Oleksiy Vakulenko

Oleksiy Borysovych Vakulenko (Ukrainian: Олексій Борисович Вакуленко; March 28, 1981 – March 3, 2007) was an amateur Ukrainian Greco-Roman wrestler, who competed in the men's featherweight category.[1] He won a bronze medal in the 55-kg division at the 2003 European Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro, and then finished fourth at the 2004 Summer Olympics, representing his nation Ukraine. Throughout his sporting career, Vakulenko trained full-time for Asovmash Wrestling Club in Mariupol, under his personal coach Oleg Evtuchenko.

Oleksiy Vakulenko
Personal information
Full nameOleksiy Borysovych Vakulenko
Nationality Ukraine
Born(1981-03-28)28 March 1981
Kramatorsk, Ukrainian SSR,
Soviet Union
Died3 March 2007(2007-03-03) (aged 25)
Kramatorsk, Ukraine
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Weight55 kg (121 lb)
Sport
SportWrestling
StyleGreco-Roman
ClubAsovmash Wrestling Club
CoachOleg Evtuchenko
Medal record
Men's Greco-Roman wrestling
Representing  Ukraine
European Championships
2003 Belgrade55 kg

Career

Vakulenko qualified for the Ukrainian squad in the men's 55 kg class at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Earlier in the process, he received a berth and rounded out the top ten spots from the 2003 World Wrestling Championships in Créteil, France.[2] Vakulenko opened the prelim pool with a shut out 4–0 victory over Czech Republic's Petr Švehla, and followed it with a stunning 3–0 upset over U.S. wrestler and 1996 Olympic silver medalist Dennis Hall to secure him a spot for the medal rounds.[3][4] Vakulenko edged past Georgia's Irakli Chochua (14–12) in the quarterfinals, before being overwhelmed by eventual Olympic champion István Majoros of Hungary with a 3–1 verdict. Vakulenko challenged against Greek wrestler Artiom Kiouregkian for the bronze medal, but could not throw him off the mat in front of the home crowd and lost the match 1–6, dropping the Ukrainian to fourth.[5][6]

On March 3, 2007, just three weeks before his twenty-sixth birthday, Vakulenko returned from his friend's wedding in Kramatorsk, when his car collided into the electric pylon on a traffic accident, killing him and severely injuring three of his colleagues.[7][8] Since 2013, a memorial wrestling tournament has been held in Donetsk to remember him.[9]

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Oleksiy Vakulenko". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  2. Abbott, Gary (13 July 2004). "Olympic Games preview at 55 kg/121 lbs. in men's Greco-Roman". USA Wrestling. The Mat. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  3. "Gardner, Hall only Americans left". ESPN. 24 August 2004. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  4. Miller, Bryce (24 August 2004). "Split matches keep Hall from advancing". Gannett News Service. Jackson Sun. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  5. "Wrestling: Men's Greco-Roman 55kg". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  6. "Wrestler Kiouregkian wins the bronze". Hellenic Resources Network. 26 August 2004. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  7. Смерть после свадьбы [Death after the wedding] (in Ukrainian). Kramatorsk.info. 15 March 2007. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  8. Відомий український спортсмен загинув, урізавшись в опору [Famous Ukrainian athlete was killed in Urizavshys Oblast] (in Ukrainian). Kramatorsk.info. 6 March 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  9. Мемориальный турнир памяти Алексея Вакуленко в Краматорске [A memorial tournament honors Oleksiy Vakulenko in Kramatorsk] (in Ukrainian). Borba School. 27 April 2013. Archived from the original on 22 May 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
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