Alexander Vasiliyevich Medved' ' onMouseout='HidePop("90222")' href="/topics/Bila_Tserkva">Bila Tserkva

Bila Tserkva

Bila Tserkva is a city located on the Ros' River in the Kiev Oblast in central Ukraine, approximately south of the capital, Kiev. Population 203,300 Area 34 km².-Administrative status:...

, Ukrainian SSR

Ukrainian SSR

The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or in short, the Ukrainian SSR was a sovereign Soviet Socialist state and one of the fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union lasting from its inception in 1922 to the breakup in 1991...

) is a famous Soviet

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

/Russian

Russians

The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....

 Belarussian wrestler

Amateur wrestling

Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...

. He is considered by most to be the best freestyle wrestler of all time. He was the first person ever to win three gold medals in freestyle wrestling. FILA recognizes Medved as The Greatest Wrestler of the 20th Century in Freestyle (with Alexander Karelin

Alexander Karelin

Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Karelin, or simply Alexander Karelin, is a Hero of the Russian Federation and was a dominant Greco-Roman wrestler for the Soviet Union and later, after its dissolution, for Russia. He won gold medals at the 1988, 1992, and 1996 Olympic Games...

 being the greatest in Greco-Roman). He has written two books on the sport.

Legacy

Medved' is one of the most well-known Russian athletes and to this day his image continues to inspire others. He was the flagbearer for the Belarusian Olympic team on several occasions including the 2004 Summer Olympics

2004 Summer Olympics

The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...

 in Athens. He also performed the Judge's Oath

Olympic Oath

The Olympic Oath is a solemn promise made by one athlete -- as a representative of each of the participating Olympic competitors; and by one judge -- as a representative of each officiating Olympic referee or other official, at the opening ceremonies of each Olympic Games...

 at the 1980 Summer Olympics

1980 Summer Olympics

The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...

. It should also be noted that "Medved" is the Russian word for "bear" which perfectly fits his image.

Present

Today he lives in Belarus and is the Head of the Inter-University Department of Sport Excellence of the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics

Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics

The Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics, also known as BSUIR , is a scientific and educational center in Minsk, Belarus The Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics, also known as BSUIR , is a scientific and educational center in Minsk, Belarus The...

 and also Vice-president of the Belarus Olympic Committee

Belarus Olympic Committee

The National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus is one of many national Olympic committees that make up the International Olympic Committee...

. Alexander Medved' is also the Olympic coach for the Belarusian freestyle wrestling team.

His non-Olympic awards include:

• World championships: 7 times (1962-63, 1966-67, 1969-71)
• European championships: 3 times (1966, 1968, 1972)