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MANKIEV, Nazir Yunuzovich

Olympic Champion, Men's Greco-Roman Wrestling - 55 kg, Beijing 2008

Nazir Mankiev (Назир Юнузович Манкиев) was born on January 27, 1985 in Surkhakhi, Ingushetia, Russia.

Mankiev is the ninth of 13 children. His mother works in a wedding salon in the town of Nazran, Ingushetia, while his father is a retired construction worker.

Mankiev began wrestling at the age of 9. In 2003, under the invitation of his current trainer Mikhail Gamzin, Mankiev moved to Krasnoyarsk where he now lives and trains.

Mankiev has been a member of the Russian National Wrestling Team since 2004.

In the 2005 Russia Championships, Mankiev won silver in his category. In 2006 Mankiev became Russian champion in wrestling.

In 2007 Mankiev claimed a bronze medal in Greco-Roman wrestling - 55kg at the World Wrestling Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. In the same year, he received the athletic rank of Master of Sport, International Class for Greco-Roman wrestling.

On December 17, 2007 Mankiev was awarded the military honor "For Military Valor, Second Degree" from the Russian Ministry of Defense.

In 2008, he was champion of the World Cup in Wrestling, and won an international tournament in Spain.

On January 19, 2008 Mankiev became the winner of the international Greco-Roman wrestling tournament, the Ivan Poddubny Grand Prix.

Mankiev hopes to pursue a career in the construction industry after he finishes wrestling. He is currently enrolled at the Tomsk Institute of Construction.

Mankiev is married.

Beijing 2008

On August 12, 2008 Mankiev defeated two-time European champion Rovshan Bayramov of Azerbaijan to take Olympic gold in the 55kg category of men's Greco-Roman wrestling. Mankiev's victory gave Russia its first gold medal of the 2008 Beijing Games.

Following his victory, Mankiev showed his respect to his opponent, highlighting their mutual sportsman-like rivalry: "I am grateful to my opponent, that he gave me such a good fight [...] I don't think that he will despair right now. At the European Championships he defeated me - now I have defeated him."

Mankiev described how he did not let doubt or self-confidence brew in his mind prior and during the Olympics.

"Overall, I wasn't tuned into the Olympics that much. It was possible to blow out, so I simply told myself, "This is just a tournament, I just need to go out there and fight", Mankiev said. "The more you think that all of this is one chance in four years, or perhaps in a lifetime, the worse things will turn out. One day of wrestling - where's the need for thinking? Now is the time for reflection."

Mankiev gave his thoughts on his Olympic achievement: "This is the first gold medal for Russia. I feel very good about it. I am very proud of my country although it is not an easy time for the Russian wrestling delegation, but we are a very strong team."

Sources

RIA Novosti, Nazir Mankiev's Profile (In Russian) 

RIA Novosti, Russian wrestlers win 2 gold medals at Beijing Olympics, August 12, 2008

Sport-Express.Ru, An Interview with Nazir Mankiev, August 13, 2008 (In Russian)

Last updated August 15, 2008