levels between 1986 and 2000. He represented the Soviet Union, the Unified Team, and Russia. Because of his massive strength, people gave him many nicknames. They called him the "Russian Bear" and "Russian King Kong." Others used names like "Alexander the Great" and "The Experiment."

Karelin’s dominance relied on a unique and devastating wrestling technique. He was famous for a move called the Karelin Lift. In this maneuver, he faced an opponent who was lying flat on the mat. Karelin would then hoist the heavy opponent into the air. He would slam them violently back down onto the mat. This move was very rare in the super heavyweight division. Most heavyweights lacked the strength to lift such large people. A successful Karelin Lift could earn a wrestler 5 points. This was the maximum score possible in a single throw.

His physical advantages helped him control every match. Karelin competed in the super heavyweight division at 130 kg. He had an exceptionally long reach between 205 and 210 centimeters. This reach helped him grip his opponents easily. His grip strength was described as being like an "anaconda." This allowed him to hold opponents down so they could not escape. Despite his huge size, he remained very agile. He was flexible enough to perform splits and backflips. This combination of power and movement made him a unique athlete.

Karelin’s training methods were incredibly intense and difficult. He worked with his coach, Viktor Kuznetsov, for his entire career. His workouts included hours of rowing and long runs. He often ran through the Taiga forest with a large log on his back. He used heavy kettlebells and performed many strength exercises. He could do 42 pull-ups and was very strong in the overhead press. He once famously carried a 500-pound refrigerator up eight flights of stairs. This level of conditioning helped him maintain his dominance for years.

His competitive record is one of the most impressive in sports history. Karelin won nine gold medals at the World Championships. He also earned twelve gold medals at the European Championships. At the Olympic Games, he won three gold medals in 1988, 1992, and 1996. He won a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics. In his senior career, he achieved 887 wins and only two losses. Both losses were controversial because they were decided by only one point. Before the 2000 Olympics, he had not given up a single point in six years.

Karelin faced many physical challenges and injuries during his career. At age 15, he broke his leg during training. In 1993, he won the World Championships despite breaking two ribs. He also competed through a concussion and a high temperature in 1988. He credited his long career to the physician Valery Okhapkin. His final major match was a famous upset in the 2000 Olympics. He lost 0–1 to Rulon Gardner of the United States. This loss is considered one of the biggest upsets in sports history.

After retiring from wrestling in 2000, Karelin moved into the world of politics. He was elected as a deputy of the State Duma in 1999. He served in the Duma through various terms until 2020. Later, he entered the Federation Council as a senator. His impact on wrestling remains massive and permanent. The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles named him the greatest wrestler of the 20th century. He was also an inaugural inductee into the FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame.