Featherweight, Greco-Roman (≤59 kg), Men

Iran’s seven-time World and 2012 Olympic champion, Hamid Sourian entered Rio hoping that when he left, he was one of the greatest of all time. Challengers included Rövşən Bayramov of Azerbaijan (double Olympic silver medalist – 2008, 2012), 2013 World champion Yun Won-Chol from North Korea, Cuba’s Ismael Borrero (2015 World champion), and Uzbekistan’s Elmurat Tasmuradov (twice World bronze medalist). But in the round of 32, Sourian was beaten by Japan’s Shinobu Ota, followed by a loss to Almat Kebispayev of Kazakhstan in the repêchage round, putting an end to his campaign.

It was the Cuban, Borrero Molina who dominated Ota, the 2014 Asian Games silver medalist, 8-0 in the gold medal final, giving Cuba their first gold medal of the Rio Games. For the bronze medals, Norway’s Stig André Berge, the 2014 World Championships bronze medalist, and three-time Olympian, beat Rövşən Bayramov of Azerbaijan - the World and twice European champion, and two-time Olympic silver medalist. The medal was Norway’s first Olympic wrestling medal in 24 years since Jon Rønningen (NOR) won the gold medal in 52 kg at Barcelona in 1992.

In the other bronze medal bout, Uzbekistan’s Elmurat Tasmuradov (twice World bronze medalist) had a four-point throw in the last 90 seconds to beat 2012 Olympian Arsen Eraliyev of Kyrgyzstan 13-8 – only the second Olympic Games medal in Greco-Roman for Uzbekistan after Aleksandr Dokturishvili won gold in 74 kg at Athens 2004.