| | Event type

Bantamweight, Greco-Roman (≤57 kg), Men

Date	23 – 26 October 1968
Status	Olympic
Location	Pista de Hielo Insurgentes, Ciudad de México
Participants	24 from 24 countries
Format	Scoring by negative points, with negative points given for any result short of a fall (win by fall-0.0; win by superior decision-0.5; win by decision-1.0; draw-2.5; loss by decision-3.0; loss by superior decision-3.5; loss by fall-4.0). Accumulation of 6 negative points eliminated the wrestler. When three or fewer wrestlers remained, they advanced to a final round, with preliminary results carried forward.

The three leading contenders were Romanian Ion Baciu, the 1967 World Champion, Hungarian János Varga, the 1967 European Champion, and Bulgarian Khristo Traykov, the 1968 European Champion. Varga had also been runner-up at the 1967 Worlds and 1968 Europeans. Traykov won his first bout by a disqualification, but was then pinned by Baciu and was eliminated when he lost by disqualification to American Dave Hazewinkel. In round six Baciu and Varga met for the gold medal, and when the match ended in a draw, Baciu was eliminated, gold going to Varga. In the matches for the lesser medals, Baciu threw Greek Othon Moskhidis and advanced to a silver medal match against Soviet Ivan Kochergin. Baciu and Kochergin were both disqualified in that match, but that still gave the silver medal to Baciu, as Kochergin and Moskhidis had drawn in round six.

Varga and Baciu would return to the Olympics in 1972, but neither medalled, with Varga finishing fourth and Baciu sixth. Varga did win the 1970 World and European Championships. Traykov would win the 1972-73 Europeans.

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Round Eliminated	Bad Points
1	16	János Varga	HUN	–	–	Gold
2	2	Ion Baciu	ROU	–	–	Silver
3	14	Ivan Kochergin	URS	–	–	Bronze
4	18	Othon Moschidis	GRE	–	–
5	10	Koji Sakurama	JPN	–	–
=6	5	Ibrahim El-Sayed	EGY	–	–
=6	23	Kaya Öczan	TUR	–	–
AC	19	Risto Björlin	FIN	eliminated r4/8	6.0
AC	1	Dave Hazewinkel	USA	eliminated r4/8	6.0
AC	22	An Cheon-Yeong	KOR	eliminated r4/8	7.0
AC	11	Arthur Spaenhoven	BEL	eliminated r4/8	7.5
AC	8	Jean Nakouzi	LBN	eliminated r3/8	6.0
AC	4	Hristo Traykov	BUL	eliminated r3/8	7.0
AC	17	Karlo Čović	YUG	eliminated r3/8	7.0
AC	6	Rodolfo Guerra	MEX	eliminated r3/8	8.0
AC	24	Józef Lipień	POL	eliminated r3/8	9.0
AC	13	Fritz Stange	FRG	withdrew r3/8	5.0
AC	21	Khalifa Karouane	MAR	eliminated r2/8	6.0
AC	9	Roland Svensson	SWE	eliminated r2/8	6.0
AC	12	Hartmut Puls	GDR	eliminated r2/8	6.5
AC	15	Luís Grilo	POR	eliminated r2/8	7.0
AC	7	Herb Singerman	CAN	eliminated r2/8	8.0
AC	3	Johnny Nielsen	DEN	eliminated r2/8	8.0
AC	20	Javier Raxón	GUA	eliminated r2/8	8.0
DNS	–	John Kinsela	AUS	–	–
DNS	–	Rogelio Famatid	PHI	–	–
DNS	–	Rustem Kazakov	URS	–	–

Round One

Date	23 October 1968

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Bad Points
=1	4	Hristo Traykov	BUL	0.0
=1	19	Risto Björlin	FIN	0.0
=1	16	János Varga	HUN	0.0
=1	8	Jean Nakouzi	LBN	0.0
=1	14	Ivan Kochergin	URS	0.0
=6	5	Ibrahim El-Sayed	EGY	1.0
=6	18	Othon Moschidis	GRE	1.0
=6	10	Koji Sakurama	JPN	1.0
=6	22	An Cheon-Yeong	KOR	1.0
=6	2	Ion Baciu	ROU	1.0
=6	23	Kaya Öczan	TUR	1.0
=12	11	Arthur Spaenhoven	BEL	2.5
=12	12	Hartmut Puls	GDR	2.5
=14	21	Khalifa Karouane	MAR	3.0
=14	6	Rodolfo Guerra	MEX	3.0
=14	24	Józef Lipień	POL	3.0
=14	9	Roland Svensson	SWE	3.0
=14	1	Dave Hazewinkel	USA	3.0
=14	17	Karlo Čović	YUG	3.0
=20	7	Herb Singerman	CAN	4.0
=20	3	Johnny Nielsen	DEN	4.0
=20	13	Fritz Stange	FRG	4.0
=20	20	Javier Raxón	GUA	4.0
=20	15	Luís Grilo	POR	4.0

