Wrestling —Olympics: Wrestling is a sport played between two players. The players fight unarmed with each other. In wrestling, a player is declared winner when he pins the opponent down. Wrestling is one of the most demanding athletic sports physically and mentally. Wrestling technique is a combination of incredible strength, speed and conditioning. Wrestlers also have to memorize the numerous offensive and defensive moves. There are many different styles and forms of wrestling. Greco-Roman wrestling, freestyle wrestling, judo and sambo wrestling are the four main forms of wrestling practiced internationally.
Wrestling in the Summer Games: Wrestling was introduced to the Olympics' schedule as a men's event in the first modern Summer Games in 1896. Since then, wrestling has been held in every Summer Olympics except the 1900 Games. Greco-Roman wrestling and freestyle wrestling are the two disciplines in the Olympic wrestling event. Women participated in the freestyle wrestling competition for the first time in the 2004 Summer Games. Currently, the men's Greco-Roman wrestling competition in the Olympics is divided in seven categories. These categories are—less than 55 kg, 55-60 kg, 60-66 kg, 66-74 kg, 74-84 kg, 84-96 kg and 96-120 kg. The men's freestyle wrestling competition is also categorized in the same manner. Women compete in four categories in the Olympic freestyle wrestling competition. These categories are—less than 48 kg, 48-55 kg, 55-63 kg and 63-72 kg.
Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Games: At the 2008 Beijing Summer Games, the wrestling events will be held from 12 th August to 21 st August. The Greco-Roman wrestling competitions are scheduled on 12 th , 13 th and 14 th August. The freestyle competitions will be held from 16 th August to 21 st August. The wrestling events will take place at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium, China Agricultural University (East Campus) in the Haidian District. Total 18 gold medals will be given away in the Olympics wrestling competitions, among which 7 medals will be awarded in the Greco-Roman wrestling competition and the rest in the freestyle competitions.
Mavlet Batirov, Stephen Anthony Abas, Alireza Dabir, Yandro Miguel Quintana, Masoud Mostafa Jokar, Jamill Kelly, Cael Sanderson, Magomed Ibragimov, Artur Taymazov, Istvan Majoros, Varteres Samourgachev, Farid Mansurov, Matt Lindland, Marko Yli-Hannuksela, Alexandr Dokturishvili, Hamza Yerlikaya, Alexei Michine, Ara Abrahamian, Karam Ibrahim Gaber and Ramaz Nozadze are some expected men contenders in the wrestling competition in 2008 Beijing Summer Games.
Women's wrestling has been dominated by Japanese wrestlers. Irini Merleni, Chiharu Icho, Patricia Miranda, Saori Yoshida, Kaori Icho, Sara McMann, Wang Xu and Kyoko Hamaguchi are the famous women wrestlers who will be seen in the twenty-ninth Summer Games in 2008.
