Overview

Daniel Robin (31 May 1943 – 23 May 2018) was a French wrestler notable for rare and high-level success in both freestyle and Greco-Roman disciplines. Born in Bron, in the Rhône department of France, he rose to international prominence in the late 1960s through a sequence of world-class results. His most widely remembered achievements are a gold medal at the 1967 World Wrestling Championships and two silver medals at the 1968 Olympic Games.

Career highlights

Robin's peak competitive period spanned the mid-to-late 1960s and included podium finishes at the sport's most important events. At the 1967 World Championships he reached the top of the podium, an accomplishment that established him as a leading contender for the following year's Olympic tournament. At the 1968 Mexico City Olympics he won silver medals in both the freestyle and the Greco-Roman competitions, a rare feat that underscored his versatility. He later represented France again at the 1972 Summer Olympics.

Styles and skills

Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling are governed by different rules and tactical emphases: freestyle permits attacks on the legs and more varied returns to the mat, while Greco-Roman forbids holds below the waist and emphasizes upper-body throws and clinch work. Excelling in both styles at the international level requires a broad technical base, adaptability, and conditioning. Contemporary accounts and competition records credit Robin with the tactical flexibility and strong fundamentals necessary to succeed in both rule sets.

Significance and legacy

Achieving top results across both major wrestling styles during the same Olympic cycle is uncommon, and Robin's dual medals in 1968 have been highlighted in histories of French wrestling as an exemplar of cross-discipline excellence. His world title in 1967 and Olympic medals helped raise the profile of wrestling in France and provided a model for subsequent generations of French competitors. For more detail on his competitive record and statistical summaries see his athlete profile at athlete profile.

Later life and death

After retiring from international competition Robin's life remained of interest to sports historians and to the French wrestling community. He died on 23 May 2018 in Longueuil, Canada, at the age of 74. Local and national sources noted his passing and his place in the sporting history of France.

Additional information

  • Place of birth: Bron, Rhône — local background and context are available at Bron, Rhône.
  • 1968 Olympic results: official summaries for the Mexico City Games can be consulted at 1968 Games records.
  • Participation in later events: his involvement in the 1972 Summer Olympics is recorded in event listings at 1972 Olympics.

Robin's career is remembered for its exceptional breadth within the sport of wrestling: reaching the top levels in both international freestyle and Greco-Roman competition is a distinguishing feature of his athletic legacy.