age , ▁Gam zat k han ov ▁won ▁the ▁N al ch ik ▁regional ▁championship ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁He ▁also ▁won ▁the ▁USS R ▁junior ▁championship ▁two ▁years ▁back ▁to ▁back , ▁and ▁placed ▁fourth ▁in ▁the ▁international ▁Ali ye v ▁Cup . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁upon ▁beginning ▁his ▁two - year ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁USS R ▁military , ▁Han ▁decided ▁to ▁leave ▁wrest ling ▁for ▁sam bo , ▁and ▁was ▁immediately ▁sc out ed ▁by ▁Vik tor ▁L ys en ko ▁for ▁his ▁team ▁in ▁T ula . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁Gam zat k han ov ▁attended ▁the ▁Police ▁Academy ▁in ▁Moscow . ▁A ▁year ▁later , ▁he ▁competed ▁in ▁the ▁USS R ▁sam bo ▁championship ▁and ▁placed ▁second ▁after ▁losing ▁in ▁the ▁final s ▁to ▁the ▁legend ary ▁Alexander ▁P ush n its a . ▁However , ▁he ▁b ounced ▁back ▁by ▁winning ▁the ▁gold ▁medal ▁at ▁the ▁open weight ▁division ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁USS R ▁champion ships ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁He ▁also ▁won ▁the ▁Kal in in ▁international ▁tournament , ▁reserved ▁to ▁the ▁highest ▁pract ition ers ▁of ▁the ▁sport . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁Gam zat k han ov ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁USS R ▁championship , ▁but ▁he ▁was ▁again ▁elimin ated ▁from ▁the ▁final s , ▁this ▁time ▁by ▁Mur