Rustam Assakalov

Rustam Skhatbievich Assakalov (Рустам Схатбиевич Ассакалов; born 13 July 1984) is a Russian-born Uzbekistani Greco-Roman wrestler of Adyg heritage. He won gold medals at the 2014 Asian Games and 2013 and 2015 Asian Championships, and silver medals at the 2018 Asian Games, 2015 World Championships and 2014 and 2018 Asian championships.

Assakalov took up wrestling in 1994 in Novorossiysk, Russia, following his father, a former wrestler. He placed third at the 2009 Russian Championships. His younger brother Bislan Assakalov is a World Cadet Champion.

In 2022, he won the gold medal in his event at the Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan Tournament held in Istanbul, Turkey. He competed in the 97kg event at the 2022 World Wrestling Championships held in Belgrade, Serbia.

Assakalov won one of the bronze medals in the 97kg event at the 2022 Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China.

He competed at the 2024 Asian Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and he earned a quota place for Uzbekistan for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.