The athlete from Kyrgyzstan competed in the Greco-Roman wrestling category up to 77 kg and began his journey with a victory over American Kamal Bey.
However, in the quarterfinals, Makhmudov unexpectedly lost to Kazakhstani Demeu Zhadraev, which gave him a chance to continue fighting for bronze.
First, the Kyrgyzstani athlete won against a representative from Colombia, and then he was set to compete for third place against Azerbaijani Sanan Suleymanov.
“Before the final match for the bronze medal, Roman Vlasov helped me a lot. I couldn't focus and decided to chat with him a bit. In just a few minutes, he gave me important advice and helped me get in the right mindset. He reminded me that everyone was expecting a gold medal from me, but I shouldn't leave empty-handed. Bronze is also a good result. We discussed this,” Makhmudov shared in an interview with journalist Tahir Gafurov.
In the end, Makhmudov won against the Azerbaijani, took third place, and won the bronze medal.
