Burroughs into Olympic wrestling final

LONDON (AFP) –

American Jordan Burroughs (L) wrestles Russia’s Denis Tsargush in their men’s 74kg freestyle semi-final during the wrestling event of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Burroughs’ bid to add Olympic gold to the world championship he won last year remained on course after the American reached Friday’s 74kg freestyle wrestling final at London’s Excel Arena.

Jordan Burroughs’ bid to add Olympic gold to the world championship he won last year remained on course after the American reached Friday’s 74kg freestyle wrestling final at London’s Excel Arena.

After making light work of the early rounds, Burroughs overcame a tricky quarter-final opponent in Canada’s Matthew Gentry 3-1.

In the semi-finals he faced Russia’s two-time world champion Denis Tsargush.

The Russian took an early lead with a force-out but Burroughs, displaying his trademark speed and agility, hit back with a takedown and force out of his own to make sure of the second period.

The American then made sure of the third period and the 24-year-old closed out victory despite a last-gasp flurry by the Russian.

Burroughs will face world number two and 2010 Asian Games champion Sadegh Gourdazi in a repeat of last year’s world final.

The Iranian, also beaten by Tsargush in the 2010 world final, defeated Hungary’s Gabor Hatos 3-0 in his semi-final.

In the 55kg class, Russia’s Dzhamal Otarsultanov will face Georgia’s Vladimer Khinchegashvili in the battle for gold.

Otarsultanov has never before wrestled in a senior world tournament but is a three-time European champion and he booked his place in Russia’s team for the Games by defeating two-time world champion Viktor Lebedev

His 3-1 wins over both North Korea’s Yang Kyong-Il and Kazakhstan’s Daulet Niyazbekov saw Otarsultanov into the final.

Khinchegashvili, runner-up to Otarsultanov at last year’s European Championships in Dortmund, overcame a tough semi-final contest with Japan’s Shinichi Yumoto.

The Japanese rolled the Georgian several times in the first period and Khinchegashvili needed treatment for what appeared to be an ankle injury.

But he hit back with a third period takedown to book his place in the final.

Khinchegashvili’s victory gave India’s Amit Kumar, his beaten opponent in the last eight, a chance to fight for a bronze medal through the repechage.