The Resume

(September 19, 1967- )
Specialist in the Greco-Roman form
Three-time Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist (286 lbs. or 130 kg, Seoul, Barcelona, Atlanta)
Silver medalist at the Sydney Olympics
13-time Russian champion
12-time European champion
Honored as one of the 25 best world athletes of the 20th century

Why he might be annoying:

His dialogue tends to be in tongues (mumbo jumbo that makes sense only in his mind).
He weighed 15 pounds at birth.
In addition to ballet, opera, and theater, he is a fan of all Dostoevsky literature.
The media constantly referred to him as ‘the Experiment.'
Most of his opponents are more direct, nicknaming him ‘King Kong.'
He is a backer of the centrist United Russia party.
He claimed to have carried a refrigerator weighing nearly twice as much as he did up eight flights of stairs to his apartment.
At the Atlanta Olympics, one American competitor was reduced to tears after failing a long, fierce battle with him (resulting in silver).

Why he might not be annoying:

He made Rulon Gardner, who admitted to not being nearly as strong, earn his Olympic victory (Sydney, 2000) in full.
He is a poetry enthusiast, having written several verses of his own.
He could throw elite competitors in his weight class all the way over his shoulders. This was part of what became known as the ‘Karelin Lift.'
He has a degree in Physical Education.
In addition to having no losses in 13 straight years (including every calendar year in the 1990s), he managed to avoid surrendering any points over a full six-year period.
In his native land, he is considered a folk hero, or bogatyr.

Credit: Cool It All Right?

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Amateur Wrestlers
• Chrome Domes and Cue Balls
• Cool It All Right?'s Profiles [Series 02]
• I Became a Dad in 2000
• Look at Me, I Like Fruit
• Look at Me, I'm Sucking My Finger
• Look at Me, I've Been Caught Eating
• Look at My Laminate
• Ogres [Huge and Hulky]
• Profiles 17251-17500 (Ranked: 17482)
• Sports List's Top 10 Summer Olympic Moments (Ranked: 6)

Year In Review:

For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2023, Out of 6 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 88.89% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 4 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 13 Votes: 76.92% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 18 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 16 Votes: 68.75% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 21 Votes: 23.81% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 155 Votes: 59.35% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 32 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 34 Votes: 70.59% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 65 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 117 Votes: 61.54% Annoying