Russia dominates freestyle events at European Wrestling Championships

AP Worldstream; Apr 29, 2006

Russia’s Olympic champions dominated the men’s freestyle events at the
European Wrestling Championships on Saturday, winning gold in all three divisions.
Two-time Olympic champion Bouvaisa Saytiev extended his long history of top
finishes with a 5-0 win over Rouslan Kokaev of Armenia in the 74-kilogram
class.
Athens Games gold medalist Khadjimurad Gatsalov needed just 52 seconds to
floor Shamil Gitinov of Armenia in the 96-kilogram category.
Earlier, Mavlet Batirov, competing in his first event since winning gold in
Athens two years ago, rallied from a period down to defeat Tevfik Odabasi of
Turkey in the 60-kilogram division for his second European title.
“I had ‘died’ but I waited for the second wind. When it happened I had a
chance to crash my opponent,” said Saytiev, who was exhausted after a tough
quarterfinal against Emzarios Bentinidis of Greece.
Saytiev has won every major international event he has entered since 1995,
winning six world and as many European titles. His only loss came in 2000,
when he was beaten by America’s Brandon Slay in Sydney in one of the biggest
upsets in Olympic wrestling history.
Gatsalov was two points behind in the first period before he proved his
class.
“To save my reputation, I had to become very active and try to resolve all
the questions in advance,” Gatsalov said.
The championships wraps up on Sunday with four more freestyle events.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress