The Hindu : Sport / Wrestling : Russia aiming for a sweep

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Russia aiming for a sweep

BEIJING: Wrestling powerhouse Russia is looking forward to tightening its hold in the Beijing Olympics as World champions Mavlet Batirov, Khadjimourat Gatsalov and Alexei Michine will be aiming for second helpings.

Russia’s male mat stars are a dominant force in the world’s oldest competitive sport with five Olympic golds in Athens and seven titles at the 2007 World wrestling championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, including a near-sweep in the freestyle events.

Gatsalov, the freestyle 96kg champion in Athens, booked his ticket to Beijing by stamping his class again at the Baku World championships.

Fellow Russian freestyle wrestler Batirov, who won the 55kg gold in 2004, will compete in the 60kg category in Beijing.

Athens gold medallist Michine is the only Russian Greco-Roman World champion. Khasan Baroev is going to defend his 120kg 2004 Olympics title. He had lost to Mijail Lopez of Cuba in the final of 2007 World championships.

Wrestlers from 41 countries and regions qualified in the classical Greco-Roman event, in which only hands and upper bodies can be used to attack and defend.

Hamid Soryan, Iran’s 55kg World champion, the Georgian 60kg world titlists David Bedinadze and Ramaz Nozadze (96kg), as well as wrestlers from Hungary, South Korea and the United States, will be challenging the powerful Russians. Farid Mansurov of Azerbaijan, winner of 66kg in Athens and World championships in Baku, is expected to be the other star.

China’s wrestler Li Yanyan was the gold medallist in the 2006 World championships. He and 2008 Asian champion Chang Yongxiang (74kg) will be China’s leading force. The country has never won a men’s wrestling gold in the Olympics.

Forty-three countries and regions will contest for seven golds in freestyle, where players can use their legs for pushing, lifting and tripping as well as holding their opponents below the waist. Russia topped the medal count in Athens with five golds, two silvers and three bronzes.

Cuba, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, World team champion the USA and Turkey will also be looking to stop a Russian sweep. Japan, South Korea, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan too have good fighters.

China’s hope

China’s only hope for a gold is in women’s events. There are 30 teams lined up. Similar to men’s freestyle the women’s event forbids double headlocks, which is considered dangerous for women.

Japan dominates in women’s freestyle as Olympic champions Kaori Icho and Saori Yoshida added the 2007 World championship titles to their resumes. They won two of four women’s golds in Athens, when female wrestling made its Olympic debut. The two golds helped Japan to take the second place in wrestling in 2004. — Agencies

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