2008 Olympics preview at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in men's freestyle wrestling
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by Gary Abbott
The super heavyweight division is expected to be fiercely contested at the 2008 Olympics, with a number of top challengers capable of winning it all. The reigning World champion is young Beylal Makhov of Russia, who also has won two Junior World titles. Makhov defeated veteran Alexis Rodriguez of Cuba in the 2007 World finals. It seems he has taken over on the Russian team at this weight class, after many seasons with veteran Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov competing at this weight.
Rodriguez was a 1998 World champion and has won numerous World-level medals, including a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games. Rodriguez has tremendous skill, and is capable of winning any tournament he enters.
The 2004 Olympic champion was Artur Taimazov of Uzbekistan, who has also added World titles in 2003 and 2005. Taimazov won a bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships as well. When he is wrestling well, Taimazov often overpowers his opponents and is difficult to defeat. He usually competes at his best at the most important tournament.
The other World medalist in 2007 was Vadim Tasoev of Ukraine, who won a bronze medal. Tasoev moved up to this weight class from 96 kg after the 2004 Olympic Games and has seemed to compete well against the larger opponents.
The 2008 Asian champion was Farden Masoumi Valadi of Iran, who won a bronze medal at the 2006 World Championships. Capturing the 2008 European Championships gold medal was David Modzmanashvili of Georgia, who was second in the 2006 Junior World Championships. Capturing the silver medal at the European Championships was David Musulbes of Slovakia, who was the 2000 Olympic champion for Russia and also won two World titles for Russia before switching national affiliation.
The United States will be represented by Steve Mocco, who is competing in his first World-level Championships for the USA. In the U.S. Olympic Trials, Mocco beat Tommy Rowlands, who was fifth at the 2007 World Championships and won the 2008 Pan American Championships. Mocco was second at the U.S. Nationals for five straight years, and has had success in numerous international events during his career.
Qualifying their nations for a spot in the Olympics with a top-eight finish at the World Championships were Fatih Cakiroglu of Turkey, Soung-Jin Go of Korea and Boyidar Boyadiev of Bulgaria.
Qualified nations at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Cuba, Hungary, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Palau, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan
RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2007 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Beylal Makhov (Russia); Silver - Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba); Bronze - Vadim Tasoev (Ukraine); Bronze - Artur Taimazov (Uzbekistan); 5th - Tommy Rowlands (United States); 5th - Fatih Cakiroglu (Turkey); 7th - Soung-Jin Go (Korea); 8th - Boyidar Boyadiev (Bulgaria); 9th - Ali Issaev (Azerbaijan); 10th - Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan)
2006 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); Silver - Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov (Russia); Bronze - Farden Masoumi Valadi (Iran); Bronze - Ruslan Basiev (Armenia); 5th - Davaanyam Lkhagvordorj (Mongolia); 5th - Recep Kara (Turkey); 7th - Khizar Durgayev (Azerbaijan); 8th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 9th - Liang Lei (China); 10th - Eldar Kurtanidze (Georgia)
2005 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Ayden Polatci (Turkey); Silver - Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba); Bronze - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); Bronze - Tolly Thompson (USA); 5th - Liang Lei (China); 5th - Kuramagomed Kuramogomedov (Russia); 7th - Rares Chintoan (Romania); 8th - Fardi Mousami (Iran); 9th - Vadim Tasoev (Ukraine); 10th - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan)
2004 Olympic Games
120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. - Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); Silver - Ali Reza Rezaei (Iran); Bronze - Aydin Polatci (Turkey); 4th - Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan); 5th - Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba); 6th - Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov (Russia); 7th - Kerry McCoy (USA); 8th - Bozhidar Boyadzhiev (Bulgaria); 9th - Sven Thiele (Germany); 10th - Francesco Miano-Petta (Italy)
2003 World ChampionshipsM
120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. - Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan) dec. Kerry McCoy (United States), 4-1. ot, 6:12; Bronze - Ali Reza Rezaei (Iran) dec. Serhii Priadun (Ukraine), 3-0; 5th - Efsathios Topalidis (Greece); 6th - Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan); 7th - Baris Hrinkevich (Belarus); 8th - Aleksi Modebadze (Georgia); 9th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 10th - Gelegjamts Usukhbayar (Mongolia)
2002 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - David Musulbes (Russia) dec. Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba), 5-0, ot, 6:04; Bronze - Aydin Polatci (Turkey) won by tech. fall over David Otiashvili (Georgia), 10-0, 1:25; 5th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 6th - Ruslan Shikhsafiyev (Kazakhstan); 7th - Markus Hamann (Germany); 8th - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); 9th - Boris Boyadzhiev (Bulgaria); 10th - Boris Grinkevich (Belarus)
Rodriguez was a 1998 World champion and has won numerous World-level medals, including a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games. Rodriguez has tremendous skill, and is capable of winning any tournament he enters.