Match	Date/Time	Competitor	NOC	Result	Competitor	NOC
Match #1	23 Oct	Ion Baciu	ROU	Decision	Dave Hazewinkel	USA
Match #2	23 Oct	Hristo Traykov	BUL	Dq	Johnny Nielsen	DEN
Match #3	23 Oct	Ibrahim El-Sayed	EGY	Decision	Rodolfo Guerra	MEX
Match #4	23 Oct	Jean Nakouzi	LBN	Fall (10:51)	Herb Singerman	CAN
Match #5	23 Oct	Koji Sakurama	JPN	Decision	Roland Svensson	SWE
Match #6	23 Oct	Arthur Spaenhoven	BEL	Draw	Hartmut Puls	GDR
Match #7	23 Oct	Ivan Kochergin	URS	Fall (9:08)	Fritz Stange	FRG
Match #8	23 Oct	János Varga	HUN	Fall (2:47)	Luís Grilo	POR
Match #9	23 Oct	Othon Moschidis	GRE	Decision	Karlo Čović	YUG
Match #10	23 Oct	Risto Björlin	FIN	Fall (4:38)	Javier Raxón	GUA
Match #11	23 Oct	An Cheon-Yeong	KOR	Decision	Khalifa Karouane	MAR
Match #12	23 Oct	Kaya Öczan	TUR	Decision	Józef Lipień	POL

Round Two

Date	24 October 1968

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Bad Points	Event Status
=1	5	Ibrahim El-Sayed	EGY	1.0	–
=1	18	Othon Moschidis	GRE	1.0	–
=1	16	János Varga	HUN	1.0	–
=1	10	Koji Sakurama	JPN	1.0	–
=5	2	Ion Baciu	ROU	2.0	–
=5	23	Kaya Öczan	TUR	2.0	–
=7	4	Hristo Traykov	BUL	3.0	–
=7	19	Risto Björlin	FIN	3.0	–
=7	8	Jean Nakouzi	LBN	3.0	–
=7	14	Ivan Kochergin	URS	3.0	–
=7	1	Dave Hazewinkel	USA	3.0	–
=7	22	An Cheon-Yeong	KOR	3.0	–
13	11	Arthur Spaenhoven	BEL	3.5	–
=14	6	Rodolfo Guerra	MEX	4.0	–
=14	17	Karlo Čović	YUG	4.0	–
=16	13	Fritz Stange	FRG	5.0	–
=16	24	Józef Lipień	POL	5.0	–
=18	21	Khalifa Karouane	MAR	6.0	eliminated
=18	9	Roland Svensson	SWE	6.0	eliminated
20	12	Hartmut Puls	GDR	6.5	eliminated
21	15	Luís Grilo	POR	7.0	eliminated
=22	7	Herb Singerman	CAN	8.0	eliminated
=22	3	Johnny Nielsen	DEN	8.0	eliminated
=22	20	Javier Raxón	GUA	8.0	eliminated

Match	Date/Time	Competitor	NOC	Result	Competitor	NOC
Match #1	24 Oct	Dave Hazewinkel	USA	Fall (8:28)	Johnny Nielsen	DEN
Match #2	24 Oct	Ion Baciu	ROU	Decision	Hristo Traykov	BUL
Match #3	24 Oct	Ibrahim El-Sayed	EGY	Fall (1:30)	Herb Singerman	CAN
Match #4	24 Oct	Rodolfo Guerra	MEX	Decision	Jean Nakouzi	LBN
Match #5	24 Oct	Arthur Spaenhoven	BEL	Decision	Roland Svensson	SWE
Match #6	24 Oct	Koji Sakurama	JPN	Fall (10:45)	Hartmut Puls	GDR
Match #7	24 Oct	Fritz Stange	FRG	Decision	Luís Grilo	POR
Match #8	24 Oct	János Varga	HUN	Decision	Ivan Kochergin	URS
Match #9	24 Oct	Karlo Čović	YUG	Decision	Risto Björlin	FIN
Match #10	24 Oct	Othon Moschidis	GRE	Fall (1:23)	Javier Raxón	GUA
Match #11	24 Oct	Kaya Öczan	TUR	Decision	Khalifa Karouane	MAR
Match #12	24 Oct	An Cheon-Yeong	KOR	Draw	Józef Lipień	POL

Round Three

Date	25 October 1968

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Bad Points	Event Status
1	10	Koji Sakurama	JPN	1.0	–
2	16	János Varga	HUN	2.0	–
=3	19	Risto Björlin	FIN	3.0	–
=3	2	Ion Baciu	ROU	3.0	–
=3	1	Dave Hazewinkel	USA	3.0	–
=6	5	Ibrahim El-Sayed	EGY	4.0	–
=6	18	Othon Moschidis	GRE	4.0	–
=6	14	Ivan Kochergin	URS	4.0	–
=6	22	An Cheon-Yeong	KOR	4.0	–
10	11	Arthur Spaenhoven	BEL	4.5	–
11	23	Kaya Öczan	TUR	5.0	–
12	8	Jean Nakouzi	LBN	6.0	eliminated
=13	4	Hristo Traykov	BUL	7.0	eliminated
=13	17	Karlo Čović	YUG	7.0	eliminated
15	6	Rodolfo Guerra	MEX	8.0	eliminated
16	24	Józef Lipień	POL	9.0	eliminated

