Alexander Karelin, universally considered the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler of all time Karelin was famous for his body lift, the “Karelin Lift”, where facing the opponent who was lying flat on the mat to keep from being thrown, Karelin was able to lift the opponent from around his waist and throw him all the way over his shoulders, scoring from 2 to 5 points depending on the height of the throw. Karelin’s ability to perform this throw against elite opponents weighing as much as 130 kg was amazing to audiences as well as other participants and observers of the sport.
Home / Questions / Nicknamed the Russian Dan Gable, he went undefeated in international competition from 1987 to 2000 until upset by the American wrestler Rulon Gardner. He won gold medals at the 1988, 1992, and 1996 Olympic Games and went the last six years of his unbeaten streak without giving up a point. Who is he?