MINSK, 4 September (BelTA) — Mourners are paying their last respects to the legendary wrestler, Belarus' best athlete of the 20th century, Aleksandr Medved. The funeral ceremony is held at the Palace of Sports in Minsk on 4 September, where the tournament for the prizes of Aleksandr Medved has been held for many years, BelTA has learned.
Representatives of different sports, his friends and numerous sports fans came to say their last goodbye to the great athlete. Aleksandr Medved died on 2 September, two weeks before his 87th birthday.
"Aleksandr Medved was a mentor for us. He became the first ever three-time Olympic champion in wrestling, showing everyone what you can achieve by your own efforts. Now there is already a five-time Olympic champion in wrestling, but Aleksandr Medved will always remain the first three-time champion. His younger colleagues have followed in his footsteps. Aleksandr Vasilyevich had a long, eventful life, which he dedicated to wrestling. He always remained faithful to his favorite sport. No matter what positions he held, he will remain an example for us," Russian three-time Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling Aleksandr Karelin said. He came to Minsk to say goodbye to the great Aleksandr Medved.
"I believe many people would agree that Aleksandr Vasilyevich will always remain a symbol of the Belarusian sport. I had a chance to get to know him and I will remember him as a legendary, great athlete and a decent, incredibly positive, sincere man. In these sad days his inimitable smile is constantly in front of my eyes," a well-known sports TV commentator Vladimir Novitsky said.
Aleksandr Medved 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 – best freestyle wrestler of the 20th century in the world.
After retiring from sports, Aleksandr Medved started coaching. He became Honored Coach of the BSSR and the USSR, was vice-president of the National Olympic Committee, headed up the Belarusian freestyle wrestling team and the Belarusian Wrestling Federation. Aleksandr Medved was awarded the Order of Honor, the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, two Orders of the Badge of Honor, the Silver Olympic Order, the UNESCO World Fair Play Trophy. He was an honorary citizen of Minsk, Makhachkala and Khasavyurt.
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