MEDAL MATCHES, AUGUST 14: Italy, Russia and Cuba win final Greco golds
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by Gary Abbott
BEIJING, CHINA - Gold medals were won by Italy, Russia and Cuba during an exciting final day of the Greco-Roman wrestling competition at the China Agriculture University Gymnasium.
In a battle of unlikely finalists at 84 kg/185 lbs., Andrea Minguzzi of Italy defeated Zoltan Fodor of Hungary, 1-1, 1-1, 4-0. They split the first two periods, with Fodor winning the first period and Minguzzi winning the second period by scoring last. In the deciding third period, Minguzzi tossed Fodor for a three-point throw in the closing seconds to capture the gold.
Neither had ever won a World medal. The highest Fodor had placed was eighth in 2007 and Minguzzi was 13th in 2001.
The 96 kg/211.5 lbs. gold medal went to Russia's Aslanbek Khushtov, who shut out Mirko Englich of Germany, 6-0, 3-0. Khushtov won the first period instantly with a five-point move, and controlled the second period in a lop-sided victory.
The gold medal at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. was a battle of the top two stars in the division, 2007 World champion Mijian Lopez of Cuba and 2004 Olympic champion Khasan Baroev of Russia. Lopez won the match, 5-0, 1-1. Lopez was able to turn Baroev in the first period, and finished it off with a second period win. It was a rematch of the 2007 World Championship finals, also won by Lopez.
In the first bronze medal bout at 84 kg/185 lbs., it took three periods for 1999 World champion Nazmi Avluca of Turkey to defeat Ma Sanyi of China, 0-4, 5-0, 6-0. Ma won the first period, with a three point throw, but Avluca came back to take the second instantly with a five-point throw. The third and deciding period, Avluca scored a two-point tilt, a three-point throw and an additional point for holding him on his back for a 6-0 technical fall.
Winning the other bronze at 84 kg/185 lbs. was two-time World champion Ara Abrahamian of Sweden, who defeated Melonin Noumonvi of France, 4-0, 1-1. Abrahamian won the first period with a pushout early on, and a lift from the par terre. He claimed the second period by defending from the bottom and scoring the last point of the period.
Adam Wheeler of the United States captured the first bronze at 96 kg/211.5 pounds, beating Han Tae-Young of Korea, 3-1, 4-1. Wheeler was able to score a gutwrench in the first period and a key reversal in the second period, giving the United States its first Greco-Roman medal.
The other bronze went to Kazakhstan's Asset Mambetov, who needed just two periods to defeat Marec Svec of the Czech Republic, 1-1, 6-0. Mambetov opened up his offense in the second period to get a technical fall.
The bronze medals at 120 kg went to Mindaugas Mizgaitis of Lithuania and Yuri Patrikeev of Armenia. Mizgaitis won a close 2-1, 2-1 match over Yannick Szczepaniak of France, while Patrikeev needed three periods to defeat Jalmar Sjoberg of Sweden, 2-1, 1-1, 3-0.
