Gholamreza Takhti
Iran's Jahan Pahlevan, a champion on and off the mat
- Born
- August 27, 1930, Tehran, Iran
- Died
- January 7, 1968 (aged 37)
- Nationality
Iran- Height
- 180 cm (5′11″)
- Weight
- 79 kg, 87 kg, 97 kg
- Active
- 1950–1966
The medals
1 Olympic gold, 2 world titles
The story
holamreza Takhti is remembered in Iran as much for how he competed as for what he won. The Tehran-born wrestler took Olympic silver in 1952, gold at 87 kg in Melbourne in 1956 and silver again in 1960, and won world titles in 1959 and 1961. In the 1962 world final he faced Aleksandr Medved, knew Medved's leg was hurt and would not attack it, a gesture Medved praised for years. That same year Takhti led a relief drive for victims of the Buin Zahra earthquake. His support for the opposition National Front drew the attention of the Shah's secret police, and his death in a Tehran hotel in 1968, officially ruled a suicide, is still disputed.
- Olympic champion (1956)
- Olympic silver medalist (1952, 1960)
- World champion (1959, 1961)
- Asian Games champion (1958)
- Pahlevan of Iran (3 times)
- United World Wrestling Hall of Fame
Defining matches
- 1956WINMelbourne Olympics (87 kg gold)
- 1959WINWorld Championships, Tehran (87 kg)
- 1961WINWorld Championships, Yokohama (87 kg)
- 1962LOSSvs Aleksandr Medved (World final, Toledo; would not attack Medved's injured leg)
Build attacks on both sides: in the 1962 world final Takhti would not go after Medved's injured leg and attacked the other one instead. Drill your leg attacks to both sides so you never depend on a single opening.
