Three gold medals were awarded in freestyle wrestling on the first day of competition at the World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 26.

Claiming World titles were Dilshod Mansurov of Uzbekistan at 55 kg/121 lbs., Alan Dudaev of Russia at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Makhach Murtazaliev of Russia at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Mansurov won his second career World title with a 1-0, 1-0 victory over Radoslav Velikov of Bulgaria in the finals. Mansurov scored a takedown in the first period, and received a second period point when Velikov stepped out of bounds. Mansurov was also a World champion in 2003.

Dudaev and Murtazaliev are young stars for Russia and were first-time World champions.

Dudaev stopped 2004 Olympic champion Yandro Quintana of Cuba, 2-2, 0-1, 3-1. Dudaev captured the first period on a crotch lift counter from a Quintana scoring move. Quintana came back to win the second period on a takedown. The deciding third period featured a Dudaev takedown and a two-point crotch lift.

Murtazaliev defeated two-time World champion Serafim Barzakov of Bulgaria, 1-0, 1-0. In the first period, Murtazaliev scored a takedown off the leg clinch. In the second period, Murtazaliev scored a takedown during a scramble in the first period.

All three U.S. wrestlers who competed on the first day were defeated in the morning session and did not place in the top 10 of their divisions: Sammie Henson (Flintstone, Ga./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Michael Lightner (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Chris Bono (Gilbert, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Three men's freestyle divisions will be contested on Tuesday, Sept. 27: 74 kg/163 lbs., 84 kg/185 lbs. and 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

FINAL RESULTS

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Dilshod Mansurov (Uzbekistan)
Silver - Radoslav Velikov (Bulgaria)
Bronze - Hyon Guk Jon (North Korea)
Bronze - Bayaraa Naranbaatar (Mongolia)
5th - Namig Abdullayev (Azerbaijan)
5th - Tomohiro Matsunaga (Japan)
7th - Jae-Hoon Jan (Korea)
8th - Gevork Markaryan (Ukraine)
9th - Zalimkhan Kutseev (Russia)
10th - Ghenadie Tulbea (Moldova)

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold - Alan Dudaev (Russia)
Silver - Yandro Quintana (Cuba)
Bronze - Martin Berberyan (Armenia)
Bronze - Mehdi Mohammadi (Iran)
5th - Levan Chabradze (Georgia)
5th - Oyunbileg Purevbaatar (Mongolia)
7th - Jae-Myung Song (Korea)
8th - Giuvi Sissaouri (Canada)
9th - Gergo Woller (Hungary)
10th - Tevfik Odabasi (Turkey)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Makhach Murtazaliev (Russia)
Silver - Serafim Barzakov (Bulgaria)
Bronze - Otar Tushishvili (Georgia)
Bronze - Geandry Garzon (Cuba)
5th - Leonid Spirodonov (Kazakhstan)
5th - Viktor Bilokopytyy (Ukraine)
7th - Bayunjav Batzorig (Mongolia)
8th - Evan MacDonald (Canada)
9th - Omer Cubukci (Turkey)
10th - Masoud Vahedi (Iran)