Beijing Olympic Games

Kvirkelia wins Georgia’s 1st wrestling gold

By ALAN ROBINSON, AP Sports Writer

BEIJING (AP)—Manuchar Kvirkelia knew how big this day was for him. He could only guess what it meant for his native Georgia, a country badly in need of any glimmer of happiness during the grimmest of times.

Kvirkelia turned two strong moves into a quick victory over China’s Chang Yongxiang in the Greco-Roman 74-kilogram finals Wednesday, giving Georgia its first Olympic wrestling gold medal.

Kvirkelia’s decisive 6-0, 3-0 win in the best-of-three format also was Georgia’s first gold in Beijing. It was followed by a second gold minutes later by Irakli Tsirekidze in men’s 90-kilogram judo.

Both came less than a week after Russian troops stormed through Georgia, and both offered their homeland a brief bit of cheer amid the turmoil and anxiety.

“This is the biggest day for Georgia in the Olympics,” Kvirkelia said.

Georgia’s athletes have talked for days about the difficulty of competing with their country in peril, and Kvirkelia was no different.

“Georgia is in a difficult situation,” Kvirkelia said. “Maybe the gold medal will relieve the suffering of the people. I dedicate my medal to the whole country, and the people. I hope the Georgia people will be happy.”

He certainly was, finally getting the Olympic gold he has pursued during an extended and successful career.

Kvirkelia, who at 30 is one of the most experienced wrestlers in any Greco weight class, used a 5-point throw to prematurely end the first period against Chang. Any period is halted when a wrestler takes a 6-0 lead.

The throw made certain the pro-Chang crowd didn’t become a factor, silencing thousands of raucous, plastic stick-thumping fans who hoped to see a Chinese wrestler step atop an Olympic medals stand with a gold for the first time.

Kvirkelia added a 2-point move on a gut wrench in the second to clearly frustrate Chang, who has had little success on the world level.

The 23-year-old Chang’s lack of experience—he was 36th and 26th in the last two world championships—showed as he had no moves to counter Kvirkelia’s throws, constant pressure and aggressiveness. Kvirkelia was the 2003 world champion and third in 2006 and has been wrestling on the world level since Chang was barely into his teens.

“I didn’t deal with some details very well,” Chang said.

Still, he said, “I didn’t expect this result,” a silver that must have surprised the rest of the field.

The home-mat advantage couldn’t help against an opponent as determined and as efficient as Kvirkelia. And, perhaps, one with more than a little motivation given the situation back home.

“I feel very happy and proud for my country,” Kvirkelia said. “I proved the existence of Georgia in the world with my gold. … It means a lot, especially in this difficult time.”

The bronze medalists were Christophe Guenot, whose brother Steeve won France’s first wrestling gold in 84 years at 66 kg minutes before, and 2007 world champion Yavor Yanakiev of Bulgaria.

Yanakiev lost any chance for the gold when he was upset by Chang 3-2, 1-1 in the opening round.

“This morning, we planned on winning gold but, unfortunately, things unfolded differently,” Bulgaria coach Bratan Tzenov said. “It’s still precious to win a bronze medal, however.”