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China takes 1st wrestling medal in Rio

Xinhua, August 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Chinese team won their first wrestling medal at the Rio Olympic Games through 2013 world champion Sun Yanan when Japan bagged all three women's titles on Wednesday.

Sun walked away with a bronze in women's freestyle 48kg after she made quick work of two-time world medalist Zhuldyz Eshimova of Kazakhstan in the bronze medal match in the afternoon.

The 23-year-old Chinese spent just 54 seconds executing a four-point lift and three gut wrenches to end the match 10-0.

"I am happy to have a medal but I really want the gold. It hit me hard when I lost in the semifinals where I did have a chance, because I know well about Eri Tosaka," Sun said through sobs.

Sun jumped to a 2-0 lead in the semifinal against three-time world champion Tosaka, whom Sun beat in this year's Asian Championships. But Tosaka came back with a takedown and three straight turns off a leg lace to win 8-3 and advance to the final where the Japanese edged Mariya Stadnik of Azerbaijan 3-2 for her first Olympic gold.

Elitsa Yankova of Bulgaria took the second bronze medal by winning a tight battle over Patricia Bermudez of Argentina.

In the 58kg final, 10-time world champion and three-time defending champion Kaori Icho won in dramatic fashion, scoring a takedown off a single leg in the closing seconds on Valeria Koblova of Russia to win 3-2 and become the first-ever four-time Olympic wrestling champion.

Sakshi Malik became India's first ever Olympic medalist in women's wrestling as she beat Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan 8-5 to win a bronze while Marwa Amri gave Tunisia its first medal in wrestling in any style, beating former world champion Yuliya Ratkevich from Azerbaijan 6-3 in the first bronze medal match.

Sara Dosho came from behind to beat former Olympic champion Natalia Vorobieva of Russia 2-2 on criteria, wrapping up a golden night for Japan.

Swede Jenny Fransson, a 2012 world champion, won her first Olympic medal by defeating Canada's Dorothy Yeats 2-1 and world No. 9 Elmira Syzdykova of Kazakhstan took the other bronze medal. Endit