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Olympics-2008-Wrestling-Uzb-Svk
Uzbekistan's Artur Taymazov reacts after defeating Slovakia's David Musulbes during their men's freestyle 120kg wrestling match semi-finals at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 21, 2008. AFP PHOTO/PEDRO UGARTE
Taymazov Uzbekistan | Wrestling
Birthdate: Jul 20, 1979 Weight: 120kg Height: 190cm, 6'3" . Age: 29 Athlete Results Wrestling
01/01 Men's 96-120kg Final Ranking (1st)
21/08 Men's Freestyle 120 kg Gold Medal (UZB vs RUS) win
21/08 Men's Freestyle 120 kg 1/8 Final (UZB vs AZE) win
21/08 Men's Freestyle 120 kg Qualification win
1226 : GOLD Wrestling - Russia are denied another wrestling gold by Artur Taymazov of Uzbekistan as he won the men's 120kg category beating Bakhtiyar Akhmedov in the final.
Features Taymazov is gold medalist in 120kg freestyle Uzbekistan wrestler bested Russian Bakhityar Akhmedov in final ......
***(ADDIT : On 5 April 2017 it was announced that as a result of retesting samples he had been disqualified from the 2008 Olympics for a drug violation, and his gold medal withdrawn)***.
By the Associated Press
Posted Thursday, August 21, 2008
BEIJING (AP) -- Artur Taymazov of Uzbekistan always seems to peak during Olympic years.
Taymazov repeated Thursday as the Olympic freestyle wrestling champion at 120 kilograms, denying Russia its seventh wrestling gold medal in Beijing by defeating Bakhityar Akhmedov 3-0, 1-0.
Taymazov joined Russia's Mavlet Batirov (60 kg) and Buvaysa Saytiev (74 kg) as repeat freestyle gold medalists from the Athens Games in 2004. Taymazov, 29, was a silver medalist in 2000. He also won world championships in 2003 and 2006, but always seems to be at his best in the Olympics.
"I think I cannot compare my three Olympics," he said. "Each Olympics was difficult for me. I'd like to give this medal to those who love, trust me and respect me. I'm very happy I did not disappoint them."
Taymazov bounced back from a third-place finish in the worlds last year that, by his standards, was a letdown.
"I have prepared for this moment for a long time," he said. "Nothing except a gold medal can satisfy me."
Akhmedov, although 21 with a nearly blank resume, clearly expected more than the medal he got.
"Silver is not nothing. It's a certain result, but I had come here to win gold," he said.
Olympics-2008-Wrestling-Uzb-Svk
Uzbekistan's Artur Taymazov reacts after defeating Slovakia's David Musulbes during their men's freestyle 120kg wrestling match semi-finals at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 21, 2008. AFP PHOTO/PEDRO UGARTE
Taymazov Uzbekistan | Wrestling
Birthdate: Jul 20, 1979 Weight: 120kg Height: 190cm, 6'3" . Age: 29 Athlete Results Wrestling
01/01 Men's 96-120kg Final Ranking (1st)
21/08 Men's Freestyle 120 kg Gold Medal (UZB vs RUS) win
21/08 Men's Freestyle 120 kg 1/8 Final (UZB vs AZE) win
21/08 Men's Freestyle 120 kg Qualification win
1226 : GOLD Wrestling - Russia are denied another wrestling gold by Artur Taymazov of Uzbekistan as he won the men's 120kg category beating Bakhtiyar Akhmedov in the final.
Features Taymazov is gold medalist in 120kg freestyle Uzbekistan wrestler bested Russian Bakhityar Akhmedov in final ......
***(ADDIT : On 5 April 2017 it was announced that as a result of retesting samples he had been disqualified from the 2008 Olympics for a drug violation, and his gold medal withdrawn)***.
By the Associated Press
Posted Thursday, August 21, 2008
BEIJING (AP) -- Artur Taymazov of Uzbekistan always seems to peak during Olympic years.
Taymazov repeated Thursday as the Olympic freestyle wrestling champion at 120 kilograms, denying Russia its seventh wrestling gold medal in Beijing by defeating Bakhityar Akhmedov 3-0, 1-0.
Taymazov joined Russia's Mavlet Batirov (60 kg) and Buvaysa Saytiev (74 kg) as repeat freestyle gold medalists from the Athens Games in 2004. Taymazov, 29, was a silver medalist in 2000. He also won world championships in 2003 and 2006, but always seems to be at his best in the Olympics.
"I think I cannot compare my three Olympics," he said. "Each Olympics was difficult for me. I'd like to give this medal to those who love, trust me and respect me. I'm very happy I did not disappoint them."
Taymazov bounced back from a third-place finish in the worlds last year that, by his standards, was a letdown.
"I have prepared for this moment for a long time," he said. "Nothing except a gold medal can satisfy me."
Akhmedov, although 21 with a nearly blank resume, clearly expected more than the medal he got.
"Silver is not nothing. It's a certain result, but I had come here to win gold," he said.