Two-time Olympic champions Azcuy, Nazarian defeated in morning session of Greco-Roman wrestling as m

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
08/26/2004


The final set of medal match pairings have been determined in the Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling competition at the Ano Liossia Olympic Hall in Athens, Greece, Thursday, August 26 in the 9:30 a.m. session.    A pair of two-time Olympic champions were defeated in the session and will not have a chance to win a historic third Olympic title.    In the quarterfinals at 74 kg/163 lbs., two-time Olympic champion Filiberto Azcuy of Cuba was defeated by Marko Yli-Hannuksela, a 1997 World champion, by a 3-1 overtime decision.    In the semifinals, two-time Olympic champion Armen Nazarian of Bulgaria lost a 3-1 decision to Jung Ji Hyun of Korea.    With the fourth-place finish of two-time Olympic champion Hamza Yerlikaya of Turkey on Wednesday, all three athletes seeking a third Olympic title in wrestling were defeated this year. They were looking to match the historic achievements of three-time Olympic wrestling champions Alexander Kareline of Russia in Greco-Roman (1988, 1992, 1996), Alexander Medved of the Soviet Union in freestyle (1964, 1968, 1972) and Carl Westergren of Sweden (1920, 1924, 1932).    Another Olympic champion was beaten in the semifinals, when Aleksandr Dokturishvili of Uzbekistan edged 2000 Olympic champion Varteres Samourgachev of Russia, 3-2 at 74 kg/163 lbs.    In the semifinal at 96 kg/211.5 lbs., two-time World silver medalist Karim Gaber of Egypt lifted and threw 2002 World champion Mehmat Ozal of Turkey three times, for a 10-0 technical fall in just 1:09. Ozal beat Gaber in a wild World finals in 2002, but this time Gaber won in an impressive fashion.     The gold medal pairings have been set in the last three Greco-Roman divisions.    At 60 kg/132 lbs., Jung Ji Hyun of Korea will face Roberto Monzon of Cuba.    At 74 kg/163 lbs., Marko Yli-Hannuksela of Finland will  battle Aleksandr Dokturishvili of Uzbekistan    At 96 kg/211.5 lbs., Ramaz Nozadze of Georgia will compete against  Karam Ibrahim Gaber of Egypt.    Semifinal results on Thursday, August 26 at 9:30 a.m.    60 kg/132 lbs.  Jung Ji Hyun (Korea) dec. Armen Nazarian (Bulgaria), 3-1  Roberto Monzon (Cuba) dec. Alexey Shevtsov (Russia), 6-3    74 kg/163 lbs.  Marko Yli-Hannuksela (Finland) dec. Reto Bucher (Switzerland), 3-0  Aleksandr Dokturishvili (Uzbekistan) dec. Varteres Samourgachev (Russia), 3-2    96 kg/211.5 lbs.  Ramaz Nozadze (Georgia) dec. Masoud Hashemzadeh (Iran), 4-2  Mehmet Ozal (Turkey) vs. Karam Ibrahim Gaber (Egypt), 10-0, 1:09    Medal match pairings for Thursday, August 26 at 5:30 p.m.    60 kg/132 lbs.  Gold - Jung Ji Hyun (Korea) vs. Roberto Monzon (Cuba)  Bronze - Armen Nazarian (Bulgaria) vs. Alexey Shevtsov (Russia)  5th - Makoto Sasamoto (Japan) vs. Nurlan Koizhaiganov (Kazakhstan)    74 kg/163 lbs.   Gold - Marko Yli-Hannuksela (Finland) dec. Aleksandr Dokturishvili (Uzbekistan)  Bronze - Reto Bucher (Switzerland) vs. Varteres Samourgachev (Russia)  5th - Filiberto Azcuy (Cuba) vs. Danil Khalimov (Kazkhstan)    96 kg/211.5 lbs.  Gold - Ramaz Nozadze (Georgia) vs. Karam Ibrahim Gaber (Egypt)  Bronze - Masoud Hashemzadeh (Iran) vs. Mehmet Ozal (Turkey)  5th - Genadi Chhaidze (Kyrgyzstan) vs. Ernesto Pena (Cuba)