London Olympics wrestling: Gold for Azerbaijan`s Sharifov

London: Sharif Sharifov gave Azerbaijan its second gold medal of the London Olympics with victory in the men`s 84 kg freestyle wrestling Saturday.

Reigning World Champion Sharifov beat Cuban grappler Jaime Yusept Espinal 3-1 on points after dominating their gold medal match. The Azerbaijani fighter registered four points - scoring throws in a first round he won 6-1 before taking the second 2-0 to wrap up the win. Georgia`s Dato Marsagishvili and Iran`s Ehsan Naser Lashgari won bronze. Marsagishvili, a World Championship bronze medallist last year, beat Belarusian grappler Soslan Gattsiev 3-1, registering big throws in each of the first two rounds to win the first 3-0 and the second 3-1.] Lashgari beat Ibrahim Bolukbasi of Turkey 3-1 after a hotly-contested first round ended 3-2 with five throws total, and the Iranian registered three minor throws in the second to take it 3-0. IANS