OLYMPIC GAMES
Greco-Roman wrestling
At Beijing, China, August 14
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Mijain Lopez (Cuba)
Silver - Khasan Baroev (Russia)
Bronze - Mindaugas Mizgaitis (Lithuania)
Bronze - Yuri Patrikeev (Armenia)
5th - Yannick Szczepaniak (France)
5th - Jalmar Sjoberg (Sweden)
7th - Dremiel Byers (USA)
8th - Mihaly Deak-Bardos (Hungary)
9th - Liu Deli (China)
10th - Anton Botev (Azberbaijan)
Gold match - Lopez dec. Baroev, 5-0, 1-1
Bronze match - Mizgaitis dec. Szczepaniak, 2-1, 2-1
Bronze match - Patrikeev ded. Sjoberg, 2-1, 1-1, 3-0
84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold - Andrea Minguzzi (Italy)
Silver - Zoltan Fodor (Hungary)
Bronze - Nazmi Avluca (Turkey)
Bronze - Ara Abrahamian (Sweden)
5th - Ma Sanyi (China)
5th - Melonin Noumonvi (France)
7th - Denis Forov (Armenia)
8th - Shalva Gadabadze (Azerbaijan)
9th - Aleksey Michine (Russia)
10th - Yunior Estrada (Cuba)
12th - Brad Vering (USA)
Gold match - Andrea Minguzzi (Italy) dec. Zoltan Fodor (Hungary), 1-1, 1-1,4-0
Bronze match - Nazmi Avluca (Turkey) dec. Ma Sanyi (China), 0-4, 5-0, 6-0
Bronze match - Ara Abrahamian (Sweden) dec. Melonin Noumonvi (France), 4-0, 1-1
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold - Aslanbek Khushtov (Russia)
Silver - Mirko Englich (Germany)
Bronze - Adam Wheeler (USA)
Bronze - Asset Mambetov (Kazakhstan)
5th - Han Tae-Young (Korea)
5th - Marek Svec (Czech Republic)
7th - Mindaugus Ezerskis (Lithuania)
8th - Elis Guri (Albania)
9th - Jiang Huachen (China)
10th - Mehmet Ozal (Turkey)
Gold match - Kushtov dec. Englich, 6-0, 3-0
Bronze match - Wheeler dec. Han, 3-1, 4-1
Bronze match - Mambetov dec. Svec, 1-1, 6-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Mijain Lopez (Cuba)
Silver - Khasan Baroev (Russia)
Bronze - Mindaugas Mizgaitis (Lithuania)
Bronze - Yuri Patrikeev (Armenia)
5th - Yannick Szczepaniak (France)
5th - Jalmar Sjoberg (Sweden)
7th - Dremiel Byers (USA)
8th - Mihaly Deak-Bardos (Hungary)
9th - Liu Deli (China)
10th - Anton Botev (Azberbaijan)
Gold match - Lopez dec. Baroev, 5-0, 1-1
Bronze match - Mizgaitis dec. Szczepaniak, 2-1, 2-1
Bronze match - Patrikeev ded. Sjoberg, 2-1, 1-1, 3-0
2008 Olympic Greco-Roman gold medalists
55 kg/121 lbs - Nazyr Mankiev (Russia)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Islam-Beka Albiev (Russia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Steeve Guenot (France)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Manuchar Kvirkelia (Georgia)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Andrea Minguzzi (Italy)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Aslanbek Khushtov (Russia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Mijain Lopez (Cuba)
In a battle of unlikely finalists at 84 kg/185 lbs., Andrea Minguzzi of Italy defeated Zoltan Fodor of Hungary, 1-1, 1-1, 4-0. They split the first two periods, with Fodor winning the first period and Minguzzi winning the second period by scoring last. In the deciding third period, Minguzzi tossed Fodor for a three-point throw in the closing seconds to capture the gold.
Neither had ever won a World medal. The highest Fodor had placed was eighth in 2007 and Minguzzi was 13th in 2001.
The 96 kg/211.5 lbs. gold medal went to Russia's Aslanbek Khushtov, who shut out Mirko Englich of Germany, 6-0, 3-0. Khushtov won the first period instantly with a five-point move, and controlled the second period in a lop-sided victory.
The gold medal at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. was a battle of the top two stars in the division, 2007 World champion Mijian Lopez of Cuba and 2004 Olympic champion Khasan Baroev of Russia. Lopez won the match, 5-0, 1-1. Lopez was able to turn Baroev in the first period, and finished it off with a second period win. It was a rematch of the 2007 World Championship finals, also won by Lopez.
In the first bronze medal bout at 84 kg/185 lbs., it took three periods for 1999 World champion Nazmi Avluca of Turkey to defeat Ma Sanyi of China, 0-4, 5-0, 6-0. Ma won the first period, with a three point throw, but Avluca came back to take the second instantly with a five-point throw. The third and deciding period, Avluca scored a two-point tilt, a three-point throw and an additional point for holding him on his back for a 6-0 technical fall.
Winning the other bronze at 84 kg/185 lbs. was two-time World champion Ara Abrahamian of Sweden, who defeated Melonin Noumonvi of France, 4-0, 1-1. Abrahamian won the first period with a pushout early on, and a lift from the par terre. He claimed the second period by defending from the bottom and scoring the last point of the period.
