MEDAL MATCHES FOR AUGUST 19: USA and Russia win first freestyle golds


Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
08/19/2008

BEIJING, CHINA – On the first day of men’s freestyle wrestling at the Beijing Summer Olympics, the gold medals went to two of the top wrestling powers, the United States and Russia.

The first freestyle gold medal went to Henry Cejudo of the United States, who defeated Tomohiro Matsunaga of Japan in the 55 kg/121 lbs. gold medal match, 2-2, 3-0. Cejudo won the first period with the highest scoring move, a two-point exposure. In the second period, he scored a three-point takedown early on for the only points scored.

Winning his second career Olympic gold medal was Russia’s Mavlet Batirov, who defeated Vasyl Fedoryshyn of Ukraine, 1-0, 2-1 in the finals. Batirov was the 2004 Olympic champion competing down at 55 kg. He was also a 2007 World champion at 60 kg. He emerged in a low scoring bout where he won in two straight periods.

In the first bronze medal match at 55 kg/121 lbs., 2006 World champion Radoslav Velikov of Bulgaria defeated Namig Sevdimov of Azerbaijan, 0-2, 3-1, 1-0. After losing the first period, Velikov got his offense going, and he won the third period on a step out.

The other 55 kg/121 lbs. bronze medal went to 2007 World champion Besik Kudukhov of Russia, who defeated two-time World champion Dilshod Mansurov of Uzbekistan, 1-0, 2-0. Kudukhov scored the only takedowns in a very close match.

The bronze medals at 60 kg/132 lbs. went to Kenichi Yumoto of Japan and 2006 World champion Seyedmorad Mohammadi of Iran.

Yumoto shut out Bazar Bazarguruev of Krygyzstan, 1-0, 2-0. Mohammadi defeated Zelimkhan Huseynov of Azerbaijan, 2-0, 3-1



OLYMPIC GAMES
Men’s freestyle wrestling
At Beijing, China, August 19

Gold medal finalists
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Henry Cejudo (USA)
Silver - Tomohiro Matsunaga (Japan)
Bronze – Radoslav Velikov (Bulgaria)
Bronze – Besik Kudukhov (Russia)
5th – Namig Sevdimov (Azerbaijan)
5th – Dilshod Mansurov (Uzbekistan)
7th – Rizvan Gadzhiev (Belarus)
8th – Basanon Gochishvili (Georgia)
9th – Kim Hyo-Sub (Korea)
10th – Abbas Dabbaghi (Iran)

Gold match – Cejudo dec. Matsunaga, 2-2, 3-0
Bronze match – Velikov dec. Sevdimov, 0-2, 3-1, 1-0
Bronze match – Kudukhov dec. Mansurov, 1-0, 2-0



60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold - Mavlet Batirov (Russia)
Silver - Vasyl Fedoryshyn (Ukraine)
Bronze – Kenichi Yumoto (Japan)
Bronze – Seyedmorad Mohammadi (Iran)
5th – Bazar Bazarguruev (Krygyzstan)
5th – Zelimkhan Huseynov (Azerbaijan)
7th – Muzad Ramazanov (Macedonia)
8th – Yandro Quintana (Cuba)
9th – Yogeshwar Dutt (India)
10th – Saeed Azarbayjani (Canada)



Gold match – Batirov dec. Fedoryshyn, 1-0, 2-1
Bronze match – Yumoto dec. Bazarguruev, 1-0, 2-0
Bronze match – Mohammadi dec. Huseynov, 2-0, 3-1