Seeing Double: Russian Heavyweight Makhov to Compete in Freestyle and Greco-Roman at World Championships

LAS VEGAS – Three-time freestyle world champion and current sixth-ranked Greco-Roman heavyweight wrestler Bilyal MAKHOV (RUS) has been selected by the Russian Wrestling Federation to compete at heavyweight in both freestyle and Greco-Roman during next week’s Wrestling World Championships in Las Vegas.

Makhov, who is also ranked No.6 in the world at heavyweight in freestyle, earned bronze at the 2012 Olympics in freestyle, but in recent years began concentrating on Greco-Roman. With five-time world champion and 2004 Olympic champion Khadzhimurat GATSALOV competing in last year’s world championships, Makhov had entered the Greco-Roman competition and shocked fans when he finished with bronze.

Makhov has previously won the freestyle world championships in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

There have only been three wrestlers in the modern era who have won medals in both styles at the same world-level event. Jan KARLSSON (SWE) was the last to complete the feat in 1973 when he took bronze in freestyle and silver in Greco-Roman at 74kg. Karlsson had done similar the year before, earning freestyle silver at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich while also collecting a bronze in Greco-Roman. Daniel ROBIN (CAN) took silver in both styles at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, while Wilfried DIETRICH (GER) took a bronze in both styles at the world championships in 1962.

Makhov will begin with Greco-Roman wrestling on Tuesday, September 8, where he will need to weigh at-or-below 130kg. The Russian star will wrestle his freestyle competition on Saturday, September 12 where he must weigh below 125kg.