Vakhtang Balavadze

For the politician, see Vakhtang Balavadze (politician).

Vakhtang Balavadze
Balavadze at the 1959 World Championships
Personal information
Born(1927-11-20)20 November 1927
Ganiri, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union
(now Samtredia, Georgia)
Died25 July 2018(2018-07-25) (aged 90)
Sport
SportFreestyle wrestling
ClubBurevestnik Tbilisi
Medal record
Representing the  Soviet Union
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1956 Melbourne 73 kg
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1954 Tokyo 73 kg
Gold medal – first place 1957 Istanbul 73 kg
Silver medal – second place 1959 Tehran 73 kg

Vakhtang Balavadze (Georgian pronunciation: [vaχtʼanɡ balavadze]; 20 November 1927 – 25 July 2018) was a Georgian welterweight freestyle wrestler. He competed at the 1956 and 1960 Summer Olympics and won a bronze medal in 1956. He won the world title in 1954 and 1957, and was a runner-up in 1959.[1] Balavadze won the Soviet title in 1952–55 and 1957, placing second in 1956 and 1959. He retired from competition following the 1960 Summer Olympics to become a wrestling coach and referee.[2]

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