Artur Akhmatkhuzin

Career

Akhmatkhuzin made his debut in international competition at the 2005 Cadet World Championships in Linz, where he earned a bronze medal. That same year, he joined the cadet and junior national team, in which he won a team gold medal in the 2005 Junior European Championships at Tapolca, a team silver medal in the 2007 Junior European Championship in Prague, and a team bronze medal in the 2007 World European Championships in Belek.

In the seniors, Akhmatkhuzin placed second in the 2012 Venice Grand Prix, his first podium in the Fencing World Cup. He took part in the 2012 Summer Olympics, but was defeated in the last 16 by China's Ma Jianfei. In 2013 he won the A Coruña World Cup and earned a bronze medal in the Prince Takamado World Cup. Ranked 6th before the 2013 World Fencing Championships in Budapest, he defeated Olympic silver medallist Alaaeldin Abouelkassem in the last 16, then Olympic champion Lei Sheng and Ukraine's Rostyslav Hertsyk to reach the final against Miles Chamley-Watson of the United States. Distanced early in the bout, he was defeated 6–15 and ended up with a silver medal. He finished the season No.3 in world rankings. A few weeks later, Akhmatkhuzin took part in the 2013 World Combat Games. He was defeated by Great Britain's Richard Kruse in the semi-finals and met Chamley-Watson for the third place. This time he defeated the American 15–12 to take the bronze medal.

In the 2013–14 season, Akhmatkhuzin reached the quarter-finals in the Paris World Cup. He was defeated by Enzo Lefort, who eventually won the gold medal. An injury sustained during the competition prevented him from taking part to the team event. He later underwent surgery and was rested for the entire season.

Akhmatkhuzin came back to international competition in early 2015 at the Paris World Cup. He made it through the qualification stage, but was defeated in the first elimination round by Italy's Daniele Garozzo, who eventually won the silver medal. At the next World Cup competition, the Löwe von Bonn, he was stopped in the last 16 by Japan's Yuki Ota.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics, in the men's individual foil, he beat Miles Chamley-Watson in the last 32, before losing to eventual silver medalist Alexander Massialas in the last 16. In the team event, Russia won the gold medal, with Akhmatkhuzin anchoring the Russian performance and scoring the winning hit.

Akhmatkhuzin studies at the Bashkir Academy of Public service and administration under the President of the Republic of Bashkortostan.