Soviet wrestling coach details extreme training regimen of Dagestan fighters

Yuri Shakhmuradov, longtime head coach of the USSR wrestling team, discussed the phenomenon of Dagestani wrestlers using Ruslan Ashuraliyev (world champion in 1974 and 1975) as an example. Shakhmuradov revealed that Ashuraliyev would run 28 kilometers from Makhachkala to the airport alone at 8 a.m. as part of his regular training. He described the training loads as "beyond limits" that would seem unbelievable to modern athletes. The coach emphasized that the ability to endure suffering is the greatest phenomenon of Dagestani wrestlers. At the 2026 European Championships, Dagestani wrestlers won six gold medals, continuing this tradition of excellence.