Artur Naifonov

After coming up short and taking second place at the 2020 Russian National Championships, Naifonov wasn't able to compete at the Individual World Cup and did not wrestle again until March 2021. In order to achieve a place on the Olympic Team, Naifonov would have to take first place at the 2021 Russian National Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Ulan-Ude. Winning all of his matches, including against 2020 European Silver Medallist, Magomed Ramazanov whom Naifonov defeated in the semi-final. At one point, Ramazanov was winning with the score 8–1, before Naifonov made a comeback to win 10–8. Naifonov would then meet his main rival in Russia, Dauren Kurugliev, representing Dagestan, in the final. Naifonov defeated Kurugliev with the score 2–1, which won Naifonov the first place on the podium, gold medal and be invited to compete for his country at the Olympic games in Tokyo. ==2020 Olympic Games==

Following his Russian National Championships win, Naifonov wrestled at the Olympic Games held in Tokyo. Naifonov made his Olympic debut with a win over Ossetian-Slovakian transfer, Boris Makoev and defeated him 6–0, followed by a 12–1, technical fall over Turkey's Osman Göçen, advancing Naifonov into the semi-final opposite Hassan Yazdani. Yazdani won the match 7–1; however as this match was the semi-final, Naifonov was automatically placed into a third place, bronze-medal match against Dagestan-Uzbekistan transfer, Javrail Shapiev. After controlling all six minutes in a low scoring match, Naifonov won the match 2–0, securing an Olympic bronze medal. ==2021 World Championships==

Following his Bronze medal Olympic debut, Naifonov wanted to finish the year wrestling at the 2021 World Wrestling Championships, held in Norway. Naifonov faced Japan's Hayato Ishiguro in the round of 16 and defeated the Japanese wrestler 11–0 with advancement to the quarter-final match against Spanish representative, Taiumuraz Friev, who Naifonov beat 5–2. In the semi-final, Naifonov would, again, Yazdani and lost again, by the score 8-2 and ruining his hopes for gold. Naifonov faced Kazakh wrestler, Azamat Dauletbekov in the bronze medal match, beating the Kazakh by 3-0 and winning his second world bronze medal. ==2024 Olympic Games==

He competed at the 2024 European Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan and he earned a quota place for the Individual Neutral Athletes for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, but he missed these games, due to replacements by other NOCs. == Freestyle record ==

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Nefteyugansk, Russia Nefteyugansk, Russia Nefteyugansk, Russia Nefteyugansk, Russia Vladikavkaz, Russia Vladikavkaz, Russia Vladikavkaz, Russia Vladikavkaz, Russia Yakutsk, Russia Yakutsk, Russia Yakutsk, Russia Moscow, Russia Moscow, Russia Moscow, Russia Kazan, Tatarstan Kazan, Tatarstan Kazan, Tatarstan Kyzyl, Tuva Kyzyl, Tuva Kyzyl, Tuva Kyzyl, Tuva Tokyo, Japan Warsaw, Poland Ulan-Ude, Russia Naro-Fominsk, Russia Rome, Italy Krasnoyarsk, Russia Warsaw, Poland Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan Warsaw, Poland Sochi, Russia Kaspiysk, Russia Vladikavkaz, Russia Bucharest, Romania Yakutsk, Russia Odintsovo, Russia Kaspiysk, Russia Sofia, Bulgaria Krasnoyarsk, Russia Vladikavkaz, Russia Moscow, Russia Nefteyugansk, Russia Vanadzor, Armenia Krasnoyarsk, Russia == References ==