Legendary Soviet wrestling coach discusses Dagestani work ethic phenomenon

Longtime head coach of the Soviet national team Yuri Shakhmuradov explained the phenomenon of Dagestani wrestlers using the example of Ruslan Ashuralaev, who won world championships in 1974 and 1975. Shakhmuradov described how Ali Aliev showed how to win the world championship five times, and Zagalav Abdulbekov demonstrated how to win the Olympics, establishing a tradition of Dagestani excellence. The coach emphasized that extraordinary work ethic was the foundation, citing Ashuralaev's training regimen as almost unbelievable by modern standards. As an example, Ashuralaev would run 28 kilometers from Makhachkala to the airport alone at 8 AM. Shakhmuradov concluded that the ability to endure suffering is the greatest phenomenon of Dagestani wrestlers. At the 2026 European Championship, Dagestani wrestlers won six gold medals, continuing this tradition.