1. Life
Adam Saitiev's life is marked by his origins in Dagestan, Russia, and a wrestling career that saw him navigate various weight classes and overcome injuries.
1.1. Birth and Background
Adam Saitiev was born on December 12, 1977, in Khasavyurt, which was then part of the Dagestan ASSR within the Russian SFSR of the Soviet Union. He is of Chechen ethnicity. He is the younger brother of Buvaisar Saitiev, who is also a highly acclaimed wrestler and a three-time Olympic champion, having won gold medals at the 1996 Atlanta, 2004 Athens, and 2008 Beijing Games, in addition to being a six-time World champion.
1.2. Wrestling Career Development
Adam Saitiev began his senior-level international wrestling career competing in the 69 kg weight class. However, he found the weight cut to be too challenging and soon moved up to the 76 kg category. In this new class, he achieved significant success, becoming a World champion in 1999. A pivotal decision in his career was to move up again to the 85 kg weight class. This move was influenced by his elder brother, Buvaisar Saitiev, who also competed in the 76 kg division. Adam's desire to compete alongside his brother at the Olympic Games, rather than contend against him for a team spot, led him to transition to the heavier category. Despite being considered undersized for the 85 kg class, he remarkably secured two world-level titles at this weight. After 2002, Saitiev continued to compete, but his career was significantly impacted by a series of injuries. He attempted a comeback in 2012, achieving considerable success, but ultimately lost to Denis Tsargush in the final match of the 2012 Russian freestyle wrestling championships with a score of 1-0; 1-0.
2. Major Achievements and Activities
Adam Saitiev's career is highlighted by his numerous victories at the sport's most prestigious events, including the Olympic Games, World Championships, and European Championships.
2.1. Olympic Games
Adam Saitiev achieved his most notable Olympic success at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. He competed in the men's freestyle 85 kg category and earned the gold medal, solidifying his status as an Olympic champion.
2.2. World Championships
Saitiev has been a two-time gold medalist at the World Wrestling Championships. He first won a gold medal in 1999 in Ankara, Turkey, competing in the 76 kg freestyle category. His second World Championship gold came in 2002 in Tehran, Iran, where he competed in the 84 kg division.
2.3. European Championships
Adam Saitiev has also achieved significant success at the European Wrestling Championships. He secured gold medals in 1999 in Minsk (76 kg), 2000 in Budapest (85 kg), and 2006 in Moscow (84 kg). Additionally, he earned a bronze medal at the 1998 European Championships in Bratislava, competing in the 76 kg category.
2.4. Match Results
Adam Saitiev's performance in major international competitions, including the World Championships and Olympic Games, is detailed in the following record of his matches:
| World Championships & Olympic Games Matches | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Score | Date | Event | Location |
| 2002 UWW world - at 84kg | ||||||
| Win | 21-3 | Yoel Romero (Cuba) | 4-3 | September 5, 2002 | 2002 World Wrestling Championships | Tehran, Iran |
| Win | 20-3 | Arkadii Tzopa (Bulgaria) | Fall | |||
| Win | 19-3 | Marcin Jurecki (Poland) | 7-3 | |||
| Win | 18-3 | Aman Deep (India) | Tech. Fall | |||
| Win | 17-3 | Narantsetseg Burenbaatar (Mongolia) | Tech. Fall | |||
| 2000 Olympic - at 85kg | ||||||
| Win | 16-3 | Yoel Romero (Cuba) | Fall | September 28, 2000 | 2000 Summer Olympics | Sydney, Australia |
| Win | 15-3 | Magomed Ibragimov (North Macedonia) | 3-0 | |||
| Win | 14-3 | Yang Hyung-mo (South Korea) | 5-0 | |||
| Win | 13-3 | Igor Praporshchikov (Australia) | Fall | |||
| Win | 12-3 | Beibulat Musaev (Belarus) | 4-1 | |||
| 1999 UWW world - at 76kg | ||||||
| Win | 11-3 | Alexander Leipold (Germany) | 6-3 | October 7, 1999 | 1999 World Wrestling Championships | Ankara, Turkey |
| Win | 10-3 | Joe Williams (United States) | Fall | |||
| Win | 9-3 | Alik Musaev (Ukraine) | 4-0 | |||
| Win | 8-3 | Arpad Ritter (Hungary) | 11-3 | |||
| Win | 7-3 | Radoslaw Horbik (Poland) | 9-0 | |||
| Win | 6-3 | Ruslan Khinchagov (Uzbekistan) | 7-1 | |||
| 1997 UWW world 6th at 69kg | ||||||
| Loss | 5-3 | Davoud Ghanbari (Iran) | Inj. Def. | August 29, 1997 | 1997 World Wrestling Championships | Krasnoyarsk, Russia |
| Loss | 5-2 | Zaza Zazirov (Ukraine) | 2-4 | |||
| Win | 5-1 | Yüksel Şanlı (Turkey) | Fall | |||
| Win | 4-1 | Almazbek Askarov (Kyrgyzstan) | Fall | |||
| Win | 3-1 | David Gagishvili (Georgia) | Fall | |||
| Win | 2-1 | Elchad Allakhverdiev (Azerbaijan) | 4-2 | |||
| Loss | 1-1 | Igor Kupeev (Uzbekistan) | 2-5 | |||
| Win | 1-0 | Juan Carlos Rivero (Venezuela) | Tech. Fall | |||
3. Awards and Honors
For his outstanding achievements in wrestling, Adam Saitiev has received several significant state awards from the Russian Federation. He was awarded the Order of Honor in 2001, and the Order of Friendship in 2004.
4. Assessment and Impact
Adam Saitiev is highly regarded within the sport of wrestling, recognized for his exceptional skill and accomplishments.
4.1. Assessment in Wrestling
Adam Saitiev is widely considered to be one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. His ability to adapt to different weight classes and still dominate, as evidenced by his Olympic gold and multiple World Championship titles, underscores his remarkable talent and enduring legacy in the sport. His height is 5.8 ft (1.78 m).
5. Related Entries
- Buvaisar Saitiev