• Gazi Jalidov The refugee boy looking for gold for Spain in Tokyo: a murdered father, the Red Cross and a tortilla sandwich

Gazimagomed Schamilovich Jalidov Gafurov's medal vanished in a terrible match against Russian

Imam Khataev

at

Rygoku Kokugikan

, Tokyo's impressive sumo temple.

The light heavyweight (-81 kilos), a boy born in Khasavyurt (Dagestan, Russia), who arrived in Spain as a refugee in 2004, could not fulfill his Olympic dream.

Things never went well for

Gazi Jalidov

, who had lost the first two rounds on points. Soon, in addition, he had begun to bleed from the nose. With everything lost, he came out brave for all in the third and final, but with 10 seconds left he ate an impressive hand from Khataev that knocked him down, completely groggy in the ring. Fortunately, the Spaniard was soon able to regain his composure.

The life story of Gazi Jalidov until reaching Tokyo is a desperate adventure fleeing the civil war in his region. He wandered with his family through half of Europe until he entered Spain through San Sebastián, where he was greeted by the sun and a tortilla sandwich that he never forgets. Later, he settled in Logroño, where boxing was his escape route. "I will remember my father Shamil. They killed him. I dedicate all the victories to him, his memory gives me strength in the ring. The last time I saw him was in Moscow, before leaving for Europe. He would be eight years old," he acknowledged to EL WORLD after winning the Olympic ticket, last June at the Pre-Olympic in Paris (after defeating the Turkish Bayram Malkan).

He obtained nationality in 2015 and in 2019 he was champion of Spain.

Although before, after fracturing his hand twice, he was about to throw in the towel.

He even worked as a nightclub bouncer.

"I had surgery and started again. It was not easy, but I succeeded. I even made the national team."

He trained with

José Ignacio Barruteña

, until that championship in Spain that changed everything.

He moved to the High Performance Center and was placed under the command of Rafa Lozano.

Already in Tokyo, Gazi defeated Australian

Pablo Acouso in

the eighth

and played the medals with the one who was once his compatriot.

However, he had to settle for the Olympic diploma.

This same Friday, another nationalized, Cuban

Enmanuel Reyes Pla

, can give a medal to Spain, in heavyweight.

It has been 21 years that Spanish boxing has not achieved it, the silver of the now coach, Rafa Lozano, the 'Balita', in Sydney 2000 (in Atlanta he achieved bronze).

Previously, Enrique Rodríguez Cal was bronze in Munich 72 and Faustino Reyes silver in Barcelona 92. In Rio, Samuel Carmona stayed one match from the podium.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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