Helsinki 1952 Olympic wrestling bronze medallist Khalil Taha has died of kidney disease aged 88 ©Inter Mat Wrestling

Helsinki 1952 Olympic wrestling bronze medallist Khalil Taha has died of kidney disease aged 88.

Taha finished third in the Greco-Roman welterweight division in the Finnish capital, earning Lebanon's first-ever Olympic medal. 

The country soon had its second Olympic medal after Zakaria Chihab came second in the bantamweight contest on the same day. 

Taha triumphed at the Greco-Roman Wrestling Lebanese National Championships from 1949 to 1955. 

His other major accomplishment was winning a gold medal for Lebanon at the 1954 World Games in the Hungarian capital of Budapest.

Khalil Taha earned Lebanon's first Olympic medal after achieving bronze at Helsinki 1952 ©Wikipedia
Khalil Taha earned Lebanon's first Olympic medal after achieving bronze at Helsinki 1952 ©Wikipedia

In 1955, Taha moved to the United States to continue his wrestling career there, as well as coach.

He was recognised for his contribution to wrestling in 2005 when he was inducted into the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States Hall of Fame. 

In 2016, Taha was given the Lifetime Devotion to Wrestling Award at the Michigan Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.