Wrestling Legend Takhti: Character of a Champion

     If you are a wrestling fan, a wrestling history nerd, or just love wrestling, you need to learn about Takhti. He was a champion on and off the mat. A true wrestler who understood the importance of being an honorable man in victory and defeat. 

Gholamreza Takhti (Persian: غلامرضا تختی‎; August 27, 1930–January 7, 1968) was an Iranian Olympic Gold-Medalist Wrestler andVarzesh-e Bastani practitioner.^[1] Popularly nicknamed Jahan Pahlevan (Persian: جهان‌پهلوان‎; literally The World Champion)^[2]because of his chivalrous behavior and sportsmanship (Javanmardi in Iranian Culture),^[3] He was the most popular athlete of Iran in 20th Century, despite the fact that there are dozens of Iranian athletes that have won more international medals than Takhti.^[1]Takhti is still a hero to many Iranians.^[4] He is listed in the FILA wrestling hall of fame.

Character on the Wrestling mat[edit]

Takhti tended to act fair when competing rivals during his career, something which was originated from traditional values of Zurkhaneh, a kind of heroic behaviour epitomizes chivalrous qualities so called Javanmardi.^[3]

For instance, once he had a match with Russian wrestler Alexander Medved who had an injured right knee. When Takhti found out that Medved was injured, he avoided touching the injured leg and tried to attack the other leg instead.^[3] He lost the match, but showed that he valued honorable behavior more than reaching victory.^[5]

Another example of his character comes from a match in Moscow. After defeating the then-world champion Anatoli Albul, Takhti saw the sorrow on the face of Albul's mother. Takhti went to her and said, "I'm sorry about the result, but your son is a great wrestler." She smiled and kissed him.^[5]

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