# Akhmed Tazhudinov

Akhmed Magomedovich Tazhudinov (Russian: Ахмед Магомедович Тажудинов; born 25 January 2003) is a Russian-born Bahraini freestyle wrestler who competes at 97 kilograms. Representing Bahrain, Tazhudinov became the World Champion and Asian Champion in 2023, and is a multiple-time gold medalist in international tournaments. He won the gold medal in the men's 97 kg event at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

## Career

Akhmed Tazhudinov won one of the bronze medals in the 97 kg category at the 2022 Russian Wrestling Championships. He has been competing for Bahrain since autumn 2022 and made his debut at the Dinmuhamed Kunayev Memorial International Tournament in Taraz, Kazakhstan, in early November 2022, where he won the tournament. A few days later, as part of the Bahrain team in Egypt, he won the Arab Championships.
On 13 April 2023 in Astana, he participated in the 2023 Asian Wrestling Championships and defeated China's Habila Awusayiman in the final to become the Asian champion. On 19 September 2023, he pinned Magomedkhan Magomedov in the finals of the 2023 World Wrestling Championships to win his first Senior World gold medal. In earlier rounds on the way to the title, he defeated Kyle Snyder and Abdulrashid Sadulaev, who between them had won every world or Olympic title at 97 kg dating back to the 2015 World Wrestling Championships.
In his bout with Kyle Snyder, Akhmed Tazhudinov showed phenomenal wrestling and defeated him 10-0. Sadulaev was unable to continue the fight due to a neck injury and withdrew from the tournament.
A year later, Tazhudinov won the gold medal in the men's 97 kg event at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. Following the competition, he underwent surgery to repair a separated AC joint in his right shoulder, which he had sustained at a training camp in Belarus a few weeks prior.

## Championships and achievements
### Senior level

* 2022 Russian National Championships — 3rd
* 2023 World Championships — 1st
* 2023 Asian Championships — 1st
* 2024 Asian Championships — 1st
* 2024 Summer Olympics — Gold

### Junior level

* 2021 Dagestan state championships — 2nd
* 2021 Besik Kudukhov international — 3rd

