Zhan Beleniuk confirmed that he is leaving Greco-Roman wrestling after the Games in Paris.
Ukrainian Greco-Roman wrestler Zhan Beleniuk commented on winning the bronze at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
After winning the bronze medal match, the 33-year-old Ukrainian danced the hopak and with a symbolic gesture announced the end of his career – he took off his wrestling shoes and placed them in the center of the mat.
“I wouldn't mind if there was gold. But this is sport, anything can happen. Unfortunately, I lost the fight. To be honest, I'm very happy that I managed to win the match for bronze. I know this guy, I fought him three times, and I always won.
But when you're 30 and, to be honest, you think that this is the last fight in your life, you want to end it on a positive note. Happy with the result. In 2013, I came back without an international medal for the last time. I didn't want to break that streak.
Now if there are tears, they will be tears of happiness, like last time. I will miss wrestling, I will definitely be in sports, I will maintain my physical strength.
I have a new hobby: table tennis, I love it. I think I will devote more time to this sport. But sometimes I will go out on the mat. Did you leave your wrestling shoes on the mat? “I still have some spare ones,” Beleniuk said in a comment to Suspilne Sport after the medal fight.
Beleniuk is leaving Greco-Roman wrestling as a three-time Olympic medalist. In addition to the bronze from Paris 2024, his track record includes silver from Rio 2016 and gold from Tokyo 2020.
Beleniuk's medal was the tenth for Ukraine at the current Olympics. Now the “blue-yellows” have three gold, three silver and four bronze medals.
Earlier it was reported that another Ukrainian Greco-Roman wrestler, Parviz Nasibov, became a silver medalist at the 2024 Olympics, losing in the final to Iranian Said Esmaili Leivesi.
Ukraine at the XXXIII The Summer Olympics will feature 140 athletes competing in 23 sports. The games in Paris will run until August 11.
