Gardner stuns Karelin for gold

SYDNEY, SEPT. 27 Russian wrestling icon Alexander Karelin was sensationally handed his first defeat since 1987 today by American Rulon Gardner, who won the gold medal in the Olympic Greco-Roman 130 kg category.

Gardner beat the 33-year-old Russian by a minimal points margin in a contest that went into three minutes overtime, thwarting the Russian's bid to win an unprecedented fourth Olympic gold in the event.

The defeat of Karelin - who had been regarded as invincible - was his first since that as a 19-year-old by then two-time world champion Igor Rostorosky at the Soviet national championships.

``Rulon wrestled the perfect match,'' his elated coach Steven Fraser said. '' ''He beat the world champion. He stuck to his plan. Karelin got tired and that was the key.'' The impassive Karelin walked with dignity from the ring, and Gardner performed a cartwheel of triumph before whooping U.S. fans, then did a victory somersault. The defeat for Karelin was his first since going on since 1987 to win nine world and 12 European championship titles as well as Olympic gold in Seoul, Barcelona and Atlanta as his domination over Greco-Roman wrestling remained total - until Wednesday.

The earlier three finals of the night all saw the gold medallists win their second successive Olympic titles.

First to do so was Armen Nazarian of Bulgaria, who defeated Kim in-sub of South Korea with a shoulder pin after just 2:34 minutes in the final of the 58 kg final.

Kim had initially led with three points after the first 30 seconds, but the fierce Bulgarian managed a six-point throw before going on to to wrestle the remainder for his 10- point victory.

``I expected to win,'' the confident Nazarian said. ''Tonight I'm going to party.'' Sheng Zetian of China took the bronze medal with a win over Germany's Rifat Yildiz by 2 points to 0. Nazarian had reached the final by beating Yildiz with another 10-0 win.

Cuba's Filiberto Azcuy of Cuba then defeated Japan's Katsuhiko Nagata 11-0 to capture his second Olympic gold in the 69 kg event.

The Cuban allowed his opponent no chance to fight back, and ended up with a winning throw, then declared: ``I want to go on to become world champion.''

Alexei Gluchkov of Russia took bronze with a 5-0 win over Valeri Nikitin of Estonia.

Hamza Yerlikaya of Turkey won his second consecutive gold by defeating Sandor Isztvan Bardosi of Hungary in the 85 kg class. The contest ended tied at 3-3 on points, but Yerlikaya, the Atlanta gold medallist, was awarded the victory by the judges. Mukhran Vakhtangadze of Georgia took the bronze medal by defeating Fritz Aanes of Norway 4-0.-DPA

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