Safi Taha

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Safi J. Taha (born December 23, 1923 in Beirut , † February 22, 2009 in Pompano Beach , Florida ) was a Lebanese and later American wrestler . He was runner- up in the Greco-Roman style featherweight world championship in 1950 .

Athletic career

Safi Taha belonged to a Lebanese national wrestling team that immediately after the Second World War caused a sensation at many international championships and also won medals at the Olympic Games and World Championships in the Greco-Roman style.

Taha started as early as 1948 at the Olympic Games in London in featherweight and won there over Antoine Merle from France and Raymond Straßer from Luxembourg . He lost against Georg Weidner from Austria and Luigi Campanella from Italy and with a sixth place just missed an Olympic medal.

At the World Championships in Stockholm in 1950 Taha started again in featherweight. He won there over Ali Saadate from Iran a . Bela Torma from Yugoslavia . He lost against Antonio Randi from Italy and Olle Anderberg from Sweden . Thanks to a bye in the third round, he achieved second place with these results and became vice world champion behind Olle Anderberg.

In 1952 Safi Taha made one more attempt to win an Olympic medal at the Olympic Games in Helsinki . In featherweight he won there in his first fight over Marco Antonio Giron from Guatemala . In his next fight against the Soviet champion Jakow Punkin he injured himself and had to give up the tournament without placing.

In 1953 Safi Taha emigrated to the United States with his cousin Khalil Taha . He became a member of the Ford Recreation Club Dearborn , Michigan . In 1954 he became the American Featherweight Champion in the Greco-Roman style. After the end of his career as an active wrestler, he worked in Dearborn in his wrestling club as a coach.

statistics

year space competition Weight class
1948 6th OS in London feather with victories over Antoine Merle, France a . Raymond Straßer, Luxemburg a . Defeats against Georg Weidner , Austria a . Luigi Campanella, Italy
1950 2. World Cup in Stockholm feather with victories over Ali Saadate, Iran a . Bela Torma, Yugoslavia a . Defeats against Antonio Randi , Italy a. Olle Anderberg , Sweden
1952 unpl. OS in Helsinki feather after defeating Marco Antonio Giron, Guatemala a . a loss to Jakow Punkin , USSR , surrendered due to injury

Note: all competitions in the Greco-Roman style, OS = Olympic Games, WM = World Championship, featherweight, up to 52 kg body weight

literature

  • Trade journal athletics ,
  • Documentation of FILA's International Wrestling Championships, 1876

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Taha, Safi
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Taha, Safi J.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Lebanese wrestler
DATE OF BIRTH December 23, 1923
PLACE OF BIRTH Beirut
DATE OF DEATH February 22, 2009
Place of death Pompano Beach , Florida