Sultan Rakhmanov
Encyclopedia
Sultan Saburovich Rakhmanov (July 6, 1950 in Turtkul
, Karakalpak ASSR – May 5, 2003 in Dnipropetrovsk
) was an Olympic
weightlifter for the USSR
who won the gold medal in the super heavyweight class of the 1980 Summer Olympics
. Sultan Rakmanov won the super heavyweight gold medal in 1980 in Moscow
when his legendary teammate Vasily Alexeev
was eliminated after he failed three times to snatch 180 kg. Rakhmanov made 6 perfect lifts to score a decisive victory at the 1980 Olympics. He also won gold medals at the World Weightlifting Championships
in 1979 and 1980.
Rakhmanov's father was Uzbek
and his mother was Ukrainian
, he was born in Uzbekistan
. He trained during his weightlifting career in Dnipropetrovsk
, Ukraine
. Rakhmanov was a member of the Soviet national weightlfting team for 9 years. His most memorable victory was, of course, the super heavyweight class gold medal at the 1980 Olympics. For that victory, Rakhmanov was awarded Order of the Red Banner of Labour
in Kremlin
.
After his retirement, Rakhmanov was the Chairman of the International Association of Disabled Sports Veterans. Sultan was an honored President of the Aikido
Federation of Ukraine. He also was one of the pioneers of organized armwrestling in the Soviet Union.
Rakhmanov died on May 5, 2003 of a heart attack at age 52.
Turtkul
Turtkul is a city in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan. It is an administrative center of To‘rtko‘l District.-History:The city was founded in 1873 and before 1920 was known as Petroaleksandrovsk . It was then a major jewelry producing center of Uzbekistan, and was equipped with telegraph in 1913 and with...
, Karakalpak ASSR – May 5, 2003 in Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk or Dnepropetrovsk formerly Yekaterinoslav is Ukraine's third largest city with one million inhabitants. It is located southeast of Ukraine's capital Kiev on the Dnieper River, in the south-central region of the country...
) was an Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
weightlifter for the USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
who won the gold medal in the super heavyweight class of the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
. Sultan Rakmanov won the super heavyweight gold medal in 1980 in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
when his legendary teammate Vasily Alexeev
Vasiliy Alekseyev
Vasiliy Ivanovich Alekseyev was a weightlifter from the Soviet Union. He set 80 world records and 81 Soviet records in weightlifting and won gold medals at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich and the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.- Biography :...
was eliminated after he failed three times to snatch 180 kg. Rakhmanov made 6 perfect lifts to score a decisive victory at the 1980 Olympics. He also won gold medals at the World Weightlifting Championships
World Weightlifting Championships
World Weightlifting Championships is an event organised by International Weightlifting Federation .It has been held since 1891. In March 1891, competing against champions from Brussels, Hamburg, England, Vienna, Italy, and Berlin in a three-day event, Edward Lawrence Levy of England won the first...
in 1979 and 1980.
Rakhmanov's father was Uzbek
Uzbeks
The Uzbeks are a Turkic ethnic group in Central Asia. They comprise the majority population of Uzbekistan, and large populations can also be found in Afghanistan, Tajikstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Pakistan, Mongolia and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China...
and his mother was Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
, he was born in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
. He trained during his weightlifting career in Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk or Dnepropetrovsk formerly Yekaterinoslav is Ukraine's third largest city with one million inhabitants. It is located southeast of Ukraine's capital Kiev on the Dnieper River, in the south-central region of the country...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. Rakhmanov was a member of the Soviet national weightlfting team for 9 years. His most memorable victory was, of course, the super heavyweight class gold medal at the 1980 Olympics. For that victory, Rakhmanov was awarded Order of the Red Banner of Labour
Order of the Red Banner of Labour
The Order of the Red Banner of Labour was an order of the Soviet Union for accomplishments in labour and civil service. It is the labour counterpart of the military Order of the Red Banner. A few institutions and factories, being the pride of Soviet Union, also received the order.-History:The Red...
in Kremlin
Kremlin
A kremlin , same root as in kremen is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there...
.
After his retirement, Rakhmanov was the Chairman of the International Association of Disabled Sports Veterans. Sultan was an honored President of the Aikido
Aikido
is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
Federation of Ukraine. He also was one of the pioneers of organized armwrestling in the Soviet Union.
Rakhmanov died on May 5, 2003 of a heart attack at age 52.
Weightlifting achievements
- Gold medalist 1980 Summer Olympics1980 Summer OlympicsThe 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
. - World Weightlifting ChampionshipsWorld Weightlifting ChampionshipsWorld Weightlifting Championships is an event organised by International Weightlifting Federation .It has been held since 1891. In March 1891, competing against champions from Brussels, Hamburg, England, Vienna, Italy, and Berlin in a three-day event, Edward Lawrence Levy of England won the first...
gold medalist (1979 and 1980). - European Weightlifting ChampionshipsEuropean Weightlifting ChampionshipsEuropean Weightlifting Championships is an annual event organised by the European Weightlifting Federation . It has been held since 1896. A separate event for women was held from 1988 to 1997, after which both championships have been held as one event....
gold medalist (1980). - Set two world records during career.