Gold Medal Matches
Women’s 50kg freestyle
Two U.S. women have never won gold medals at a single Olympics in history —
— until today. Read more on that here:
SEE MORE: Sarah Hildebrandt grapples USA its second wrestling gold in two days
Greco-Roman 77kg
Japan hadn’t earned a Greco-Roman gold in 40 years until Kenichiro Fumita won the 60kg event Tuesday night.
With Nao Kusaka‘s 77kg final-round win Wednesday evening, the country has added two golds in two nights.
In their final, top-seeded Kusaka defeated Kazakhstan’s Demeu Zhadrayev, the No. 6 seed, 5-1.
It only took about a minute for Zhadrayev to gain the lead, 2-0, thanks in part to a passivity call.
The real drama unfolded with just three minutes remaining: Kusaka managed a four-point takedown, earned a passivity point off the Kazakhstani, then ran out the clock for the win.
SEE MORE: Japan’s Nao Kusaka wins 77kg Greco-Roman gold at Paris 2024
Greco-Roman 97kg
Iran’s Mohammad Saravi managed to take down “The White Bear” with a final-round win over Armenia’s Artur Aleksanyan — even if he couldn’t completely manage a post-match backflip.
If Saravi’s win felt like an upset, perhaps it’s because Aleksanyan has placed on each podium position over the last three Olympics: bronze at the 2012 London Olympics, gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
But in Paris, it’s a second silver for the 32-year-old Armenian — and an upgrade for the 26-year-old Saravi, who took home bronze in Tokyo.
SEE MORE: Iran’s Saravi downs Aleksanyan for Greco-Roman gold in Paris
Podium placements
Women’s 50kg freestyle
GOLD: Sarah Hildebrandt (USA)
SILVER: Yusneylis Guzman (CUB)
BRONZE: Yui Susaki (JPN)
BRONZE: Feng Ziqi (CHN)
Greco-Roman 77kg
GOLD: Nao Kusaka (JPN)
SILVER: Demeu Zhadrayev (KAZ)
BRONZE: Malkhas Amoyan (ARM)
BRONZE: Akzhol Makhmudov(KGZ)
Greco-Roman 97kg
GOLD: Mohammadhadi Saravi (IRI)
SILVER: Artur Aleksanyan (ARM)
BRONZE: Gabriel Rosillo (CUB)
BRONZE: Uzur Dzhuzupbekov (KGZ)
Preliminary matches
Women’s freestyle 53kg
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Mayu Sadochi claimed wrestling gold for the host country. Sadochi isn’t competing in Paris — but her 20-year-old compatriot, Akari Fujinama, has a strong opportunity to earn Japan a second consecutive 53kg gold.
Fujinama lived up to her reputation on Wednesday, disposing her three opponents with ease. She’ll face Ecuador’s Lucia Yepez Guzman in the final tomorrow evening.
Greco-Roman 67kg and Greco-Roman 87kg coming shortly …
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