The "Good Luck Beijing" 2007 Junior World Wrestling Championships entered its last day today, with competition among the three traditional giants Russia, Turkey and Iran growing more and more intense.
After the first-day freestyle competition, Russia, Turkey and Iran each got 26 points. After the eliminations in the morning, Russia's D. Otarsultanov, Anzor Urishev and Bakhtiyar Akhmedov entered the 55kg, 84kg and 120kg finals respectively, while Turkish wrestlers Sezar Akgul and Okay Koksal qualified for the 55kg and 66kg finals respectively. One wrestler of each team failed to enter the revival, 66kg for Russia and 84kg for Turkey.
Russia and Iran met three times in this morning's eliminations. Saeid Dadashpour, gold medalist of the 2007 Asian Junior Wrestling Championships, beat Russia's Amir Berukov 2-1 in the 66kg; in the 55kg class Iran's Aref Alizadaeh lost 2-0 to Russia's D. Otarsultanov, gold medalist of the 2006 Junior World Wrestling Championships; Iran's Ali Rajabzadeh, gold medalist of the 2007 Asian Junior Wrestling Championships, lost 2-0 to Russia's Anzor Urishev in the 84kg. With its win in the 84kg Russia gained a temporary lead.
Iran's M. Azarshakib will compete for the gold medal of the 120kg event, if the other three Iranian wrestlers won in the revival this afternoon. The team rankings will then change again.
In addition, Bubba Jenkins of the United States gained a berth in the 66kg final and will take on Turkey's 2006 world junior champion for the gold medal. China's Deng Zhiwei will compete for the bronze tonight, while teammate B. Huwatibieke entered the 84kg revival.
The last four gold medals of the men's freestyle events will come to light tonight.
55kg: Sezar Akgul (TUR) vs D. Otarsultanov (RUS)
66kg: Bubba Jenkins (USA) vs Okay Koksal (TUR)
84kg: Abdul Ammaev (UZB) vs Anzor Urishev (RUS)
120kg: M. Azarshakib (IRA) vs Bakhtiyar Akhmedov (RUS) |