Arsen Mekokishvili

Arsen Mekokishvili (Georgian: არსენ მეკოკიშვილი, 12 April 1912 – 9 March 1972) was a Georgian heavyweight freestyle wrestler. He won an Olympic gold medal in 1952 and a world title in 1954.[1][2][3]

Arsen Mekokishvili

Personal information
Born	12 April 1912 Georgitsminda, Sagarejo Municipality, Georgia, Russian Empire[1]
Died	9 March 1972 (aged 59) Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union[1]
Sport
Sport	Freestyle wrestling
Club	Dynamo Tbilisi[1][2]
Medal record Representing the  Soviet Union Olympic Games 1952 Helsinki +87 kg World Championships 1954 Tokyo +87 kg

Mekokishvili took up wrestling following his father, a local champion in chidaoba, and in 1934 won the Georgian chidaoba championship. Later around 1939 he changed to sambo and freestyle wrestling, and won the Soviet titles in sambo in 1940 and 1947–52 and in freestyle wrestling in 1945–46, 1948–53 and 1956. Between 1945 and 1954, he lost only one bout, to Johannes Kotkas. After retiring from competitions Mekokishvili worked as a wrestling coach in Georgia. He died in Moscow as a result of a car accident.[1]

References

1. Arsen Mek'ok'ishvili. sports-reference.com
2. Grigory Chernevich, ed. (2003). Dynamo. Encyclopedia. OLMA Media Group. p. 40. ISBN 978-5-224-04399-6.
3. Valery Steinbach, ed. (2017). Great Olympic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. A–N. LitRes. p. 705. ISBN 978-5-04-049810-9.

External links

• Arsen Mekokishvili at United World Wrestling