Valentin Yordanov DIMITROV

Valentin Yordanov is one of the most titled wrestlers in history. In addition to his two Olympic medals (1992 bronze, 1996 gold), Yordanov won seven World Championships – 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1993-1995 – and seven European Championships – 1982-83, 1985-89. His 10 World medals is the most won by a single wrestler. Yordanov emigrated to the United States in 1990 but continued to wrestle for Bulgaria, eventually retiring after the 1996 Olympics. He later became a member of the FILA Athletes’ Commission and was President of the Bulgarian Wrestling Federation from 1998-2007.

In the United States Yordanov lived and trained in Delaware at the estate of John Eleuthère du Pont with the Foxcatcher Team. Du Pont was the heir to the DuPont chemical fortune who later became mentally unstable and killed American wrestling gold medalist Dave Schultz. After his death, it was revealed that du Pont had bequeathed 80% of his considerable estate to Yordanov. This was challenged by the du Pont family, but the courts ruled in Yordanov’s favor.