1. Early life and background
Akhmed Tazhudinov was born on January 25, 2003, in Gergebil, Dagestan, Russia. His early wrestling training took place in Dagestan, a region renowned for its strong wrestling tradition. During his developmental years, he trained at the Abdulrashid Sadulaev Wrestling Club, where he had the opportunity to practice alongside and learn from elite athletes, including the highly acclaimed Olympic two-time champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev. His coach during this period was Shamil Omarov.
2. Career
Akhmed Tazhudinov's career has seen a rapid ascent from national-level competition in Russia to becoming a dominant force on the international wrestling stage.
2.1. Early career and nationality transition
Tazhudinov began his competitive wrestling career in Russia. In 2022, he achieved a bronze medal in the 214 lb (97 kg) category at the 2022 Russian National Freestyle Wrestling Championships. In the autumn of 2022, he transitioned to represent Bahrain in international competitions. His debut under the Bahraini flag occurred in early November 2022 at the Dinmuhamed Kunayev Memorial International Tournament in Taraz, Kazakhstan, where he secured the gold medal. Shortly after, competing as part of the Bahraini team in Egypt, he won the Arab Championships in the 276 lb (125 kg) category.
2.2. Major international successes (2023)
The year 2023 marked a breakthrough for Tazhudinov. On April 13, he participated in the 2023 Asian Wrestling Championships in Astana, where he defeated China's Habila Awusayiman in the final to become the Asian champion.
His most significant achievement of the year came on September 19 at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade. Despite being considered an underdog, he dominated his opponents. In the preliminary rounds, he achieved notable victories against two highly decorated wrestlers: Kyle Snyder of the United States, whom he defeated with a decisive 10-0 technical fall, and Abdulrashid Sadulaev of Russia. In the bout against Sadulaev, Tazhudinov established a significant 9-2 lead before Sadulaev withdrew due to a neck injury. These victories were particularly impactful as Snyder and Sadulaev had collectively won every world or Olympic title at 214 lb (97 kg) since the 2015 World Wrestling Championships. In the final, Tazhudinov secured his first Senior World gold medal by pinning Magomedkhan Magomedov of Azerbaijan. Later that year, in October, he also claimed a gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games, which was held in Hangzhou in 2023.
2.3. 2024 Summer Olympics
Akhmed Tazhudinov continued his impressive run at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, where he competed in the men's 214 lb (97 kg) freestyle event on August 10-11. He secured the gold medal, marking a historic achievement for Bahrain as it was the nation's first-ever Olympic wrestling gold medalist. Furthermore, his victory positioned him as the first Asian wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal in heavyweight freestyle wrestling.
2.4. Post-Olympic period
Following his gold medal win at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tazhudinov underwent surgery to address a separated AC joint in his right shoulder. The injury had been sustained a few weeks prior to the Olympics during a training camp in Belarus.
3. Championships and achievements
Akhmed Tazhudinov has accumulated a distinguished list of titles and achievements throughout his career, reflecting his consistent performance at the highest levels of the sport.
- Senior level
- 2022 Russian National Championships - 3rd
- 2022 Arab Championships - 1st (at 276 lb (125 kg))
- 2022 Dinmuhamed Kunayev Memorial International Tournament - 1st
- 2023 Asian Wrestling Championships - 1st
- 2023 World Wrestling Championships - 1st
- 2023 Asian Games - 1st
- 2023 Kaba Uulu Kozhomkul & Raatbek Sanatbaev Tournament - 1st
- 2024 Yasar Dogu Memorial Tournament - 1st
- 2024 Asian Wrestling Championships - 1st
- 2024 Summer Olympics - 1st
- Junior level
- 2021 Dagestan state championships - 2nd
- 2021 Besik Kudukhov international - 3rd
4. Freestyle match record
The following table details Akhmed Tazhudinov's freestyle wrestling match results in senior-level competitions.
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Score | Date | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Summer Olympics - at 214 lb (97 kg) | ||||||
| Win | 32-2 | Givi Matcharashvili (GEO) | Fall 2-0 | 10-11 August 2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris, France |
| Win | 31-2 | Kyle Snyder (USA) | 6-4 | 10-11 August 2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris, France |
| Win | 30-2 | Alisher Yergali (KAZ) | TF 14-2 | 10-11 August 2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris, France |
| Win | 29-2 | Amir Ali Azarpira (IRI) | 4-3 | 10-11 August 2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris, France |
| 2024 Asian Championships - at 214 lb (97 kg) | ||||||
| Win | 28-2 | Rizabek Aitmukhan (KAZ) | 4-2 | 11 April 2024 | 2024 Asian Continental Championships | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
