Rulon Gardner

Olympic Channel Releases Trailer for "Rulon Gardner Won't Die"

Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - 13:22 By United World Wrestling Press

Share this article

The Olympic Channel has released the trailer for its upcoming documentary on 2000 Olympic gold medalist wrestlers Rulon GARDNER (USA). The film, "Rulon Gardner Won't Die" is set to be released on Wednesday, June 3rd.

From the Olympic Channel press release about the release of the trailer:

MADRID – 13 May 2020 – At the Olympic Games Sydney 2000, Greco-Roman wrestler Rulon Gardner beat the world’s most dominant wrestler and three-time reigning Olympic champion, Aleksandr Karelin of Russia, propelling him to stardom. But what came after the ‘miracle on the mat’ was even more unpredictable. Gardner’s incredible story is featured in the upcoming Olympic Channel feature-length documentary, Rulon Gardner Won’t Die, which premieres worldwide on Wednesday, 3 June at olympicchannel.com and on its apps for mobile and connected TV devices.

Rulon Gardner Won’t Die, part of the Five Rings Films collection, tells the inspiring story of Rulon Gardner, the youngest of nine children from a Wyoming farming family, who twenty years ago shocked the world at the Olympic Games in Sydney and became an American icon overnight. Instant fame was then followed by tragedy and adversity including near-death experiences, crushing weight gain and bankruptcy. Now, he’s returned to wrestling as a high school coach and is trying to make sense of his legacy – both as an American icon and a cautionary tale for what can come after a miracle.

“This film is an honest look at not only the success I have achieved, but at the hardships that preceded and have followed my Olympic experience,” said Gardner. “I hope that people watching at home will find their own sources of motivation and determination - especially during tough and unpredictable times like we are going through now - and remember that when you get knocked down, you can always get up and persevere.”

For more information be sure to follow United World Wrestling on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. 

#WrestleZagreb

Friday's European Championships Greco-Roman semifinals set

Friday, April 21, 2023 - 09:45 By Eric Olanowski

Share this article

ZAGREB, Croatia (April 20) -- The fifth day of the European Championships in Zagreb, Croatia bring Greco-Roman action to the mat. We will start off with 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg and 130kg.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

FULL EUROPEAN C'SHIP SCHEDULE:
- 11:30 - Qualification rounds
- 16:45 - Semifinals
- 18:00 - Finals

Semifinal match (as they come in):
55kg
Adem Burak UZUN (TUR) vs. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) 
Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) vs. Denis Florin MIHAI (ROU) 

63kg
Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) vs. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) 
Leri ABULADZE (GEO) vs. Abu Muslim Aptievitch AMAEV (BUL) 

77kg
LÉVAI Zoltán (HUN) vs. Viktor NEMES (SRB) 
Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) vs. Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR) 

87kg
Istvan TAKACS (HUN) vs. Damian VON EUW (SUI) 
Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) vs. Ali CENGIZ (TUR) 

130kg
Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) vs. Riza KAYAALP (TUR) 
Sabah Saleh SHARIATI (AZE) vs. Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) 


14:38:  Istvan TAKACS (HUN) takes out Semen Novikov, knocking the reigning European champion Bisultanov from the competition.

14:31: Returning champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) has built a 4-0 first-period lead over Oliver Marco KRUEGER (DEN). Meanwhile, Kayaalp rolled through Marvik, 8-0, to punch his ticket to the semifinals at 130kg.

14:27: Von Euw gives Switerland a semifinals as he defeats Vigen NAZARYAN (ARM), 8-3.

14:25: Kayaalp is coming is coming up next on Mat B. He'll take on 2021 world bronze medalist Oskar MARVIK (NOR).

14:15: Damian VON EUW (SUI) is a guy to pay attention to. He's dropped from 97kg to 87kg and has been making waves at his new weight. He tech'd two-time world champion Zurabi Datunashvili a few weeks ago and is now in the wrestling in the quarterfinals in one of the deepest weights of the competition.

13:56: Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR) just survived a near upset against Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER). The German had Basar up in par terre with :20 left but failed to capitalize on his opportunity, losing the match, 3-1.

13:50: We're going to be heading directly in quarterfinals across all three mats after these matches wrap up. The semifinals will be listed above (as they come in).

13:40: LÉVAI Zoltán (HUN) got his revenge on Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE). If you recall the Greco-Roman World Cup, Azerbaijan was pushed to the finals because Suleymanov pinned Levei. In Croatia, Levai picked up a one-sided 9-0 win to advance to the quarterfinals, where he'll meet  Iuri LOMADZE (GEO).

13:38: What a showing by Novikov. The Bulgarian took down reigning European champion Bisultanov, 12-3, and set up a meeting an 87kg quarterfinal match with Istvan TAKACS (HUN).  

13:32: I'm back to my seat after shooting the Question of the Day. 

12:55: I'm going to take a quick break from the live blog to shoot the Question of the Day video. The question for today is, "Who is the strongest person you ever wrestled?"

12:37: Two of the brightest young stars in the game Turpal Ali Alvievich BISULTANOV (DEN) and Semen Sergeevich NOVIKOV (BUL) will wrestle in six matches on Mat C. 

Bisultanov is the reigning European Championships, while Novikov, who transferred from Ukraine, was a U23 world champion a few years ago.

12:31: As expected for the European Championships, the Greco-Roman fans showed up in large numbers. The loudest fans in the Arena Zagreb are from Croatia, Sweden and Denmark thus far.

12:20: Something to note: Serbia's reigning two-time world champion Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) was a late scratch on the entries and was replaced by Zarko DICKOV (SRB). 

12:10: The biggest storyline that we'll be following is Riza KAYAALP (TUR) beginning his quest to tie Alexander KARELIN's (RUS) 12 European title mark. He'll be up in seven matches on Mat A, where he'll wrestle Boris PETRUSIC (SRB).

11:50: We're through with our women's wrestling repechage matches for the day and the opening-round Greco-Roman matches are being call to the mats. As always, the starts won't be up for a while if they are seeded in the top four.