Photos: Wrestling, Olympic history
February 13, 2013
Kareline Alexandre of Russia (RED) attempts to power Rulon Gardner of the USA (BLUE) in the final of the men's 130kg Greco-Roman wrestling competition at the XXVII Olympic Summer Games 27 September 2000 in Sydney. American grizzly Gardner stopped giant Russian bear Karelin joining the ranks of Olympic immortals, shattering the defending champion's dreams of a fourth straight gold medal in a stunning upset. KIM JAE-HWAN/AFP/Getty Images
In this Sept. 27, 2000 file photo, Rulon Gardner, right, of the United States, holds the arm of Alexander Karelin of Russia during the final bout in the 130 kg class of Greco-Roman wrestling event at the Summer Olympic Games in Sydney. Gardner's epic upset of Russian wrestling great Alexander Karelin in 2000 remains one of the most compelling moments of the modern Olympics. Starting in 2020, youngsters looking to Gardner and Karelin for inspiration won't have a chance to excel on the sport's biggest stage. Gardner and nearly everyone else associated with the sport in the U.S. were jolted Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 when International Olympic Committee leaders dropped wrestling from the Summer Games. (AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara, File )
27 Sep 2000: Rulon Gardner of USA (left) celebrates winning the gold medal by defeating Alexandre Kareline of Russia (right) in the 130 kilogram event during the Greco Roman wrestling held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Billy Stickland/ALLSPORT
In this Sept. 27, 2000, file photo, USA's Rulon Gardner waves the American flag following his gold medal win against three-time Olympic gold medalist Alexandre Kareline, of Russia, in the Greco-Roman 130 kg final wrestling match at the Summer Games in Sydney. Gardner's epic upset of Russian wrestling great Alexander Karelin in 2000 remains one of the most compelling moments of the modern Olympics. Starting in 2020, youngsters looking to Gardner and Karelin for inspiration won't have a chance to excel on the sport's biggest stage. Gardner and nearly everyone else associated with the sport in the U.S. were jolted Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 when International Olympic Committee leaders dropped wrestling from the Summer Games. (AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara, File)
Former Olympic gold and bronze medal wrestler Rulon Gardner is currently training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Gardner, who has already won an Olympic gold medal in 2000, and a bronze in 2004, said he wants to give it one more try this summer in London. He had officially retired after winning his bronze in 2004 but after a discouraging experience on the reality show The Biggest Loser, he wants to prove to all and himself that he is still the gold medalist wrestler he was years ago. If he makes it he will be the oldest wrestler to make the team. “I’m back here to prove myself again, and show that I still have what it takes to be an athlete at this level,” Gardner said. The 40-year-old wrestler is also known for his appearance on the 11th season of the reality TV show “The Biggest Loser.” He said his experience on the show motivated him to get back into wrestling. Gardner will compete in the 2012 U.S. Olympic trials for Greco-Roman wrestling April 21-22 in Iowa City, Iowa. Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
US Olympic wrestler Bruce Baumgartner carries the American flag 19 July during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium in Atlanta. Gabriel BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images
Bruce Baumgartner of the US (top) holds Zaza Turmanidze of Georgia down in their 130kg Olympic freestyle wrestling match at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia, 01 Aug. Baumgartner won 14-2. GEORGES GOBET/AFP/Getty Images
Kyoko Hamaguchi (blue) of Japan flips Xu Wang of China during the women's Freestyle wrestling 72 kg Semi Final round on August 23, 2004 during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games at Ano Liossia Olympic Hall in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Chinese female wristlers Xu Wang (blue) fights with Canadian Chris Nordhagen during a 72Kg female wrestling elimination pool, 22 August 2004, in the 2004 Olympic Games at the Ano Liossia stadiun in Athens, Greece. China won the match in the first ever women's wrestling Olympic Games. ANTONIO SCORZA/AFP/Getty Images
Xu Wang of China (blue) celebrates her win over Gouzel Maniourova of Russia in the women's Freestyle wrestling 72 kg gold medal match on August 23, 2004 during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games at Ano Liossia Olympic Hall in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Chinese wrestler Wang Xu (C), gold, Russian Gouzel Maniourova (L), silver, and Japanese Hamaguchi Kyoko pose on the podium after winning the women's 72KG wrestling final, at the Ano Liossia stadium at the 2004 Olympic Games, 23 August 2004 in Athens. ANTONIO SCORZA/AFP/Getty Images
(HR) ABOVE: Clarissa Chun, in blue, goes up against powerhouse Chiharu Icho of Japan. Clarissa Chun (Honolulu, Hawaii) wrestled for the bronze medal in the women's 48 kg class Saturday afternoon, August 16, at 4:30 p.m. She began the day with a victory over Sofia Mattsson of Sweden 2-1, 4-1, then scored a 6-1, 2-1 win over Vanessa Boubryemm of France. She then lost in the semifinals to Chiharu Icho of Japan 1-0, 0-1, 1-1, setting up her bronze medal match in the afternoon. Chun, however, lost her bout and finished her Olympic wrestling tournament in fifth place in the women's 48 kg class after being defeated by 2004 Olympic gold medalist Irini Merleni of the Ukraine. Merleni recorded a victory by fall on Chun 1:06 into the second period of the match. Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post
Henry Cejudo (blue) wrestles Stephan Abas (red) in the Freestyle 55kg division championship match during the USA Olympic trials for wrestling and judo on June 14, 2008 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Neveda. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
(HR) ABOVE: Henry Cejudo, right, cries in disbelief at winning an Olympic gold medal. Colorado resident Henry Cejudo (Colorado Springs, Colo.) won the gold medal in the men's 55 kg freestyle wrestling class with a 2-2, 3-0 decision over Tomohiro Matsunaga of Japan Tuesday evening at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium. Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post
