Americans Lose Olympic Wrestling Freestyle Finals

S Y D N E Y, Australia, Sept. 30, 2000 -- Germany’s Alexander Leipold wonhis country’s first freestyle wrestling Olympic gold for 40years on today.

The 31-year-old outpointed Brandon Slay of the UnitedStates to win his first Olympic medal in his fourth games.

Leipold was rarely in any danger in the under 167½ pounds (76 kg) final,and steadily stacked up the points as his opponent struggled tomake any impression.

The German won 4-0 and performed a cartwheel followed by abackflip to celebrate his win.

Slay took the defeat badly, refusing to shake either hisopponent's or the referee’s hand at the end, before avoidingthe American press on his way out.

Winning Streak Ends

The United States’ two-day wrestling winning streak endedabruptly today with gold-medal match losses that saw Slaystruggle with international decorum and Henson struggle withintentional distraction.

Americans had won 12 consecutive matches, four earlier in theday by wrestlers who moved into medal contention Sunday, beforeHenson lost 4-3 to Namig Abdullayev of Azerbaijan at 119 pounds (54kg) and Slay lost 4-0 to Alexander Leipold of Germany at 167½pounds (76 kg).

Abdullayev, silver medalist in Atlanta four years ago, wasmobbed by his coaches at the final buzzer before completing alap of honor with his nation’s flag.

Breaking the Rules

Slay, in his first major international meet, was perhaps themost impressive of the American freestylers until being frustratedby rules interpretations that cost him three of Leipold’s fourpoints.

Henson, who had beaten his opponent in the 1998 world finals,was bothered when Abdullayev defended himself by constantlygrabbing at the straps of Henson’s singlet.

“They wouldn’t let me wrestle,” said Slay, a 25-year-old Texanwho drew loud jeering after the match for not shaking hands withthe referee.

As Slay and Leipold locked into the clinch that starts thesecond period when there is no score, Slay apparently disregardedinstructions to position his shoulder the way the referee wanted.

After several seconds, the referee abruptly stopped, cautionedSlay and called him for an illegal hold, giving Leipold a 2-0 lead.Leipold was later given another point when Slay was cautionedagain, apparently for grabbing the hands as Leipold applied a gutwrench. Leipold’s only point on a move was a takedown with 5:11gone.

Scoring decisions are not always explained at the Olympics, noteven to the wrestlers and coaches.

“I’ve got news for you, I’ve been doing this for 10 years andit’s confusing to me, too,” U.S. coach Bruce Burnett said. “I sawone wrestler aggressive and trying to score and another not beingaggressive at all. I saw a lot of points going up, but not a lotbeing scored.”

Abdullayev Never Trailed

Despite their 17-5 record so far in Sydney, U.S. freestylershave had trouble with the clinch rule that may have cost Slay hismatch. The wrestlers must remain locked until one executes ascoring move or breaks his hold, in which case his opponent gets apoint. That was the only point Rulon Gardner scored in upsettingthree-time Olympic champion Alexander Karelin in Greco-Roman.

“I saw the wrestling being taken out of the hands of thewrestlers and being taken over by the officials, and thatdisappoints me,” Burnett said. “Brandon Slay worked very hard toget here.”

Henson, who beat Abdullayev for the 1998 world title, all butguaranteed he would win again. However, Abdullayev, one of the most experienced of the119-pounders, opened a 3-0 lead with 45 seconds gone and nevertrailed.

Henson came back to tie it, but Abdullayev scored the winningpoint with a reversal at 4:27 of the 6-minute match.

“I wasn’t ready then and I had some injuries,” Abdullayev saidof that 1998 loss to Henson, who is from St. Charles, Mo. “I wasso tired.”

Henson, who did not talk afterward, began crying as soon as thematch ended and still was crying during the medals ceremony 30minutes later.

Russia Wins Two Golds

Mourad Oumakhanov and Saghid Mourtasaliyev salvaged some ofRussia’s wrestling pride — its top three wrestlers in Sydney wereall eliminated by Americans — by winning gold medals.

Oumakhanov won 3-2 at 138¾ pounds (63 kg) over 1998 worldchampion Serafim Barzakov of Bulgaria. Mourtasliyev won by the samescore over Islam Bairamukov of Kazakstan at 213¾ pounds (97 kg).

The United States had won the gold medal at 138¾ pounds in everyOlympics since 1984, but Cary Kolat, also bothered by the clinchrule, was eliminated when he lost a rematch of a bout he had wonearlier.

Terry Brands, Lincoln McIlravy, Charles Burton and Kerry McCoyall won their only matches Saturday to win their pools and moveinto the quarterfinals. All must win three matches Sunday to wingold medals.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.