Anzor KIKNADZE

Georgian Anzor K'ik'nadze was the best Soviet judoka of the 1960s. Aside from his 1964 Olympic bronze, K'ik'nadze was European open champion in 1962 and 1964-66, and took silver in 1967 and heavyweight silver in 1968. He was also European team champion in 1963-66, winning team bronzes in 1962 and 1967, and won two bronzes at the World Championships, in 1965 in open category and in 1967 in heavyweight. As the first Soviet championships in judo where held in 1973, K'ik'nadze never won a Soviet judo title, but he was Soviet sambo (a Soviet wrestling style similar to judo) heavyweight champion from 1961-65. After finishing his sporting career, K'ik'nadze worked as a sambo and judo coach in his native Georgia until his untimely death in a car accident.