The 2004 Olympic champion was Artur Taimazov of Uzbekistan, who has also added World titles in 2003 and 2005. Taimazov won a bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships as well. When he is wrestling well, Taimazov often overpowers his opponents and is difficult to defeat. He usually competes at his best at the most important tournament.
The other World medalist in 2007 was Vadim Tasoev of Ukraine, who won a bronze medal. Tasoev moved up to this weight class from 96 kg after the 2004 Olympic Games and has seemed to compete well against the larger opponents.
The 2008 Asian champion was Farden Masoumi Valadi of Iran, who won a bronze medal at the 2006 World Championships. Capturing the 2008 European Championships gold medal was David Modzmanashvili of Georgia, who was second in the 2006 Junior World Championships. Capturing the silver medal at the European Championships was David Musulbes of Slovakia, who was the 2000 Olympic champion for Russia and also won two World titles for Russia before switching national affiliation.
The United States will be represented by Steve Mocco, who is competing in his first World-level Championships for the USA. In the U.S. Olympic Trials, Mocco beat Tommy Rowlands, who was fifth at the 2007 World Championships and won the 2008 Pan American Championships. Mocco was second at the U.S. Nationals for five straight years, and has had success in numerous international events during his career.
Qualifying their nations for a spot in the Olympics with a top-eight finish at the World Championships were Fatih Cakiroglu of Turkey, Soung-Jin Go of Korea and Boyidar Boyadiev of Bulgaria.
Qualified nations at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Cuba, Hungary, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Palau, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan
RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2007 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Beylal Makhov (Russia); Silver - Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba); Bronze - Vadim Tasoev (Ukraine); Bronze - Artur Taimazov (Uzbekistan); 5th - Tommy Rowlands (United States); 5th - Fatih Cakiroglu (Turkey); 7th - Soung-Jin Go (Korea); 8th - Boyidar Boyadiev (Bulgaria); 9th - Ali Issaev (Azerbaijan); 10th - Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan)
2006 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); Silver - Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov (Russia); Bronze - Farden Masoumi Valadi (Iran); Bronze - Ruslan Basiev (Armenia); 5th - Davaanyam Lkhagvordorj (Mongolia); 5th - Recep Kara (Turkey); 7th - Khizar Durgayev (Azerbaijan); 8th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 9th - Liang Lei (China); 10th - Eldar Kurtanidze (Georgia)
2005 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Ayden Polatci (Turkey); Silver - Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba); Bronze - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); Bronze - Tolly Thompson (USA); 5th - Liang Lei (China); 5th - Kuramagomed Kuramogomedov (Russia); 7th - Rares Chintoan (Romania); 8th - Fardi Mousami (Iran); 9th - Vadim Tasoev (Ukraine); 10th - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan)
2004 Olympic Games
120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. - Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); Silver - Ali Reza Rezaei (Iran); Bronze - Aydin Polatci (Turkey); 4th - Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan); 5th - Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba); 6th - Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov (Russia); 7th - Kerry McCoy (USA); 8th - Bozhidar Boyadzhiev (Bulgaria); 9th - Sven Thiele (Germany); 10th - Francesco Miano-Petta (Italy)
2003 World ChampionshipsM
120 kg/ 264.5 lbs. - Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan) dec. Kerry McCoy (United States), 4-1. ot, 6:12; Bronze - Ali Reza Rezaei (Iran) dec. Serhii Priadun (Ukraine), 3-0; 5th - Efsathios Topalidis (Greece); 6th - Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan); 7th - Baris Hrinkevich (Belarus); 8th - Aleksi Modebadze (Georgia); 9th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 10th - Gelegjamts Usukhbayar (Mongolia)
2002 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - David Musulbes (Russia) dec. Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba), 5-0, ot, 6:04; Bronze - Aydin Polatci (Turkey) won by tech. fall over David Otiashvili (Georgia), 10-0, 1:25; 5th - Otto Aubeli (Hungary); 6th - Ruslan Shikhsafiyev (Kazakhstan); 7th - Markus Hamann (Germany); 8th - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); 9th - Boris Boyadzhiev (Bulgaria); 10th - Boris Grinkevich (Belarus)
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