“I compare my school years with those of my classmates and realise that they spent most of their time partying and I spent most of my life in the gym,” recalls Arthur Odilbekov of his teenage years.
His hard work has paid off. Despite seemingly insurmountable odds, the 29 year-old Ismaili athlete from Tajikistan has forged a successful career in combat sport, including winning the 2012 World Championship in Pankration.
A blend of boxing and wrestling, Pankration is said to have been part of the ancient Greek Olympic Games. It’s name is derived from the Greek words “Pan” and “Kratos”, which translates to “the one who controls everything.” Although not part of the modern Olympics, the modern form of the sport is described by the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) as “a mild form of mixed martial arts (MMA), which forbids striking to the head.”
Ismailimail 