ACOG - News - IBM

Olympic Wrestling - Freestyle Recaps: 2 August (Day 14)

Freestyle Wrestling/Final Round

JORDANOV Wins Gold Medal at 52kg in Controversial Finish

Seven-time World Champion Valentin DIMITROV JORDANOV of Bulgaria finally added an Olympic gold medal to his collection, scoring a takedown to end a wild 40-second scramble 1 minute, 29 seconds into overtime for a 4-3 victory over Namik ABDULLAYEV of Azerbaijan in the gold-medal match Friday evening at the Georgia World Congress Center.

ABDULLAYEV, the 1994 World silver medalist, had forced the overtime with a dramatic takedown with just 4 seconds left in regulation time to tie the score at 3-3.

The winning point was not without controversy. ABDULLAYEV shot in on a single-leg takedown shot and DIMITROV JORDANOV countered with a crotch-lift attempt. Unable to gain an exposure after three tries, DIMITROV JORDANOV then drove into ABDULLAYEV, forcing him to his hip. ABDULLAYEV countered with a whizzer to avoid losing control, but the takedown was awarded.

Medalists: Gold - Valentin DIMITROV JORDANOV (BUL); Silver - Namik ABDULLAYEV (AZE); Bronze - Maulen MAMYROV (KAZ).

See story


BRANDS Dominates JANG, Wins Gold Medal at 62kg

Tom BRANDS of Iowa City, Iowa, the 1993 World Champion, completed a dominating run to the gold medal at 62kg with his most lopsided win in four matches, a 7-0 shutout over JANG Jae-Sung of Korea, one of two 21-year-olds to reach the gold-medal match.

BRANDS countered five JANG shots into his 7 points, starting with a spin-behind takedown just 25 seconds into the match. BRANDS made it 2-0 with a counter to an ankle pick at the 1-minute mark, then put the match away with a crotch-lift throw for 3 points and a 5-0 lead at 2 minutes, 53 seconds. He added two more takedowns on spin-behind counters for the final margin.

BRANDS outscored his four tournament opponents by a combined 19-1 margin. His victory gave the United States three gold medals, more than any other nation in the freestyle wrestling competition.

The finalists in the 1995 World Championships met for the bronze medal. The result was the same as Elbrus TEDEYEV of Ukraine beat Takahiro WADA of Japan 3-1.

Medalists: Gold - Tom BRANDS (USA); Silver - JANG Jae-Sung (KOR); Bronze - Elbrus TEDEYEV (UKR).

"There is no greater satisfaction than to do it when people say you can't do it, either in the USA or Europe," said BRANDS, who hadn't medaled in the world championships since his gold-medal performance in 1993. "The crowd was unbelievable. They made the win great. It reminds me of Carver-Hawkeye Arena when I was in college (at the University of Iowa) and 15,000 screaming fans pushing you. They are all rooting for you."


SAYTYEV Strikes Late, Topples Defending Gold Medalist PARK at 74kg

Buvaysa SAYTYEV of Russia became the youngest gold medalist in the freestyle wrestling competition, scoring all his points in a 1-minute span late in the match for a 5-0 victory over 1992 Olympic gold medalist PARK Jang-Soon of Korea.

SAYTYEV, 21, broke open a scoreless match by scoring a takedown 3 minutes, 34 seconds into the match and adding 2 points on a gut wrench 16 seconds later for a 3-0 lead. He added two more takedowns in the next 35 seconds for the winning points.

Medalists: Gold - Buvaysa SAYTYEV (RUS); Silver - PARK Jang-Soon (KOR); Bronze - Takuya OTA (JPN).


KHADEM AGZHADI Dethrones Two-time Gold Medalist KHADARTSEV in 90kg Final

Rasull KHADEM AZGHADI of the Islamic Republic of Iran added the Olympic gold medal to his 1994 and 1995 World Championships. KHADEM AZGHADI scored a takedown on an ankle pick 3 minutes, 45 seconds into the match and immediately added a 2-point gut wrench, going on to beat two-time defending gold medalist Makharbek KHADARTSEV of Russia 3-0.

KHADARTSEV, trying to become just the second three-time gold medalist in Olympic freestyle wrestling history, had won every World and Olympic title from 1986 through 1992, but remained winless in World-level competition since then.

