LA wrestlers gain expertise during clinic with legend Sergei Beloglazov

VAN NUYS — A 69-year-old man adorned in a University of Michigan long sleeve shirt was lifted into the air and slammed to the ground by Birmingham High senior Galoust “Gregory” Torosian.

It was part of a demonstration put on by Sergei Beloglazov, a two-time Olympic gold medalist — at 57 kg (125 pounds) — for what used to be known as the Soviet Union. Beloglazov took the bump while illustrating grappling techniques in front of 27 wrestlers at World Team Training Center in Van Nuys on Monday.

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How does a man his age continue to push his limits?

“I swim, I wrestle and I also play rugby with friends,” said the 5-foot-6 Beloglazov, who is still fit with muscular ab creases that show through his workout attire. “I stay young seeing the kids grow, seeing them smile. My time is gone and I see how they improve.”

Beloglazov is considered one of the innovators of the sport and can teach skills in all three styles of the sport: Folkstyle, Freestyle and Greco-Roman. He is credited with creating the front-body lock, a chest-to-chest technique used to control and transition an opponent onto their back.

He was at World Team Training Center to give lessons to athletes and coaches who were invited to learn from one of wrestling’s true masters.

“We are honored to have him,” said Torosian, who is a Harvard commit. “He’s a legend.”

Beloglazov was the first Soviet wrestler to become an NCAA Division I head coach when he took over Lehigh in 1990. He has also served as the head of the national teams for U.S., Russia, Japan, Singapore and Kazakhstan.

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He has spent years coaching across multiple continents and countries, and he was still full of energy and enthusiasm during the workout in Van Nuys. He smiled, laughed and gave instructions using his spitfire dialogue, with a diction of English and Russian, to students from elementary, middle and high schools to college-level wrestlers.

“He teaches fundamentals and has a deeper understanding of positioning and follows on what happens afterwards,” Camarillo assistant wrestling coach Eric Medina said. “It’s a really tough room. Everyone is drilling properly. Sergei is still moving very cleanly and efficiently. He taught some arm drags and how to close the distance with one movement and connect the body to the lock.”

 

Meeting Beloglazov was life changing according to 174-pounder Nikita Smatov, a Birmingham High graduate who is now a sophomore at Menlo College.

Smatov was born in Siberia and views Beloglazov as a national hero in Russia. Smatov practiced karate and didn’t begin wrestling until joining the Patriots’ wrestling team as a sophomore.

Beloglazov and Smatov went back and forth speaking fluent Russian together. The wily veteran smiled and spoke with excitement to the 6-foot-2 Smatov, who towered over Beloglazov.

Smatov learned new ways to par terre, the defensive position taken by a wrestler from a face down position when being straddled.

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“You can compare him to Michael Phelps or Usain Bolt,” Smatov said. “But at the end of the day, he’s just a regular person. He makes it known that he doesn’t treat anyone like he’s special. He’s just a regular wrestling coach. He doesn’t act like a celebrity. He’s a very humble person.”

Wrestling continues to give Beloglazov joy as he travels the world training and growing his sport.

Beloglazov grew up in Kaliningrad, the most western part of Russia aligned in the Baltic Sea bordered by Lithuania and Poland. Beloglazov said he grew up poor while being raised by his father Alex and mother Anastasia before wrestling opened doors for him to travel the world.

“Work hard, be honest and serve the people,” Beloglazov said.