Ivan Sergeyevich Yarygin (Russian: Иван Сергеевич Ярыгин, IPA:[ɪˈvansʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕjɪˈrɨɡʲɪn]; 7 November 1948 – 11 October 1997) was a Soviet and Russian heavyweight freestyle wrestler. Between 1970 and 1980 he won all his major international competitions, except for the 1970 and 1974 European championships where he placed second. Yarygin was an Olympic champion in 1972 and 1976, being the first wrestler to go through an Olympic competition with straight pin victories and no foul points,[3] a world champion in 1973, a World Cup winner five times, has never lost a single match in World Cup competition,[4] and a European champion in 1972 and 1975–76, and won a world cup in 1973, 1976–77 and 1979–80.[1] He also set a record for the fastest pin victory in the World Cup history at 27 seconds.[5] After retiring in 1980, he headed the Soviet freestyle wrestling team from 1982 to 1992 and the Russian Wrestling Federation from 1993 until his untimely death in a car crash in 1997.[6] An exceptional upper-body wrestler,[7] Yarygin was widely regarded for his tremendous physique and high-strength aggressive style, always aiming to pin down his opponents, with most of his stoppage wins came by way of fall achieved through rapid fireman's lift and slamming the opponent to the mat.[8] One of the most prestigious tournaments in the World was put together in his honor - The Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin Tournament is held annually in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, and has the reputation of being one of the hardest tournaments in the World. The Yarygin Memorial annually sees the world's best wrestlers come to Siberia, with the added element that Russia's autonomous oblasts and republics such as Dagestan and Chechnya field independent teams alongside an All-Russia selection.
Biography[edit]
Childhood and early career[edit]
Yarygin was born as the sixth child in a family of ten siblings. Most members of his family were heavily built and physically active people. Since early age Yarygin helped his father at his blacksmith workshop.[2] As a teenager he wanted to become a football goalkeeper, and took up wrestling only in 1966, aged 18. He then was drafted and went on to win the Soviet Armed Forces heavyweight championships in Sambo wrestling, gaining the Master of Sports degree in Sambo. He then switched to freestyle wrestling, and won 1968 RSFSR national youth championships and 1969 Soviet youth championships.
Prime years[edit]
In 1970, he won the Soviet title competing in senior division, beating his main rival Vladimir Gulyutkin; he lost to Gulyutkin in 1971, but beat him again at the 1972 Olympic Trials and was selected for the Munich Olympics. At the Olympics he won all five bouts by fall, spending on the mat a little more than 7 minutes instead of 45.[6] Three months prior to the Olympics, he won the 1972 European Championships, winning all bouts by fall. When first appeared in the United States for the 1973 World Cup and the subsequent wrestling tour, the U.S.—Soviet Olympic freestyle wrestling exhibition, where he and the USSR National Wrestling Team met the United States National Team (composed of both National AAU, Athletes in Action and NCAA Wrestling Team Championship winners,) the American press described him as "a blue-eyed, red-haired, 24-year-old wrestler from the Soviet Union who spreads 220 pounds over an awesome, statuesque frame that might have been hammered and chiseled out of a granite block cornerstone from the Tomb of Lenin."[9][8] He was a flagbearer for the Soviet wrestling team while on the U.S. tour.[10] When Yarygin wrestled Russell Hellickson (whom he had his shoulder disclocated at their previous match-up at the Olympics,) at Hellickson's hometown of Madison, Wisconsin, Yarygin let him up to prevent further injury,[10] and wrestled just hard enough to protect himself until Hellickson finally fainted to pain.[11]
After the Olympics, he won the 1973 World Championships, again all bouts by fall. Thus Yarygin became the only wrestler to win three consecutive major competitions, scoring only fall victories. He then lost several minor contests, and decided to retire from competition, settled in his native village of Sizaya, where he worked as a lumberjack in Taiga forest. Outdoor activity helped him to regain his strength and confidence, and he came back in 1974 to continue his victorious streak. His next Olympic victory in 1976 was less spectacular because he wrestled the whole tournament with two broken ribs. After that Yarygin was selected as the Soviet Olympic flag bearer at the closing ceremony.[12]
Coming to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania for the match-up versus the American National Wrestling Team, Soviet wrestlers were welcomed officially by Mayor Walter Lisman, and were given a key to Wilkes-Barre by the mayor.[13]
Retirement[edit]
While preparing for the Moscow Olympics Yarygin realized that the young Soviet wrestler Ilya Mate has a better chance for the gold medal (which he indeed won). Yarygin retired from competition permanently in 1980 and became a wrestling coach. In 1982–92, he trained the Soviet freestyle wrestling team, and in 1993–1997 headed the Russian Wrestling Federation.[6] He was a key organizer of the 1997 World Wrestling Championships in Krasnoyarsk.[12]