The 1994 World silver medalist, Eldari KURTANIDZE of Georgia, defeated 1990 World Champion Jozef LOHYNA of Slovakia 5-0 for the bronze medal. LOHYNA became the latest wrestler to signal his retirement on the mat, taking off his shoes, covering them with his blood cloth, and kissing the mat. He left to a standing ovation.

Medalists: Gold - Rasull KHADEM AZGHADI (IRI); Silver - Makharbek KHADARTSEV (RUS); Bronze - Eldari KURTANIDZE (GEO).


BAUMGARTNER Earns Revenge Against SHUMILIN, Wins 130kg Bronze; DEMIR Takes Gold

Bruce BAUMGARTNER of Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania scored a tying takedown with 20 seconds left in overtime and became the most decorated Olympic and world championship competitor in wrestling history, winning a 1-1 referee's decision over Andrey SHUMILIN of Russia to earn the bronze medal.

Mahmut DEMIR of Turkey, the 1994 World Champion, won the gold medal with a 3-0 decision over Aleksey MEDVEDEV of Belarus.

SHUMILIN, who had beaten BAUMGARTNER 6-1 in the classification round Thursday evening, scored a takedown 20 seconds into overtime to take a 1-0 lead. But BAUMGARTNER tied the score by shooting a single-leg attack and working up onto the body of SHUMILIN to secure the takedown. BAUMGARTNER, 35, is the only wrestler to win four Olympic medals. It also was his 13th World-level medal, another record.

BAUMGARTNER'S bronze medal was the fifth medal overall earned by the United States, the most by any nation in the freestyle wrestling competition.

Medalists: Gold - Mahmut DEMIR (TUR); Silver - Aleksey MEDVEDEV (BLR); Bronze - Bruce BAUMGARTNER (USA).

"I still feel my best is a gold medal," BAUMGARTNER said. "I guess (the officials) felt I was more aggressive. I'm very proud that I've probably wrestled longer successfully than anyone else at the World level, but that's not what I wrestle for. I have a competitive streak in one thing - wrestling. I have not made any decision whether to continue or stop wrestling. I train hard and I still enjoy competing. If I didn't feel I was capable of still winning the world championships or the Olympics and somebody else (in the United States) is, I would probably step down from competitive wrestling."

Semifinal Round / 52kg

JORDANOV Rallies to Win Semifinal Match at 52kg

Seven-time World Champion Valentin DIMITROV JORDANOV of Bulgaria rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to beat Maulen MAMYROV of Kazakhstan 7-3 and advance to the gold-medal match Friday morning at the Georgia World Congress Center.

DIMITROV JORDANOV, the Olympic silver medalist in 1988 and the bronze medalist in 1992, scored six of his seven points on the mat, turning MAMYROV to his back and holding him in a pinning combination the final two minutes of the match.

A battle of world silver medalists in the other semifinal saw Namik ABDULLAYEV of Azerbaijan score a 10-0 technical superiority win over Gholam Reza MOHAMMADI of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ABDULLAYEVwas the world silver medalist in 1994, MOHAMMADI in 1993 and 1995.

Medal Match-Ups: Gold -- Namik ABDULLAYEV (AZE) vs. Valentin DIMITROV JORDANOV (BUL), Bronze -- Maulen MAMYROV (KAZ) vs. Chechenol MONGUSH (RUS).


Semifinal Round / 62kg

BRANDS Overpowers AZIZOV in World Champion Clash at 62kg

Tom BRANDS of the United States, the 1993 World Champion, clinched a medal for the first time since his world title, beating 1994 World Champion Magomed AZIZOV of Russia, 4-1, to advance to the gold-medal match.

BRANDS broke open a scoreless match with a takedown 2 minutes, 13 seconds into the match, then added two points on a gut wrench 22 seconds later for a 3-0 lead. His final takedown came 3:10 seconds into the match. AZIZOV later was eliminated from the medal chase by Takahiro WADA of Japan in Pool B competition.

JANG Jae-Sung of Korea, competing in his first world-level tournament, advanced to meet BRANDS with a 1-1 referee's decision over 1991 world silver medalist Giovanni SCHILLACI of Italy.