## Freestyle record

Senior Freestyle Matches :
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Score | Date | Event | Location |
| 2024 Summer Olympics at 97 kg |||||||
| Win | 32–2 | Givi Matcharashvili | Fall 2–0 | 10–11 August 2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris, France |
| Win | 31–2 | Kyle Snyder | 6–4 | 10–11 August 2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris, France |
| Win | 30–2 | Alisher Yergali | TF 14–2 | 10–11 August 2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris, France |
| Win | 29–2 | Amir Ali Azarpira | 4–3 | 10–11 August 2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris, France |
| 2024 Asian Championships at 97 kg |||||||
| Win | 28–2 | Rizabek Aitmukhan | 4–2 | 11 April 2024 | 2024 Asian Continental Championships | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
| Win | 27–2 | Mohammad Hossein Mohammadian | 8–2 | 11 April 2024 | 2024 Asian Continental Championships | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
| Win | 26–2 | Hibiki Ito | TF 10–0 | 11 April 2024 | 2024 Asian Continental Championships | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
| 2024 Yasar Dogu Memorial at 97 kg |||||||
| Win | 25–2 | Jonathan Aiello | TF 10–0 | 9 March 2024 | 2024 Yasar Dogu Memorial International | Antalya, Turkey |
| Win | 24–2 | Rizabek Aitmukhan | Fall 9-3 | 9 March 2024 | 2024 Yasar Dogu Memorial International | Antalya, Turkey |
| Win | 23–2 | Kollin Moore | TF 11–0 | 9 March 2024 | 2024 Yasar Dogu Memorial International | Antalya, Turkey |
| Win | 22–2 | Ganbaatar Gankhuyag | 7–1 | 9 March 2024 | 2024 Yasar Dogu Memorial International | Antalya, Turkey |
| 2022 Asian Games at 97 kg |||||||
| Win | 21–2 | Mojtaba Goleij | 6–1 | 6 October 2023 | 2022 Asian Games | Lin'an, China |
| Win | 20–2 | Seo Ju-hwan | 6–1 | 6 October 2023 | 2022 Asian Games | Lin'an, China |
| Win | 19–2 | Kanybek Abdulkhairov | Fall 9-0 | 6 October 2023 | 2022 Asian Games | Lin'an, China |
| Win | 18–2 | Habila Awusayiman | 7–3 | 6 October 2023 | 2022 Asian Games | Lin'an, China |
| 2023 World Championships at 97 kg |||||||
| Win | 17–2 | Magomedkhan Magomedov | Fall 8-1 | 18–19 September 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Win | 16–2 | Abdulrashid Sadulaev | INJ (9–2) | 18–19 September 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Win | 15–2 | Kyle Snyder | TF 11–0 | 18–19 September 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Win | 14–2 | Maxwell Lacey | TF 10–0 | 18–19 September 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Win | 13–2 | Magomed Ibragimov | TF 10–0 | 18–19 September 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Belgrade, Serbia |
| 2023 K.U. Kozhomkul & R. Sanatbaev Memorial at 97 kg |||||||
| Win | 12–2 | Habila Awusayiman | 10–1 | 3 June 2023 | 2023 Kaba Uulu Kozhomkul & Raatbek Sanatbaev Tournament | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
| Win | 11–2 | Magomed Ibragimov | 5–2 | 3 June 2023 | 2023 Kaba Uulu Kozhomkul & Raatbek Sanatbaev Tournament | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
| Win | 10–2 | Bekzat Urkimbay | 5–2 | 3 June 2023 | 2023 Kaba Uulu Kozhomkul & Raatbek Sanatbaev Tournament | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
| Win | 9–2 | Serik Bakytkhanov | TF 10–0 | 3 June 2023 | 2023 Kaba Uulu Kozhomkul & Raatbek Sanatbaev Tournament | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
| 2023 Asian Continental Championships at 97 kg |||||||
| Win | 8–2 | Habila Awusayiman | TF 11–0 | 13 April | 2023 Asian Continental Championships | Astana, Kazakhstan |
| Win | 7–2 | Mojtaba Goleij | 13–8 | 13 April | 2023 Asian Continental Championships | Astana, Kazakhstan |
| Win | 6–2 | Bekzat Urkimbay | Fall 7–0 | 13 April | 2023 Asian Continental Championships | Astana, Kazakhstan |
| 2023 Ibrahim Moustafa Memorial 7th at 97 kg |||||||
| Loss | 5–2 | Vladislav Baitcaev | 4–6 | 25 February 2023 | 2023 Ibrahim Moustafa Memorial | Alexandria, Egypt |
| Win | 5–1 | Habila Awusayiman | 8–5 | 25 February 2023 | 2023 Ibrahim Moustafa Memorial | Alexandria, Egypt |
| 2022 Arab Championships at 125 kg |||||||
| Win | | Diaaeldin Kamal | INJ | 8 November 2022 | 2022 Arab Championships | Alexandria, Egypt |
| Win | 4–1 | Ahmed Aljamie | TF 11–0 | 8 November 2022 | 2022 Arab Championships | Alexandria, Egypt |
| Win | | Abdelaziz Elsabaa | INJ | 8 November 2022 | 2022 Arab Championships | Alexandria, Egypt |
| 2022 Russian Nationals at 97 kg |||||||
| Win | 3–1 | David Dzugaev | 9–3 | 24–26 June 2022 | 2022 Russian National Championships | Kyzyl, Tuva |
| Loss | 2–1 | Aslanbek Sotiev | 5–9 | 24–26 June 2022 | 2022 Russian National Championships | Kyzyl, Tuva |
| Win | 2–0 | Maxim Tolmachev | 13–6 | 24–26 June 2022 | 2022 Russian National Championships | Kyzyl, Tuva |
| Win | 1–0 | Askhab Boltukaev | 4–1 | 24–26 June 2022 | 2022 Russian National Championships | Kyzyl, Tuva |