London: Russian wrestler Natalia Vorobieva pinned down her opponent and the gold medal in the final of the women`s 72 kg freestyle wrestling Thursday.
Bulgaria`s Stanka Zlateva won the first round 1-0 but was pinned by Vorobieva 46 seconds into the second round and lost the match to the 21-year-old student from Siberia.
For reigning world champion Zlateva, it was her second straight loss in an Olympic final after losing the gold medal match to China`s Wang Jiao in Beijing four years ago.
Vorobieva`s triumph prevented a Japanese sweep of the four women`s wrestling gold medals and puts Russia on top of the wrestling medals table ahead of the seven men`s freestyle events.
The bronze medals went to Kazakhstan`s Gayel Manyurova and Spain`s Maider Unda.
Manyurova beat Wang 3-1 on points, while Unda defeated Belarusian grappler Vasilisa Marzalyuk 3-0 on points.
IANS
First Published: Friday, August 10, 2012, 02:31
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