Obituary

Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov, First Kazakh to Win Olympic Gold, Dies at 69

Monday, August 3, 2020 - 12:49 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (August 3) -- Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov, who won Olympic gold for the U.S.S.R  in Greco-Roman wrestling at the Moscow Games in 1980, has died. He was 69.

Ushkempirov was the first ethnic Kazakh to win an Olympic gold in wrestling and became a national star following his performance. To honor his achievements, there is an international Junior Greco-Roman wrestling tournament named "Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov" held annually in the nation of Kazakhstan. He was also inducted into the UWW Hall of Fame in 2014.

In addition to his Olympic gold, Ushkempirov was a 1981 World champion, 1980 European silver medallist, USSR Champion (1975,1980), and Honored Master of Sports of USSR (1980). 

Ushkempirov also received the Labor of Kazakhstan award as well as the honors of "Barys", "Badge of Honor", "Parasat".

Ushkempirov

African Champion Kleinjan Combrinck, 23, Has Died

Wednesday, June 13, 2018 - 19:43 By Eric Olanowski

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CAPE TOWN, South Africa - Kleinjan COMBRINCK, 2018 African Champion in freestyle wrestling at 57kg, died Sunday morning in a car accident near his home in South Africa.

Combrinck, 23, recently represented South Africa at the 2018 Commonwealth Games where he took fifth-place. Ranked as high as 12th in the world, Combrinck’s next competition was expected to be the 2018 U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania.

Michael GAITSKILL, who also competed on South Africa’s 2018 Commonwealth Games team was in the car with Combrinck and in is the intensive care unit in critical condition.

In a statement released by SASCOC, South Africa’s umbrella sports body, President Gideon Sam said, “The loss of Kleinjan and the serious injury to Michael rocks the very heart of the SA sporting family. Both these two fine men were excellent wrestlers and also brilliant ambassadors for South African sport on the international front.”