Lightweight, Freestyle (≤68 kg), Men

Iran’s Abdullah Movahed had won five World Championships from 1965-70 but he was not favored in München. That role fell to the 1971 World Champion, Dan Gable, considered by many the greatest wrestler America had ever produced. Gable had been undefeated in high school and college, until his final match in his senior year of college, when he was defeated in the NCAA final by Larry Owings. No such fate befell him in München as he won three of his first five bouts by falls, and won two decisions by shutouts. Nobody scored a point off him as he dominated the class to win the gold medal. In the final round he decisioned Soviet Ruslan Ashuraliyev to win the gold medal, having beaten the other finalist, Japan’s Kikuo Wada by decision in round four. Wada won the silver with Ashuraliyev taking bronze. Movahed was injured and withdrew after the second round.

Gable retired after the 1972 Olympics, although he made a limited comeback in 1976 trying to make another Olympic team, but he wrestled only a few matches. He later became the greatest wrestling coach in the US, leading his University of Iowa team to 15 NCAA team championships. Ashuraliyev moved up to welterweight and was the World Champion in that class in 1974 and 1975 and European Champion in 1974. Wada had no other major international podium finishes.