Main content

The Legend of Takhti: Ep 3

After Gholamreza Takhti’s death, the legend of Takhti is born. Rana Rahimpour wrestles with the myth to catch glimpses of the real Takhti, and seek the legacy that he left behind.

Following the unexpected and shocking death of heroic wrestler Gholamreza Takhti, Tehran is a tinderbox. Hundreds of thousands of people gather in the streets as tensions and rumours rise to a pitch. Everyone wants someone to blame for this terrible loss. Rana hears about those volatile days, and the state-sanctioned silence that follows. She wrestles with the myth to catch glimpses of the real Takhti, and to seek the legacy that he left behind.

Through the years, quietly, the myth of Takhti as a true heroic and gentle figure endures. Gholamreza Takhti remains a figure that inspires athletes and others in Iran today. He was the first Iranian wrestler to win a medal at an international competition. Rana meets Afsoon Johnston, the first Iranian woman to do so, and hears how Takhti’s legacy shapes hers, even down to how a legendary bout plays out.

And finally, Rana considers how in many ways, she feels connected to Takhti’s story. Whatever the truth, it seems that everyone has their own version of him now.

You can listen to this podcast in Persian here: https://www.bbc.com/persian/podcasts/p0703hz7

Release date:

Available now

34 minutes

On radio

Sat 19 Oct 2024 04:32GMT

Featured

  • .

Broadcasts

  • Sat 19 Oct 2024 04:32GMT
  • Sat 19 Oct 2024 17:32GMT
  • Sat 19 Oct 2024 23:32GMT
  • Sun 20 Oct 2024 08:32GMT
  • Sun 20 Oct 2024 22:32GMT

Podcast