Match	Date/Time	Competitor	NOC	Result	Competitor	NOC
Match #1	25 Oct	Dave Hazewinkel	USA	Dq	Hristo Traykov	BUL
Match #2	25 Oct	Ion Baciu	ROU	Decision	Ibrahim El-Sayed	EGY
Match #3	25 Oct	Koji Sakurama	JPN	Fall (2:44)	Rodolfo Guerra	MEX
Match #4	25 Oct	Arthur Spaenhoven	BEL	Decision	Jean Nakouzi	LBN
Match #5	25 Oct	Ivan Kochergin	URS	Decision	Karlo Čović	YUG
Match #6	25 Oct	János Varga	HUN	Decision	Othon Moschidis	GRE
Match #7	25 Oct	Risto Björlin	FIN	Fall (9:00)	Józef Lipień	POL
Match #8	25 Oct	An Cheon-Yeong	KOR	Decision	Kaya Öczan	TUR

Round Four

Date	26 October 1968

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Bad Points	Event Status
=1	16	János Varga	HUN	3.0	–
=1	10	Koji Sakurama	JPN	3.0	–
=3	5	Ibrahim El-Sayed	EGY	5.0	–
=3	18	Othon Moschidis	GRE	5.0	–
=3	23	Kaya Öczan	TUR	5.0	–
=3	14	Ivan Kochergin	URS	5.0	–
=3	2	Ion Baciu	ROU	5.0	–
=8	19	Risto Björlin	FIN	6.0	eliminated
=8	1	Dave Hazewinkel	USA	6.0	eliminated
10	22	An Cheon-Yeong	KOR	7.0	eliminated
11	11	Arthur Spaenhoven	BEL	7.5	eliminated

Match	Date/Time	Competitor	NOC	Result	Competitor	NOC
Match #1	26 Oct	Ibrahim El-Sayed	EGY	Decision	Dave Hazewinkel	USA
Match #2	26 Oct	Ion Baciu	ROU	Draw	Koji Sakurama	JPN
Match #3	26 Oct	Ivan Kochergin	URS	Decision	Arthur Spaenhoven	BEL
Match #4	26 Oct	János Varga	HUN	Decision	Risto Björlin	FIN
Match #5	26 Oct	Othon Moschidis	GRE	Decision	An Cheon-Yeong	KOR
Match #6	26 Oct	Kaya Öczan	TUR

Round Five

Date	26 October 1968

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Bad Points	Event Status
1	16	János Varga	HUN	4.0	–
=2	18	Othon Moschidis	GRE	5.0	–
=2	14	Ivan Kochergin	URS	5.0	–
=2	2	Ion Baciu	ROU	5.0	–
5	10	Koji Sakurama	JPN	6.5	eliminated
=6	5	Ibrahim El-Sayed	EGY	9.0	eliminated
=6	23	Kaya Öczan	TUR	9.0	eliminated

Match	Date/Time	Competitor	NOC	Result	Competitor	NOC
Match #1	26 Oct	Ion Baciu	ROU	Fall (6:13)	Kaya Öczan	TUR
Match #2	26 Oct	Ivan Kochergin	URS	Fall (10:49)	Ibrahim El-Sayed	EGY
Match #3	26 Oct	János Varga	HUN	Decision	Koji Sakurama	JPN
Match #4	26 Oct	Othon Moschidis	GRE

Round Six

Date	26 October 1968

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Bad Points	Event Status
1	16	János Varga	HUN	6.5	–
=2	18	Othon Moschidis	GRE	7.5	eliminated	1
=2	14	Ivan Kochergin	URS	7.5	eliminated	2
=2	2	Ion Baciu	ROU	7.5	eliminated	3

Match	Date/Time	Competitor	NOC	Result	Competitor	NOC
Match #1	26 Oct	Othon Moschidis	GRE	Draw	Ivan Kochergin	URS
Match #2	26 Oct	Ion Baciu	ROU	Draw	János Varga	HUN

Round Seven

Date	26 October 1968

Pos	Number	Competitor	NOC	Bad Points	Event Status
=1	14	Ivan Kochergin	URS	7.5	eliminated
=1	2	Ion Baciu	ROU	7.5	eliminated
3	18	Othon Moschidis	GRE	11.5	eliminated

Match	Date/Time	Competitor	NOC	Result	Competitor	NOC
Match #1	26 Oct	Ion Baciu	ROU	Fall (2:32)	Othon Moschidis	GRE
Match #2	26 Oct	Ivan Kochergin	URS

Final Round

Date	26 October 1968

Match	Date/Time	Competitor	NOC	Result	Competitor	NOC
Match #1	26 Oct	Ivan Kochergin	URS	Dq (both)	Ion Baciu	ROU