Namig Abdullayev
Encyclopedia
Namig Yadulla oglu Abdullayev (born January 4, 1971, Baku
) was an Azerbaijan
i Olympic Champion wrestler
, winning a gold medal in freestyle for Azerbaijan at the 2000 Summer Olympics
. He has also won three gold medals at the European Championships and 4 silver medals at the World Championships.
A three-time Olympian competing at several Summer Olympics, Abdullayev won the silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics
in the Mens Freestyle 52 kg
and the gold in the Men's Freestyle 55 kg
at the 2000 Summer Olympics
. He also competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics
, but was eliminated early.
Abdullayev is perhaps best known in the United States for his controversial 2000 Olympic gold-medal match against American Sammie Henson. He retired in 2009.
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
) was an Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
i Olympic Champion wrestler
Amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...
, winning a gold medal in freestyle for Azerbaijan at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. He has also won three gold medals at the European Championships and 4 silver medals at the World Championships.
A three-time Olympian competing at several Summer Olympics, Abdullayev won the silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in the Mens Freestyle 52 kg
Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics
At the 1996 Summer Olympics, 2 different wrestling disciplines were contested: freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. The freestyle category was notable as it featured the gold medal performance of Kurt Angle, who later became a notable professional wrestler.-Freestyle:-Greco-Roman:-Medal...
and the gold in the Men's Freestyle 55 kg
Wrestling at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Wrestling at the 2000 Summer Olympics took place in the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre and was split into two disciplines, Freestyle and Greco-Roman which are further divided into different weight categories. The freestyle competitions were held from September 28 to October 1, and the...
at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. He also competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics
Wrestling at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle 55 kg
The Men's Freestyle 55 kg at the 2004 Summer Olympics as part of the wrestling program were held at the Ano Liossia Olympic Hall, August 27 to August 28.-Medalists:- Tournament results :...
, but was eliminated early.
Abdullayev is perhaps best known in the United States for his controversial 2000 Olympic gold-medal match against American Sammie Henson. He retired in 2009.