Adam Wheeler of the United States captured the first bronze at 96 kg/211.5 pounds, beating Han Tae-Young of Korea, 3-1, 4-1. Wheeler was able to score a gutwrench in the first period and a key reversal in the second period, giving the United States its first Greco-Roman medal.
The other bronze went to Kazakhstan's Asset Mambetov, who needed just two periods to defeat Marec Svec of the Czech Republic, 1-1, 6-0. Mambetov opened up his offense in the second period to get a technical fall.
The bronze medals at 120 kg went to Mindaugas Mizgaitis of Lithuania and Yuri Patrikeev of Armenia. Mizgaitis won a close 2-1, 2-1 match over Yannick Szczepaniak of France, while Patrikeev needed three periods to defeat Jalmar Sjoberg of Sweden, 2-1, 1-1, 3-0.
OLYMPIC GAMES
Greco-Roman wrestling
At Beijing, China, August 14
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Mijain Lopez (Cuba)
Silver - Khasan Baroev (Russia)
Bronze - Mindaugas Mizgaitis (Lithuania)
Bronze - Yuri Patrikeev (Armenia)
5th - Yannick Szczepaniak (France)
5th - Jalmar Sjoberg (Sweden)
7th - Dremiel Byers (USA)
8th - Mihaly Deak-Bardos (Hungary)
9th - Liu Deli (China)
10th - Anton Botev (Azberbaijan)
Gold match - Lopez dec. Baroev, 5-0, 1-1
Bronze match - Mizgaitis dec. Szczepaniak, 2-1, 2-1
Bronze match - Patrikeev ded. Sjoberg, 2-1, 1-1, 3-0
84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold - Andrea Minguzzi (Italy)
Silver - Zoltan Fodor (Hungary)
Bronze - Nazmi Avluca (Turkey)
Bronze - Ara Abrahamian (Sweden)
5th - Ma Sanyi (China)
5th - Melonin Noumonvi (France)
7th - Denis Forov (Armenia)
8th - Shalva Gadabadze (Azerbaijan)
9th - Aleksey Michine (Russia)
10th - Yunior Estrada (Cuba)
12th - Brad Vering (USA)
Gold match - Andrea Minguzzi (Italy) dec. Zoltan Fodor (Hungary), 1-1, 1-1,4-0
Bronze match - Nazmi Avluca (Turkey) dec. Ma Sanyi (China), 0-4, 5-0, 6-0
Bronze match - Ara Abrahamian (Sweden) dec. Melonin Noumonvi (France), 4-0, 1-1
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold - Aslanbek Khushtov (Russia)
Silver - Mirko Englich (Germany)
Bronze - Adam Wheeler (USA)
Bronze - Asset Mambetov (Kazakhstan)
5th - Han Tae-Young (Korea)
5th - Marek Svec (Czech Republic)
7th - Mindaugus Ezerskis (Lithuania)
8th - Elis Guri (Albania)
9th - Jiang Huachen (China)
10th - Mehmet Ozal (Turkey)
Gold match - Kushtov dec. Englich, 6-0, 3-0
Bronze match - Wheeler dec. Han, 3-1, 4-1
Bronze match - Mambetov dec. Svec, 1-1, 6-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Mijain Lopez (Cuba)
Silver - Khasan Baroev (Russia)
Bronze - Mindaugas Mizgaitis (Lithuania)
Bronze - Yuri Patrikeev (Armenia)
5th - Yannick Szczepaniak (France)
5th - Jalmar Sjoberg (Sweden)
7th - Dremiel Byers (USA)
8th - Mihaly Deak-Bardos (Hungary)
9th - Liu Deli (China)
10th - Anton Botev (Azberbaijan)
Gold match - Lopez dec. Baroev, 5-0, 1-1
Bronze match - Mizgaitis dec. Szczepaniak, 2-1, 2-1
Bronze match - Patrikeev ded. Sjoberg, 2-1, 1-1, 3-0
2008 Olympic Greco-Roman gold medalists
55 kg/121 lbs - Nazyr Mankiev (Russia)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Islam-Beka Albiev (Russia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Steeve Guenot (France)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Manuchar Kvirkelia (Georgia)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Andrea Minguzzi (Italy)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Aslanbek Khushtov (Russia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Mijain Lopez (Cuba)
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