Athlete file · No. 021
SISSAOURI
GUIVI
- Born
- 1971
- Hometown
- Montréal
- Province
- QC
- Weight
- 58kg
- Style
- freestyle
- Status
- OLYMPIAN
Results
Record
| Year | Event | Weight | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Jeux olympiques d'Atlanta | 58kg | Argent |
| 2001 | Championnats du monde | 58kg | Or |
| 2002 | Jeux du Commonwealth | 58kg | Or |
Biography
Guivi “Gia” Sissaouri embodies a remarkable journey from refugee to Olympic medallist, becoming a central figure in the development of Canadian wrestling. Born April 15, 1971 in Tbilisi, Georgia, Sissaouri started wrestling at age ten. He immigrated to Canada in 1988 and obtained Canadian citizenship in 1995.
An accomplished athlete, Sissaouri won silver at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics at 57 kg freestyle and represented Canada at three Olympic Games. He became World Champion in 2001 (Sofia) and Commonwealth Games champion in 2002. Ranked among the very best in his class for two decades, he earned several World Championship medals and podiums at major events.
After retiring from competition, Sissaouri served as national head coach for the men’s team at Wrestling Canada until March 2016. Very active in developing both junior and senior athletes, he also appeared as a technical coach on the TV series “The Ultimate Fighter” alongside Georges St-Pierre. Sissaouri remains an influential mentor and development-camp coach for Canadian wrestling.