Roman Vlasov
A legend's club and coach, two Olympic titles
- Born
- October 6, 1990, Novosibirsk, Russia
- Nationality
Russia- Height
- 175 cm (5′9″)
- Weight
- 74 kg, 75 kg, 77 kg
- Active
- 2011–present
- Status
- Active · age 36
The medals
2 Olympic golds; 3 world titles
The story
oman Vlasov comes from Novosibirsk and trains at the club named after A. K., under Viktor Kuznetsov, the coach who developed A. K. He won the 74 kg world title in 2011 at 20 and Olympic gold in London a year later, edging Armenia's Arsen Julfalakyan in the final. After a world title at 75 kg in 2015 he defended his Olympic crown in Rio, but only after an extraordinary semi-final: Croatia's Božo Starčević choked him unconscious, and Vlasov came round, finished the bout and won it. In the final he threw Denmark's Mark Madsen for four points in the first period and won 5–1. He added European titles in 2018 and 2019 and a third world title at 77 kg in Oslo in 2021; his last listed title is the 2022 Russian championship.
- Olympic champion (2012, 74 kg; 2016, 75 kg)
- World champion (2011, 2015, 2021)
- European champion (2012, 2013, 2018, 2019)
- Summer Universiade champion (2013)
- Order of Friendship (2012)
- Order of Honour (2016)
- Named Russia's best athlete of 2015
Defining matches
- 2012WINvs Arsen Julfalakyan (Olympic final, 1–0, 1–0)
- 2016WINvs Božo Starčević (Olympic semi-final, won after being choked unconscious)
- 2016WINvs Mark Madsen (Olympic final, 5–1)
- 2021World title Oslo (third world title, at 77 kg)
Train to keep wrestling when things go wrong: Vlasov was choked out in an Olympic semi-final and still won the bout. Drill scramble recovery and neck defence (chin down, hands inside) so one bad moment does not end your match.
1980–1996