| Win | 27-2 | Mohammad Hossein Mohammadian (IRI) | 8-2 | 11 April 2024 | 2024 Asian Continental Championships | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
| Win | 26-2 | Hibiki Ito (JPN) | TF 10-0 | 11 April 2024 | 2024 Asian Continental Championships | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
| 2024 Yasar Dogu Memorial - at 214 lb (97 kg) | ||||||
| Win | 25-2 | Jonathan Aiello (USA) | TF 10-0 | 9 March 2024 | 2024 Yasar Dogu Memorial International | Antalya, Turkey |
| Win | 24-2 | Rizabek Aitmukhan (KAZ) | Fall 9-3 | 9 March 2024 | 2024 Yasar Dogu Memorial International | Antalya, Turkey |
| Win | 23-2 | Kollin Moore (USA) | TF 11-0 | 9 March 2024 | 2024 Yasar Dogu Memorial International | Antalya, Turkey |
| Win | 22-2 | Ganbaatar Gankhuyag (MGL) | 7-1 | 9 March 2024 | 2024 Yasar Dogu Memorial International | Antalya, Turkey |
| 2022 Asian Games - at 214 lb (97 kg) | ||||||
| Win | 21-2 | Mojtaba Goleij (IRI) | 6-1 | 6 October 2023 | 2022 Asian Games | Lin'an, China |
| Win | 20-2 | Seo Ju-hwan (KOR) | 6-1 | 6 October 2023 | 2022 Asian Games | Lin'an, China |
| Win | 19-2 | Kanybek Abdulkhairov (KGZ) | Fall 9-0 | 6 October 2023 | 2022 Asian Games | Lin'an, China |
| Win | 18-2 | Habila Awusayiman (CHN) | 7-3 | 6 October 2023 | 2022 Asian Games | Lin'an, China |
| 2023 World Championships - at 214 lb (97 kg) | ||||||
| Win | 17-2 | Magomedkhan Magomedov (AZE) | Fall 8-1 | 18-19 September 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Win | 16-2 | Abdulrashid Sadulaev (RUS) | INJ (9-2) | 18-19 September 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Win | 15-2 | Kyle Snyder (USA) | TF 11-0 | 18-19 September 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Win | 14-2 | Maxwell Lacey (CRC) | TF 10-0 | 18-19 September 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Win | 13-2 | Magomed Ibragimov (UZB) | TF 10-0 | 18-19 September 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Belgrade, Serbia |
| 2023 K.U. Kozhomkul & R. Sanatbaev Memorial - at 214 lb (97 kg) | ||||||
| Win | 12-2 | Habila Awusayiman (CHN) | 10-1 | 3 June 2023 | 2023 Kaba Uulu Kozhomkul & Raatbek Sanatbaev Tournament | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
| Win | 11-2 | Magomed Ibragimov (UZB) | 5-2 | 3 June 2023 | 2023 Kaba Uulu Kozhomkul & Raatbek Sanatbaev Tournament | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
| Win | 10-2 | Bekzat Urkimbay (KAZ) | 5-2 | 3 June 2023 | 2023 Kaba Uulu Kozhomkul & Raatbek Sanatbaev Tournament | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
| Win | 9-2 | Serik Bakytkhanov (KAZ) | TF 10-0 | 3 June 2023 | 2023 Kaba Uulu Kozhomkul & Raatbek Sanatbaev Tournament | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
| 2023 Asian Continental Championships - at 214 lb (97 kg) | ||||||
| Win | 8-2 | Habila Awusayiman (CHN) | TF 11-0 | 13 April | 2023 Asian Continental Championships | Astana, Kazakhstan |
| Win | 7-2 | Mojtaba Goleij (IRI) | 13-8 | 13 April | 2023 Asian Continental Championships | Astana, Kazakhstan |
| Win | 6-2 | Bekzat Urkimbay (KAZ) | Fall 7-0 | 13 April | 2023 Asian Continental Championships | Astana, Kazakhstan |
| 2023 Ibrahim Moustafa Memorial 7th at 214 lb (97 kg) | ||||||
| Loss | 5-2 | Vladislav Baitcaev (HUN) | 4-6 | 25 February 2023 | 2023 Ibrahim Moustafa Memorial | Alexandria, Egypt |
| Win | 5-1 | Habila Awusayiman (CHN) | 8-5 | 25 February 2023 | 2023 Ibrahim Moustafa Memorial | Alexandria, Egypt |
| 2022 Arab Championships - at 276 lb (125 kg) | ||||||
| Win | Diaaeldin Kamal (EGY) | INJ | 8 November 2022 | 2022 Arab Championships | Alexandria, Egypt | |
| Win | 4-1 | Ahmed Aljamie (IRQ) | TF 11-0 | 8 November 2022 | 2022 Arab Championships | Alexandria, Egypt |
| Win | Abdelaziz Elsabaa (KUW) | INJ | 8 November 2022 | 2022 Arab Championships | Alexandria, Egypt | |
| 2022 Russian Nationals - at 214 lb (97 kg) | ||||||
| Win | 3-1 | David Dzugaev (RUS) | 9-3 | 24-26 June 2022 | 2022 Russian National Championships | Kyzyl, Tuva |
| Loss | 2-1 | Aslanbek Sotiev (RUS) | 5-9 | 24-26 June 2022 | 2022 Russian National Championships | Kyzyl, Tuva |
| Win | 2-0 | Maxim Tolmachev (RUS) | 13-6 | 24-26 June 2022 | 2022 Russian National Championships | Kyzyl, Tuva |
| Win | 1-0 | Askhab Boltukaev (RUS) | 4-1 | 24-26 June 2022 | 2022 Russian National Championships | Kyzyl, Tuva |
5. Legacy and influence
Akhmed Tazhudinov's achievements have left a significant mark on the sport of wrestling, particularly for Bahrain and the broader Asian continent. His gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics was historic for Bahrain, as it represented the nation's first Olympic medal in wrestling. This victory not only elevated Bahrain's status in international sports but also served as a source of national pride. Furthermore, Tazhudinov's win made him the first Asian wrestler to secure an Olympic gold medal in the heavyweight freestyle wrestling category, breaking new ground for wrestlers from the region. His success, including his remarkable victories over established champions like Kyle Snyder and Abdulrashid Sadulaev at the 2023 World Championships, showcased his exceptional talent and solidified his reputation as a formidable force in the 214 lb (97 kg) division.