Nikolai Balboshin, the 1976 Olympic champion and five-time world champion in Greco-Roman wrestling, shared stories about his exceptional grip strength in an interview. Balboshin explained that he could tell how difficult an opponent would be based on their handshake before matches. He described squeezing opponents' forearms so hard during matches that blood flow would stop and their arms would swell up, with some opponents unable to continue. Balboshin recalled breaking a dynamometer at a medical dispensary that had a maximum reading of 120 when other athletes were registering 60-70. He also recounted crushing the hand of the King of Sweden during a 1977 medal ceremony so hard that he believed the king's fingers cracked, which Balboshin hoped would make him memorable. His grip strength was legendary among wrestling circles and became one of his signature advantages.
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