Rasul Chunaev leading in world wrestling rankings

/By AzerNews/

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijani wrestler Rasul Chunayev, at 71 kg, leads the United World Wrestling rankings in the Greco-Roman style published this September.

A winner in the 1st European Games, 24-year-old Rasul strengthened his position after becoming a World Champion at the 2015 World Wrestling Championship held in Las Vegas this September.

The list also includes the names of as many as 10 national wrestlers.

Silver medalist Rovshan Bayramov, weighing in 59kg, rose in the rankings to take second place in his weight class.

Saman Tahmasibi, at 85kg, won the bronze medal at the World Championship in Las Vegas to become fourth in the ranking.

Elvin Mursaliyev, weighing at 75 kg, and Sabah Shariati, at 130kg, placed fifth at their weight category.

Another national athlete in the top 10 is Rafig Huseynov, at 80kg, who took eighth palace in his category.

"Happy Dancer," as Chunayev is known in the American press already became world renowned for his fast spinning hips and devastating headlocks, started wrestling at the age of nine after being inspired by his coach.

Becoming a member of the national team in 2006, Chunayev brought many changes to the sports history of the country.

In 2008, the wrestler became European Champion. Chunayev was also the winner of the Summer Universiade in Kazan in 2013. He won gold at the first European Games held in Baku this summer and became the first athlete to win gold while on active duty in the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.

In his personal life, Chunayev expresses a love for dancing and his character is frequently described as laid-back and relaxed.

His most notable celebration came after Chunayev defeated Russian wrestler Islambek Albiev at the Universiade, when he performed the Azerbaijani lezginka, a traditional dance of the Caucasus, on the mat.