Yazdanicharati, Khinchegashvili bag first men's freestyle gold medals in Rio

Hassan Yazdanicharati (IRI) defeats Aniuar Geduev (RUS) in the 74kg  Olympic finals. Photo: Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com.

RIO DE JANEIRO – Although lacking a distinct American flair, a rabid crowd came to life inside Carioca Arena 2 for a pair of gold medal classics to cap off the first day of men’s freestyle competition at the Olympic Games.


The ever-present Iranian fan base turned out in large number to witness rising star Hassan Yazdanicharati give the nation its first Olympic gold medal since 2000 in Sydney.


The 21-year-old Iranian trailed stout Russian Aniuar Geduev 6-0 after giving up three first period takedowns. In the second period, Yazdanicharati unleased a relentless pace and hit Geduev with three takedowns of his own to steal the gold with three seconds left in the match.


Yazdanicharati, a 2015 World runner-up at 70 kg, entered the Olympics as the fourth ranked wrestler at 74 kg, but his gold came as a surprise to most with giants like reigning Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs and the highly regarded Geduev looming in the weight.


Also nabbing gold on Friday evening was the dynamic Georgian World champion Vladimer Khinchegahsvili at 57 kg. Khinchegahsvili squeaked by Japanese youngster Rei Higuchi 4-3 to put his 2012 Olympic silver medal blues to bed. The win gave Georgia its second Olympic gold medalist in men’s freestyle; Revaz Mindorashvili accomplishing the feat in 2008.


A pair of World champions found themselves with 57 kg Olympic bronze medals at day’s end.


After winning the last two World Championships at 61 kg, Haji Aliyev of Azerbaijan dropped in weight to make a run at Olympic glory. He was able to grab Azerbaijan its seventh Olympic medal in men’s freestyle by downing two-time World medalist Vladimir Dubov by fall in the bronze medal match.


2013 World champion Hassan Rahimi of Iran bagged his first Olympic medal by pinning the always-dangerous Cuban Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez in 5:04. It is speculated this will be the end for Rahimi who would retire as a five-time World and Olympic medalist.


Iran has now amassed 35 total Olympic medals in men’s freestyle with Rahimi and Yazdanicharati joining the club today.


World No. 8 Yabrail Hasanov of Azerbaijan and World No. 7 Soener Demirtas of Turkey improved their international stocks by grabbing bronze at 74 kg.


Hasanov fended off 2014 World bronze medalist Bekzod Abdurakhmonov of Uzbekistan 9-7 to claim Azerbaijan’s eighth men’s freestyle Olympic medal. Hasanov was a two-time World bronze medalist at 66 kg, but this is his first real breakthrough performance up at 74 kg.


Demirtas added to the long tradition of Turkish Olympic wrestling, winning men’s freestyle medal No. 37 with a 6-0 domination of Galimzhan Usserbaev of Kazakhstan. This is Turkey’s first Olympic medal since 2008.


Men’s freestyle competition will resume at 9 a.m. (ET) on Saturday with the 86 kg and 125 kg tournaments. Taking the mat for Team USA are World No. 9 J’den Cox and two-time World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev.


Every match from the 2016 Olympic Games can be viewed live courtesy of NBC at NBCOlympics.com. Complete brackets and match-by-match results can be found at unitedworldwrestling.org.

2016 OLYMPIC GAMES

Aug. 14-21 at Carioca Arena 2 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Final Results

57 kg/125.5 lbs.

Gold – Vladimer Khinchegahsvili (Georgia)

Silver – Rei Higuchi (Japan)

Bronze – Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan)

Bronze – Hassan Rahimi (Iran)

5th – Vladimir Dubov (Bulgaria)

5th – Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez (Cuba)

7th – Asadulla Lachinau (Belarus)

8th – Kyong-Il Yang (DPR Korea)

9th – Victor Lebedev (Russia)

10th – Adama Diatta (Senegal)


Gold – Vladimer Khinchegahsvili (Georgia) dec. Rei Higuchi (Japan), 4-3

Bronze – Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan) fall Vladimir Dubov (Bulgaria), 4:50

Bronze – Hassan Rahimi (Iran) fall Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez (Cuba), 5:04

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Hassan Yazdanicharati (Iran)

Silver – Aniuar Geduev (Russia)

Bronze – Yabrail Hasanov (Azerbaijan)

Bronze – Soener Demirtas (Turkey)

5th – Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (Uzbekistan)

5th – Galimzhan Usserbaev (Kazakhstan)

7th – Sohsuke Takatani (Japan)

8th – Zelimkhan Khadjiev (France)

9th – Jordan Burroughs (United States)

10th – Livan Lopez Azcuy (Cuba)


Gold – Hassan Yazdanicharati (Iran) dec. Aniuar Geduev (Russia), 6-6

Bronze – Yabrail Hasanov (Azerbaijan) dec. Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (Uzbekistan), 9-7

Bronze – Soener Demirtas (Turkey) dec. Galimzhan Usserbaev (Kazakhstan), 6-0

U.S. men’s freestyle results

57 kg/125.5 lbs. – Daniel Dennis, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC), 19th

LOSS Vladimir Dubov (Bulgaria), 11-0


74 kg/163 lbs. – Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska WTC), 9th

WIN Augusto Midana (Guinea Bissau), 8-3

LOSS Aniuar Geduev (Russia), 3-2

LOSS Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Uzbekistan), 11-1