BEIJING, Aug 12: Russia’s Islam-Beka Albiev handed Russia their second gold of the day in the 60kg greco-roman wrestling at the Beijing Olympic Games on Tuesday.

Azerbaijan’s Vitaliy Rahimov won the silver. Kazakhstan’s Nurbakyt Tengizbayev and Ruslan Tiumenbaev of Kyrgyzstan took bronze medals.

Albiev, a 19-year-old from crisis-torn Ingushetia, looked the sharper fighter during the final and recorded a 3-0 decision by points.

Rahimov had been hoping to follow the example of compatriot Elnur Mammadli, who won gold in the 73kg category on Monday.

But he was the second Azeri of the day to go down to a Russian in the finals, after compatriot Rovshan Bayramov lost to Nazyr Mankiev in the 55kg class.

“I think things will go well because tomorrow there are two more weight categories, so I think things will work out fine then,” Rahimov told reporters.

Albiev, watched by Russia’s great wrestler Aleksandr Karelin, expressed pride that all four medallists came from the former Soviet Union.

“I think this is a continuation of a great tradition,” he said.

—Reuters