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Journalism of Courage
Sydney, September 24: Legendary Russian wrestler Alexander Karelin, a gentle giant who trains in waist-deep Siberian snow and then goes home to read poetry, begins his campaign to capture a fourth straight Olympic gold medal at the Sydney Games on Monday. Karelin, unbeaten in 14 years during which time he has won three Olympic golds, nine world titles and 12 European crowns, seems to have an unbreakable arm lock on Games history. Only three athletes, sailor Paul Elvstrom of Denmark, American discus thrower Al Oerter and Carl Lewis in the long jump, have won four consecutive golds in the same individual event and Karelin’s membership to the "legends only" club just needs to be rubber stamped. There are 20 competitors in Karelin’s Greco-Roman superheavyweight division but with the 32-year-old colossus only having dropped one point in competition during the last decade, the intimidation factor is huge. Oppenents also fear his trademark reverse body lift which begins with a bear hug and ends with Karelin throwinghis rival feet-first over his head. So fearsome is the move, which only Karelin among the superheavyweights has the strength to execute, that several wrestlers have submitted to avoid being tossed unceremoniously through the air.
