Russian Shirvani Muradov won the men's freestyle 96kg wrestling gold at the Beijing Olympic Games on Thursday.

Muradov defeated Taimuraz Tigiyev of Kazakhstan 1-0, 1-0 for the gold medal. The 23-year-old replaced Khadshimourad Gatsalov, the 2004 Athens champion and three-time reigning world champion, to make Russia's Olympic delegation.

Gatsalov won every major world title since 2004 in 96kg category.

The bronze medal winners were George Gogshelidze of Georgia and Khetag Gazyumov of Azerbaijan. Gogshelidze's teammate Revazi Mindorashvili won the men's 84kg title just five minutes ago.

(Xinhua news Agency August 21, 2008)