Anatoly Kolesov

Anatoly Kolesov was the world’s top Greco-Roman welterweight wrestler at the start of the 1960s. He rose into prominence in 1959, when he won the Soviet Greco-Roman middleweight title, but was not selected to the Soviet national team until 1962, staying on the team through 1965, when he retired from wrestling. During that time, Kolesov won the 1964 Olympic Greco-Roman welterweight title and three Greco-Roman welterweight World Championships (1962, 1963, 1965). Domestically, Kolesov was not as successful, winning only two Soviet titles – 1959 middleweight and 1964 Greco-Roman welterweight. After finishing his sporting career, Kolesov worked as a wrestling coach and official. From 1966-69 he was the head coach of the Soviet national wrestling team. From 1969-92, he was the deputy chairman of the Committee for Physical Culture and Sport with the Council of Soviet Ministers. From 1991-93, Kolesov was deputy chairman of the Sports Council of CIS and was also the member of Association of National Olympic Committees of CIS countries. In 1991 he served as president of the Soviet Wrestling Federation, and he was the head of Russian delegation at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics.