| Rank | Event | Year | Location | |
| World Championships | ||||
| 1 | -100 kg | 2009 | Rotterdam, NED | |
| 2 | -100 kg | 2011 | Paris, FRA | |
| 7 | -100 kg | 2010 | Tokyo, JPN | |
| Asian Games | ||||
| 3 | -100 kg | 2010 | Guangzhou, CHN | |
| Asian Championships | ||||
| 1 | -100 kg | 2009 | Taipei, TPE | |
| 3 | -100 kg | 2010 | Guangzhou, CHN | |
| 5 | -100 kg | 2011 | Abu Dhabi, UAE | |
| Grand Slam | ||||
| 1 | -100 kg | 2008 | Rotterdam, NED | |
| 3 | -100 kg | 2011 | Moscow, RUS | |
| 3 | -100 kg | 2010 | Tokyo, JPN | |
| World Cup | ||||
| 1 | -100 kg | 2010 | Almaty, KAZ | |
Hobbies
Hunting. (judoinfo.kiev.ua, 10 Jan 2012)
Education
Economics - Karaganda State University, Karaganda, KAZ
Family
Spouse Olesya and son Rostislav.
Language(s) spoken
Russian
Club name
Almaty, KAZ
Coach
Talgat Baisholakov, Sergey Rakov [father] (KAZ) (fdk.kz, 03 Jun 2012)
Other sports
His father Sergey Rakov was a Russian champion in judo. His brothers Sergey - who was a former national champion - and Mikhail were also judokas. (cheljudo.ru, 29 May 2007)
Injuries
In 2007, he tore ligaments in his shoulder and underwent surgery. His injuries and subsequent recovery meant he had to miss the Olympic Games in Beijing the following year. (zakon.kz, 02 Sep 2009)
Additional information
Start of sporting career
He started practising gymnastics when he was seven. His first coach was Sergey Bardashevich. (avitrek.kz, 08 Sep 2009)
Reason for taking up this sport
He said he "had no choice". It was a family sport. His father and his elder brother were already involved with the sport. In the first two years of training he didn't like it very much. (cheljudo.ru, 29 May 2007; avitrek.kz, 08 Sep 2009)
Ambitions
To win a gold medal at the Olympic Games. (thenews.kz, 07 Sep 2009)
Most memorable sporting achievement
Winning the silver medal at the Asian Games in Doha in 2006, beating Olympic and world champion Hiroshi Izumi on the way to the gold medal match. (cheljudo.ru, 29 May 2007)
Hero
Buvaisar Saitiev [RUS], three-time Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling. (sportlive.kz, 15 Apr 2012)
Most influential person in career
His father. (cheljudo.ru, 29 May 2007)
Superstitions / Rituals
He believes in God and goes to church before every competition. (cheljudo.ru, 29 May 2007)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"You should strive for the goal you've chosen." (thenews.kz, 13 Feb 2010)
Awards
At the 2009 Asian Championships in Taipei, he won a special prize for 'Best Technique'. (thenews.kz, 03 Sep 2009)
He was awarded a state award, the 'Medal of Honour', in 2009 for his achievements at the World Championships. (thenews.kz, 17 Dec 2009)
General
TESTING CONDITIONS
His silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha was all the more remarkable considering he is not a 'warm weather person'. His blood pressure actually rises whenever he is in a warm environment. (cheljudo.ru, 29 May 2007)
CONTEMPLATING RETIREMENT
After missing the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, he considered his future in the sport and contemplated retirement. For two months he didn't train at all and started working as a coach with children. But his father advised him to compete for one of the German clubs in Bundesliga and to switch to competing in another weight class. He believes those changes were instrumental in his fine display at the 2009 World Championships. (avitrek.kz, 08 Sep 2009; izvestia.kz, 11 Sep 2009)
