The athlete from Kyrgyzstan competed in Greco-Roman wrestling in the 77 kg category and began the tournament with a victory over American Kamal Bey.
However, in the quarterfinals, Makhmudov unexpectedly lost to Kazakh wrestler Demeu Zhadraev, which allowed him to continue fighting for the bronze medal.
First, the Kyrgyzstani athlete won against a Colombian competitor, and then in the final match for third place, he faced Sanan Suleymanov from Azerbaijan.
"Before the bronze match, Roman Vlasov helped me a lot. I was unable to concentrate and decided to call him. In just a few minutes, he gave me important advice and helped me get focused. He said that many were expecting gold from me, but I shouldn’t return home empty-handed. A bronze medal is also not bad. We discussed this," noted Makhmudov in an interview with journalist Tahir Gafurov.
As a result, Makhmudov won against the Azerbaijani wrestler, secured third place, and earned a bronze medal.
