UWW

A former Russian champion and bronze medalist at Worlds in 2011, Albert SARITOV (ROU) decided to switch his nationality to Romania in 2016. In a bid to wrestle at the Rio Olympics he moved to Romania and won the qualification tournament. Eventually, he won a bronze medal at the 2016 Games. Now, he will be going to his second Olympics after finishing top two at the World Qualifiers in Sofia where he defeated Radoslaw BARAN (POL), Samuel SCHERRER (SUI) and Valeriy ANDRIYTSEV (UKR). Born in Khasavyurt, Dagestan, Saritov is of Chechen descent. In Rio, he lost to eventual champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) in the quarterfinals but returned in repechage to beat Javier CORTINA (CUB) and Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) in the bronze medal bout. At the 2019 Worlds, he lost to Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) in Round of 16.