Aleksi "Alex" Modebadze (Georgian: ალექსი მოდებაძე; born February 21, 1978) is a retired amateur Georgian freestyle wrestler who competed in the men's super heavyweight category.[1] He represented his nation Georgia in two editions of the Olympic Games (2000 and 2004), and later claimed three career medals at the European Championships. Modebadze also trained for Shevardeni Wrestling Club in Tbilisi under his personal coach Zaza Turmanidze.

Alex Modebadze
Personal information
Full nameAleksi Modebadze
Nationality Georgia
Born (1978-02-21) 21 February 1978 (age 46)
Tbilisi, Georgian SSR,
Soviet Union
Height1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight115 kg (254 lb)
Sport
SportWrestling
StyleFreestyle
ClubShevardeni Tbilisi
CoachZaza Turmanidze
Medal record
Men's freestyle wrestling
Representing  Georgia
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 2001 Budapest 130 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Riga 130 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Sofia 120 kg

Modebadze made his official debut at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where he competed in the men's super heavyweight division (130 kg). He eclipsed Greece's Efstathios Topalidis on his opening bout with a striking effort, but could not pin Iranian wrestler and 1999 world champion Abbas Jadidi into the ring without collecting a single point. Finishing second in the prelim pool and tenth in the overall rankings, Modebadze fell short to earn a spot for the quarterfinals.[2]

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Modebadze qualified for his second Georgian squad in the men's 120 kg class by receiving a berth and achieving a top eight finish from the 2003 World Wrestling Championships in New York City, New York, United States.[3] Modebadze managed to score a single triumph over Hungary's Ottó Aubéli with a five-point advantage, but he was thrown powerfully by Russian wrestler and 1997 world champion Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov in overtime to end his Olympic campaign with a second-place effort in the prelim pool and fourteenth in the overall rankings.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Alex Modebadze". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  2. ^ "Sydney 2000: Wrestling – Super Heavyweight Freestyle (130kg)" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. pp. 134–135. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 September 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  3. ^ Abbott, Gary (29 July 2004). "Olympic Games preview at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in men's freestyle". USA Wrestling. The Mat. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  4. ^ "Wrestling: Men's Freestyle 120kg". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
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