Henry Cejudo of the US celebrates his victory over Japan's Tomohiro Matsunaga in the men's 55kg freestyle gold medal match at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 19, 2008. TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images
Henry Cejudo of the United States poses with his medal after defeating Shingo Matsumoto of Japan to win the gold medal in the men's 55kg freestyle wrestling event at the China Agriculture University Gymnasium on Day 11 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 19, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
Holding a large American flag, Henry Cejudo arrives in the gymnasium to the music from the soundtrack of Rocky and the school's cheerleaders. 2006, Coronado High School graduate Heny Cejudo made a triumphant return to Colorado Springs to his old alma mater. This was his first visit back to Colorado since capturing the gold medal in free style wrestling at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games. Cejudo was a two-time Colorado State wrestling champion while attending Coronado High School. He was undefeated as Colorado prep, and is widely known as one of the greatest high school wrestlers in American history. Cejudo became the youngest American ever (21 years old) to win an Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling (55kg weight class.) To honor Cejudo's homecoming, Coronado High School held a school wide assembly in the main gym. The assembly gave students the opportunity to celebrate the gold medal performance with Henry and at the same time, allowing Coronado to honor Cejudo for his outstanding accomplishment. (Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
(HR) ABOVE: Henry Cejudo addresses the packed audience of students, teachers and local dignitaries that turned out to see him. 2006, Coronado High School graduate Heny Cejudo made a triumphant return to Colorado Springs to his old alma mater. This was his first visit back to Colorado since capturing the gold medal in free style wrestling at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games. Cejudo was a two-time Colorado State wrestling champion while attending Coronado High School. He was undefeated as Colorado prep, and is widely known as one of the greatest high school wrestlers in American history. Cejudo became the youngest American ever (21 years old) to win an Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling (55kg weight class.) To honor Cejudo's homecoming, Coronado High School held a school wide assembly in the main gym. The assembly gave students the opportunity to celebrate the gold medal performance with Henry and at the same time, allowing Coronado to honor Cejudo for his outstanding accomplishment. Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post
Adeline Gray, a Denver native, won her second World title in a week in the sport of women's wrestling. , After winning the Senior World Championships in Canada on September 27, she won the gold medal at the University World Championships last week in Finland. She hopes to go for the gold at the 2016 Olympics. John Leyba, The Denver Post
Jeff Blatnick of the United States in action during the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.
Dan Gable acknowledges the crowd after being introduced as part of the 1972 Olympic team during the finals of the US Wrestling Olympic Trials at Carver Hawkeye Arena on April 21, 2012 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Dan Gable of the USA wins over Kikuo Wada of Japan, right, in their meet during Olympic Wrestling Tournament in Munich on August 30, 1972. (AP Photo)
FILE - This Aug. 3, 1984 file photo shows Greco-Roman wrestling gold medalist Jeff Blatnick gesturing during ceremonies at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Blatnick, who overcame cancer to win a gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1984 Summer Olympics, has died in New York state at age 55. Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, N.Y., said Wednesday Oct. 24, 2012, that he died there of heart failure.(AP Photo/Doug Pizac, File)
23 Jul 1996: Siamak Ghaffari of the USA, right, in action against Aleksandr Karelin of Russia in their Greco-Roman bout at the Georgia World Congress Centre at the 1996 Centennial Olympic Centre in Atlanta, Georgia. The greatest Greco-Roman wrestler in Olympic history, Karelin was undefeated for 13 years.
Filiberto Azcuy of Cuba puts the moves on Sang-Pil Son of Korea in the Mens Greco Roman Wrestling 69kg Event during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games at the Exhibitin Hall 1&2 in Sydney, Australia. Scott Barbour/AUS /Allsport
Ali Abdo of Australia and Filiberto Azcuy of Cuba in action during the Men's 69kg Greco Roman Wrestling held at the Sydney Convention Centre during the Sydney 2000 Olympics, Sydney, Australia. Scott Barbour/ALLSPORT
Filiberto Azcuy of Cuba celebrates his gold medal victory over Japan's Katsuhiko Nagata in the men's 69kg Greco-Roman wrestling final at the XXVII Olympic Summer Games 27 September 2000 in Sydney. ANTONIO SCORZA/AFP/Getty Images
6 May 1995: Dave Schultz (right) is declared the winner of a match during the United States National Wrestling competition in Las Vegas, Nevada. Schultz's won a gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. While training for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he was shot to death by millionaire John DuPont, who had recruited Schultz for a wrestling program he created.
Chris Taylor, USA, left, overwhelms Wilfred Dietrich, West Germany, in their Olympic Heavyweight Wrestling match at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, Aug. 1972. (AP Photo)
5 AUG 1992: JOHN SMITH OF THE UNITED STATES IS HELD DOWN BY KIM GWAGN CHOI OF NORTH KOREA DURING THEIR FEATHERWEIGHT FREESTYLE WRESTLING MATCH AT THE 1992 BARCELONA OLYMPICS. SMITH WENT ON TO WIN THE BOUT AND PROCEED TO THE NEXT ROUND. (Joe Tyler/The Denver Post)
29 Sep 1988: John Smith of the United States (center) stands with Stepan Tarkissian of the Soviet Union (left) and Simeon Chterev of Bulgaria after being awarded medals in the 62 kg final during the Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. (David Cannon/The Denver Post)
John Smith of the United States raises his fist in victory after winning a gold medal during the Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. (Shaun Botterill/The Denver Post)
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