Clarion Athletics

Bekzod Abdurakhmonov is an extremely talented and internationally renown wrestler taking NCAA Division I All-America honors in 2012 representing Clarion University, while earning a freestyle Bronze medal at 74 kg in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics representing Uzbekistan. Bekzod came to Clarion for the 2011 season under coach Teague Moore and posted a fantastic 38-12 overall record at 165-pounds, 1^st at PSAC’s, 3^rd at EWL’s and posted a 3-2 record at D-I nationals losing in the All-America round. His senior year in 2012 was amazing posting a 36-5 mark, 1^st at PSAC’s and EWL’s, 4^th at Midlands and a strong 3^rd place at the NCAA D-I nationals at 165 pounds. Bekzod was 5-1 at nationals (in St. Louis), losing in the semi’s to eventual NCAA Champion David Taylor of Penn St., then came roaring back to defeat Peter Yates (Va. Tech) 5-4 and Kyle Blevins (App. State) 6-2 for third place. The Eagles were coached in 2012 by Matt Dernlan. Bekzod finished his amazing Clarion career with a 2-year record of 74-17 and an NCAA match record of 8-3. Bekzod helped the Golden Eagles finish 18th as a team at the NCAA Division I Nationals in 2012. After spending a year coaching at Clarion in 2013, he focused on his international competition. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Abdurakhmonov earned a bronze medal at 74kg when he won his bronze medal match in dominating fashion over #2 seed Daniyar Kaisonov of Kazakhstan 13-2. He also competed in the 2016 Olympics in Rio losing in the bronze match and he hopes to compete in the 2024 games in Paris. Medals won by Bekzod internationally include gold medals at the 2018 & 2014 Asian Games, 2017 and 2015 Asian Championships and bronze medals at the 2018 and 2014 World Championships. A native of Tashkent, Uzbekistan and who attended Colby Community College, Abdurakhmonov currently is a volunteer assistant coach at Harvard. He is married to Nigora Tursunkulova.