MEDAL MATCHES AUGUST 13: France, Georgia add gold medalsGary Abbott USA Wrestling 08/13/2008 BEIJING, CHINA - Medals were awarded in two more weight classes during the second day of competition of the Greco-Roman wrestling competition at the Olympic Games at the China Agricultural University Gymasium on Wednesday. Capturing the gold medal at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., 2007 World silver medalist Steeve Guenot of France defeated 2003 World silver medalist Kanatbek Begaliev of Krygyzstan in the finals, 3-0, 3-1. Guenot hit a gut wrench in the first period, and had a two-point exposure turn late in the second period for his margin of victory. Guenot celebrated by running around all three mats with a pair of small French flags to the applause of the crowd. The Olympic champion at 74 kg/163 lbs. was Manuchar Kvirkelia of Georgia, who dominated hometown hero Yongxiang Chang of China, 6-0, 3-0. Kvirkelia won the first period with a high amplitude five-point throw, which instantly ends the period. In the second period, he scored a two-point turn from the par terre position for the winning technique. In the first 66 kg/145.5 lbs. bronze match, 2003 World silver medalist Armen Vardanyan of Ukraine needed three periods to defeat 2005 World champion Nikolay Gergov, 4-1, 1-2, 6-1. In the deciding third period, Vardanyan scored a two-point turn, then a three-point lift with exposure to close out the victory. Winning the other bronze medal at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. was Mikhali Siamionau of Belarus, who beat Darkhan Bayakhmetov of Kazakhstan, 2-0, 1-1, 1-1. Siaminonau scored a gutwrench in the first period. In the deciding third period, he defended in the final par terre position to win the 1-1 tie by scoring last. In the first 74 kg/163 lbs. bronze medal match, 2007 World champion Yavor Yanakiev of Bulgaria stopped Aleh Mihalovich of Belarus, 0-3, 2-0, 2-0. Mihalovich won the first period, with a two-point exposure being the difference. Yanakiev rebounded to take the next two periods, scoring from the top position in par terre both times. Winning a second medal for France with a bronze medal at 74 kg/163 lbs. was Christophe Guenot, who defeated Peter Bacsi of Hungary, 3-1, 0-4, 4-2. After splitting the first two periods, Guenot scored a three-point hip toss in the final period to take a lead he would not relinquish. OLYMPIC GAMES Greco-Roman Wrestling At Beijing, China, August 13 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Gold - Steeve Guenot (France) Silver - Kanatbek Begaliev (Kyrgyzstan) Bronze – Armen Vardanyan (Ukraine) Bronze – Mikhali Siamionau (Belarus) 5th – Nikolay Gergov (Bulgaria) 5th – Darkhan Bayakhmetov (Kazakhstan) 7th – Sergey Kovalenko (Russia) 8th – Tamas Loerincz (Hungary) 9th – Alain Milian (Cuba) 10th – Li Yanyan (China) 12th – Jake Deitchler (USA) Gold match – Guenot dec. Begaliev, 3-0, 3-1 Bronze match – Vardanyan dec. Gergov, 4-1, 1-2, 6-1 Bronze match – Siamionau dec. Bayakhmetov, 2-0, 1-1, 1-1 74 kg/163 lbs. Gold – Manuchar Kvirkelia (Georgia) Silver - Yongxiang Chang (China) Bronze – Yavor Yanakiev (Bulgaria) Bronze – Christophe Guenot (France) 5th – Aleh Mikhalovich (Belarus) 5th – Peter Basci (Hungary) 7th – Varteres Samourgashev (Russia) 8th – Roman Melyoshin (Kazakhstan) 9th – Konstantin Schneider (Germany) 10th – Arsen Jufalakyan (Armenia) 16th – T.C. Dantzler (USA) Gold match – Kvirkelia dec. Chang, 6-0, 3-0 Bronze match – Yanakiev dec. Mikhalovich, 0-3, 2-0, 2-0 Bronze match – Guenot dec. Basci, 3-1, 0-4, 4-1 |