U.S.—Soviet all-star series Olympic freestyle wrestling four-city tour
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
King's College Gym
Win
1979-03-26
New York City
Felt Forum
1977 World Cup Winner at 100kg
Win
Harold Smith
Fall
0:27
1977-03-27
1977 World Cup
Toledo, Ohio
Centennial Hall
Win
Steve Daniar
Fall
1977-03-26
Win
Yoshiaki Yatsu
Fall
1977-03-26
1976 Olympic Gold Medalist at 100kg
Win
Russell Hellickson
Decision
19–13
1976-07-27
1976 Summer Olympics
Montreal
Maurice Richard Arena
Win
Petr Drozda
Tech Fall
5:30
1976-07-27
Win
Dimo Kostov
Decision
16–5
1976-07-27
Win
Daniel Verník
Tech Fall
1:26
1976-07-27
Win
Harald Büttner
Decision
13–5
1976-07-27
1976 European Champion at 100kg
Win
Dimo Kostov
—
—
1976-04-18
1976 European Championship
Leningrad
Yubileyny Sports Palace
Win
Mehmet Güçlü
—
—
1976-04-18
Win
Petr Drozda
—
—
1976-04-18
Win
1976-03-
U.S.—Soviet all-star series Olympic freestyle wrestling tour
Miami, Florida
Win
Jeff Smith
Fall
0:23
1976-03-04
East Lansing, Michigan
Jenison Fieldhouse
1976 World Cup Winner at 100kg
Win
Greg Wojciechowski
1976-03-01
1976 World Cup
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo Field House
Win
R. Sookhtsarat
Decision
4–2
1976-02-29
Win
Steve Daniar
—
—
1976-02-29
1975 European Champion at 100kg
Loss
Harald Büttner
—
—
1975-05-01
1975 European Championship
Ludwigshafen
Win
Dimo Kostov
—
—
1975-05-01
Win
Edward Żmudziejewski
—
—
1975-05-01
Win
Petr Drozda
—
—
1975-05-01
1974 European Silver Medalist at 100kg
Loss
Harald Büttner
—
—
1974-06-24
1974 European Championship
Madrid
Palacio de Deportes
Win
1974-04-05
U.S.—Soviet all-star series Olympic freestyle wrestling six-city tour
Alexandria, Virginia
Win
Jim Duschen
Fall
>3:00
1974-04-02
Chattanooga, Tennessee
University of Tennessee Arena
Win
Buck Deadrich
Fall
8:41
1974-03-30
Berkeley, California
Harmon Gym
Win
Larry Amundson
Fall
2:48
1974-03-27
San Diego, California
Peterson Gym
Guest
Soviet wrestling clinic demonstration
1974-03-23
Long Beach, California
Long Beach State Gym
Win
Buck Deadrich
Fall
>3:00
1974-03-22
Long Beach Arena
Win
Buck Deadrich
Fall
2:34
1974-03-19
New York City
Felt Forum
1973 World Champion at 100kg
Win
Buck Deadrich
Fall
>6:00
1973-09-06
1973 World Championship
Tehran
Aryamehr Indoor Stadium
Win
József Csatári
Fall
1973-09-09
Win
Dimitar Nekov
Fall
—
1973-09-06
1973 World University Games Champion at 100kg
Win
Buck Deadrich
—
—
1973-08-15
1973 World University Games
Moscow
Lenin Palace of Sports
Win
Dimitar Stankov
—
—
1973-08-15
Win
Henk Schenk
Decision
6–3
1973-06-01
U.S.—Soviet all-star series Olympic freestyle wrestling four-city tour
New York City
Felt Forum
Win
Nick Curollo
Fall
1:04
1973-05-30
Brockport, New York
Brockport State Gym
Win
Greg Wojciechowski
Decision
3–1
1973-05-26
Columbus, Ohio
St. John Arena
Win
Russell Hellickson
Default (9–0)
>6:00
1973-05-23
Madison, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Field House
1973 World Cup Winner at 100kg
Win
Russell Hellickson
Fall
1:56
1973-05-20
1973 World Cup
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo Field House
Win
Claude Pilon
Fall
0:17
1973-05-19
Win
Shizuo Yada
Fall
1973-05-19
1972 Olympic Gold Medalist at 100kg
Win
József Csatári
Fall
2:04
1972-08-31
1972 Summer Olympics
Munich
Messe München
Win
Khorloo Bayanmunkh
Fall
5:21
1972-08-31
Win
Enache Panait
Fall
1:47
1972-08
Win
Abolfazl Anvari
Fall
2:58
1972-08
Win
Harry Geris
Fall
2:20
1972-08
Win
Gerd Bachmann
Fall
2:11
1972-08
Win
Bruno Jutzeler
Fall
0:27
1972-08-27
1972 European Champion at 100kg
Win
Vasil Todorov
Fall
—
1972-04-24
1972 European Championship
Katowice
Spodek Arena
Win
Gerd Bachmann
Fall
—
1972-04-24
Win
Enache Panait
Fall
—
1972-04-24
1970 European Silver Medalist at 100kg
Loss
Ahmet Ayık
—
—
1970-06-09
1970 European Championship
East Berlin
Win
Vasil Todorov
Fall
—
1970-06-09
Win
Gerd Bachmann
Fall
—
1970-06-09
Win
Enache Panait
Fall
—
1970-06-09
Win
Karel Engel
Fall
—
1970-06-09
Death and legacy[edit]
The Russian Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bomber named after Yarygin
Yarygin was killed in a car crash in 1997, crashing his car into a roadside-parked heavy truck.[12] Earlier in 1990, an annual wrestling tournament in his honor has been initiated in Krasnoyarsk, the city where he lived since 1966; in 1998 a sports venue in Krasnoyarsk has been renamed into the Ivan Yarygin Sports Palace, and in March 2002 his monument was opened in the city. His other monuments were installed in Moscow in 1998, in Stavropol Krai (near the place of his death) in 2012, and in Abakan in 2013.[16] A secondary school[17] and a wrestling complex in Moscow are named after Yarygin. In 2010 Yarygin was inducted into the FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame.[6]
^"Soviet Coach Is Optimistic". Fayetteville Northwest Arkansas Times: 22. March 26, 1980. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |agency= ignored (help)
^The record later was beaten by Jim Jackson, who pinned Japanese heavyweight Yasuori Ominato in 17 seconds, April 1, 1978. See: United Press International (April 2, 1978). "U.S. Leads Cup Wrestling": 47. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ abcd"Ivan Yarygin". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 16 October 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
^"Notes". The Post-Crescent. 16 (31): 36. August 1, 1976.