Gaber wins Egypt's first wrestling gold since 1928

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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
08/26/2004


Athens, Greece - The country that has long been known for someone that is dead, King Tut, rather than someone that is alive now has a new hero - Karam Gaber.    The 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Egyptian scored a 12-1 technical superiority win over Ramaz Nozadze of Georgia in the gold-medal match on Thursday evening for Egypt's first gold medal since 1984.    It was the first Olympic wrestling medal for Egypt since 1960 and the first gold in wrestling since 1928. It is also the first Egyptian gold medal in any sport since 1948.    Gaber, who never broke a sweat during his match, paraded around the arena proudly waving the Egyptian flag to a standing ovation.    The two-time World silver medalist also defeated Nozadze in the semifinals of last year's World Championships with a 10-0 technical superiority win.    At 60 kg/132 lbs., 21 year-old Ji Hyun Jung of Korea defeated Roberto Monzon of Cuba, 3-0 in overtime after a clinch.    For Monzon, it ended another year of frustration. He won bronze medals at the 2001 and 2002 World Championships and a silver at the 2003 World Championships.    Jung finished 23rd at last year's World Championships.    In the 74 kg/163 lbs. final, Alexander Dokturishivili of Uzbekistan captured a gold with a 4-1 win over Marko Yli-Hannuksela of Finland.    Dokturishivili scored twice in the first period, both on two-point gut wrenches, for his only scoring of the match. Yli-Hannuksela cut the lead to 4-1 with a gut wrench at the end of the first period, but he was unable to score in the second period.    It was the second Olympic medal for Yli-Hannuksela, who captured bronze in 2000.    Winning bronze medals on the evening were two-time Olympic gold medalist Armen Nazarian of Bulgaria at 60 kg/132 lbs., 2000 Olympic gold medalist Varteres Samourgachev of Russia at 74 kg/163 lbs. and 2002 World champion Mehmet Ozal of Turkey at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.    Men's freestyle competition will begin on Friday, August 27 at 9:30 a.m. (Athens time). The session will include preliminary pool competition at 55 kg/121 lbs., 66 kg/145.5 lbs., 84 kg/185 lbs. and 120 kg/264.5 lbs.