Wrestling preview: Russian athletes to ask for more in Greco-Roman wrestling
www.chinaview.cn 2008-08-13 13:19:15   Print

    BEIJING, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Men's Greco-Roman wrestling matches will come to an end on Thursday, offering three more golds at the Beijing Olympic Games.

    Russian Aleksey Mishin and Khasan Baroev are among the hopeful winners while Egyptian Karam Gaber will be on his way to defend his Olympic title.

    Mishin, the reigning world and Olympic champion in the 48kg, is one of the most consistent Greco-Roman wrestlers in the world, enlarging his collection with a 2006 world bronze and a 2005 world silver.

    Veteran Brad Vering of the United States is the only wrestler who attended the 2004 Athens Olympics in the seven-member American Greco-Roman team.

    Vering won his first world medal with a silver in the 2007 World Championship in Baku, Azerbaijan, losing to Mishin.

    Baroev, also the 2006 world champion in 120kg, will struggle to defend his Olympic title, expecting tough challenge from Cuban Mijain Lopez, the world champion in 2007 and 2005. Both wrestlers fought twice in finals of world championships and leveled with one win each.

    Ramaz Nozadze of Bulgaria is the biggest obstacle on Gaber's way to defend his title. As reigning world champion, Nozadze placed second in the 2004 Athens Games and was the only world champion from the Olympic four-year cycle who will be competing in Beijing.

    Representing the host will be Ma Sanyi of 84kg, Jiang Huachen of 96kg and Liu Deli of 120kg.

    After Chang Yongxiang made the best record for the Chinese men wrestlers in the Olympic Games as he entered final of 74kg, these heavyweight wrestlers will be counting on for more.

Editor: Xinhuanet
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