Medal Match-Ups: Gold -- JANG Jae-Sung (KOR) vs. Tom BRANDS (USA), Bronze -- Takahiro WADA (JPN) vs. Elbrus TEDEYEV (UKR).


Semifinal Round / 74kg

PARK Reaches Third Straight Gold-medal Match at 74kg

PARK Jang-Soon of Korea edged Plamen PASKALEV of Bulgaria 5-3 to reach the gold-medal match for the third consecutive Olympic Games. PARK was the silver medalist in 1988 and the gold medalist in 1992.

Kenny MONDAY of the United States, also looking to advance to his third consecutive Olympic final, lost twice and was eliminated from medal contention. MONDAY lost 6-1 to Buvaysa SAYTYEV of the Russian Federation in the semfinals, then couldn't hold an early 2-0 lead and lost 4-2 to Takuya OTA of Japan. OTA scored a takedown and two-point gut wrench 7:07 into overtime to complete the comeback.

At age 21, SAYTYEV is the youngest competitor to reach a gold-medal match in the freestyle wrestling competition.

Medal Match-Ups: Gold -- PARK Jang-Soon (KOR) vs. Buvaysa SAYTYEV (RUS), Bronze -- Takuya OTA (JPN) vs. Plamen PASKALEV (BUL).


Semifinal Round / 90kg

KHADARTSEV, KHADEM AGZHADI Square Off in Star-Studded 90kg Final

The two wrestlers who have combined to win nine of the past 10 World and Olympic gold medals will make it 10 out of 11 in the gold-medal match.

Makharbek KHADARTSEV of Russia, who won every World and Olympic title from 1986 through 1992, will try to become just the second wrestler to win three Olympic gold medals in freestyle wrestling. Rasull KHADEM AGZHADI of the Islamic Republic of Iran will try to win his third straight World-level title.

KHADARTSEV beat 1990 World Champion Jozef LOHYNA of Slovakia 7-1, while KHADEM AGZHADI scored 1 minute, 41 seconds into overtime for a 3-0 victory over Dzambolat TYEDYEYEV of Ukraine.

The 1994 World silver medalist, Eldari KURTANIDZE of Georgia, defeated 1993 World Champion Melvin DOUGLAS of Mesa, Arizona 1-0 in overtime on his march to the bronze-medal match.

Medal Match-Ups: Gold -- Makharbek KHADARTSEV (RUS) vs. Rasull KHADEM AZGHADI (IRI), Bronze -- Eldari KURTANIDZE (GEO) vs. Jozef LOHYNA (SVK)


Semifinal Round / 130kg

BAUMGARTNER, SHUMILIN to Meet in Bronze Medal Rematch at 130kg

Bruce BAUMGARTNER of the United States kept his quest to become the first wrestler to win four Olympic medals, advancing to the bronze-medal match and a rematch with the wrestler who eliminated him from the gold-medal chase, Andrey SHUMILIN of the Russian Federation.

SHUMILIN was knocked into the Pool B consolations by 1994 World Champion Mahmut DEMIR of Turkey in a 1-0 overtime victory in the semifinals. Advancing to face DEMIR was Aleksey MEDVEDEV of Belarus, whose father, Alexander MEDVED, won three consecutive Olympic gold medals in 1964, 1968, and 1972. MEDVEDEV won a 0-0 referee's decision over 1995 world silver medalist Sven THIELE of Germany.

BAUMGARTNER beat Szolt GOMBOS of Hungary by an 11-0 technical superiority win at 3:22, then beat Thiele 3-0 at 6:41 seconds of overtime to advance to meet SHUMILIN, who beat him 6-1 in Thursday evening's session.

Medal Match-Ups: Gold -- Mahmut DEMIR (TUR) vs. Aleksey MEDVEDEV (BLR), Bronze -- Bruce BAUMGARTNER (USA) vs. Andrey SHUMILIN (RUS).


This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department.


Return to the Olympic News Menu

Select another day:
Pre July 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 August 1 2 3 4 Post


Olympic Factoid
An estimated 5.3 million visted Centennial Olympic Park between opening day - 13 July - and closing day - 4 August, making the park the most single most visited Olympic site during the Games.