(31 July 1996; Day 12)
Tom BRANDS of the United States may be tired of seeing Sergei SMAL of Belarus. But he'll probably have to wrestle him one more time.
At least it's in the second round this time at 62kg.
BRANDS, the 1993 world champion, has been eliminated by SMAL in the first round the past two years at the world championships. Should BRANDS beat Amir HAJI KENARI of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the first round, SMAL, the 1992 Olympic silver medalist, probably will be waiting in Round 2 as Group B freestyle wrestling begins Thursday morning at the Georgia World Congress Center.
Valentin JORDANOV of Bulgaria, a seven-time world champion at 57kg whose best Olympic finish is the 1992 bronze medal, has clear sailing in his draw. So does American heavyweight Bruce BAUMGARTNER, who opens against Andrew BORODOW of Canada in quest of his third Olympic gold medal at 130kg. If he is successful, BAUMGARTNER, who also won Olympic gold medals in 1984 and 1992, could become just the second wrestler to accomplish the feat.
Another who could match the record is Makharbek KHADARTSEV of Russia, trying for his third straight gold medal at 90kg. KHADARTSEV could meet the wrestler he defeated for his 1992 gold medal, Heiko BALZ of Germany, in the second round Thursday morning. KHADARTSEV won every world and Olympic competition from 1986 through 1992, but hasn't won since.
Defending Olympic gold medalist PARK Jang-Soon of Korea and the USA's Kenny MONDAY, who have met for the gold medal in the last two Olympic Games, could meet for a third straight gold. However, MONDAY, the 1988 gold medalist, must work his way through a killer bottom bracket which includes defending world champion Boris SAYTYEV of Russia and two 1994 world champions -- Alexander LEIPOLD of Germany and Turan CEYLAN of Turkey. MONDAY's opening-round opponent, two-time world bronze medalist Alberto RODRIGUEZ of Cuba, is no pushover either.
This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department. Written by Robert Sherrill.
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| The volunteer staff of the 1996 Olympic Games totaled 50,152. They worked an estimated 850,000 shifts. |