Freestyle wrestling was part of the 1990 Goodwill Games program. The freestyle wrestling tournament was a team championship (but the wrestlers won individual gold, silver and bronze medals).Chaos rules wrestling finals. UPI ARCHIVES. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
A total of 82 wrestlers from 8 nations competed at the 1990 Goodwill Games:
Bulgaria (10); Canada (10); Japan (10); Mongolian People's Republic (10); South Korea (10); Soviet Union (10); Turkey (10); United States (10).
Background According to a results of 1988 Olympic Games, the following countries became the world's best centers for the development of freestyle wrestling: USSR, South Korea, Japan, US and Bulgaria.
The USSR national team included the following wrestlers: 1. Gnel Medzhlumyan, 48 kg; 2. Zambalov Sergey, 52 kg; 3. Ruslan Karaev, 57 kg; 4. Stepan Sarkisyan, 62 kg; 5. Arsen Fadzaev, 68 kg; 6. Adlan Varayev, 74 kg; 7. Elmadi Zhabrailov, 82 kg; 8. Makharbek Khadartsev, 90 kg; 9. Andrei Golovko, 100 kg; 10. David Gobejishvili, 100 + kg.
The South Korean national team included the following wrestlers: 1. Kim Jong-Shin, 48 kg; 2. Kim Sun-Hak, 52 kg; 3. Kim Jong-Oh, 57 kg; 4. Shin Sang-Kyu, 62 kg; 5. Park Jang-soon, 68 kg; 6. Park Young-Jin, 74 kg; 7. Lee Dong-Woo, 82 kg; 8. Oh Hyo-Chul, 90 kg; 9. Kim Tae-woo, 100 kg; 10. Jo Byung-eun, 100 + kg.
The Japan national team included the following wrestlers: 1. Hirano Takayoshi, 48 kg; 2. Hideo Sasayama, 52 kg; 3. Toshio Asakura, 57 kg; 4. Takumi Adachi, 62 kg; 5. Kosei Akaishi, 68 kg; 6. Yoshihiko Hara, 74 kg; 7. Kikuchi Takashi, 82 kg; 8. Akaishi Akeo, 90 kg; 9. Manabu Nakanishi, 100 kg; 10. Tamon Honda, 100 + kg.
The US national team included the following wrestler: 1. Cory Baze, 48 kg; 2. Zeke Jones, 52 kg; 3. Joe Melchiore,Joe Melchiore. Internet Archive. Retrieved 13 September 2023. 57 kg; 4. John Smith, 62 kg; 5. Nate Carr, 68 kg; 6. Rob Koll, 74 kg; 7. Royce Alger, Kenny Monday, 82 kg; 8. James Scherr, 90 kg; 9. Kirk Trost, William Scherr, 100 kg; 10. Bruce Baumgartner, 100 + kg.
The Bulgarian national team included the following wrestlers: 1. Chetov Azet, 48 kg; 2. Valentin Yordanov, 52 kg; 3. Topolov Dimitar, 57 kg; 4. Yankov Vladimir, 62 kg; 5. Petovski Aleksander, 68 kg; 6. Rahmat Sofiadi, 74 kg; 7. Markov Dimitar, 82 kg; 8. Rusev Dragia, 90 kg; 9. Makedonov Petio, 100 kg; 10. Kiril Barbutov, 100 + kg.
Competition Group stage The national teams were divided into two groups:
Group A: USSR, South Korea, Mongolian People's Republic and Canada; Group B: Japan, US, Bulgaria and Turkey.
Final round Final round:
Japan vs Canada – Edgelow Gregory, Adachi Takumi and Kosei Akaishi won the bronze medal. 1981 World Champion and reigning seven-time Japan National Champion Toshio Asakura won by points, but was left without a medal (he lost in his group B); Turkey vs Mongolian People's Republic – Khaltmaagiin Battuul won the gold medal in the men's freestyle 57 kg; USSR vs Bulgaria – World Champion Valentin Yordanov won the gold medal in the men's freestyle 52 kg; South Korea vs US – 1988 Olympic bronze medalist Nate CarrNAte Carr. National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Retrieved 3 October 2022. won the gold medal in the men's freestyle 68 kg; South Korea vs Bulgaria – Park Young-Jin won the gold medal in the men's freestyle 74 kg; USSR vs US – John Smith and Makharbek Khadartsev, both Olympic champions in 1988, won their second Goodwill Games gold medals. USSR vs Turkey (individual match) - 1989 World Champion Elmadi Zhabrailov won the gold medal in the men's freestyle 82 kg.Chaos rules wrestling finals. UPI ARCHIVES. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
Medal round The winners of Groups A and B wrestled among themselves for gold and silver medals. They retained the medals even after losing further matches.
In a notable upset: journeyman Chris Wilson (Canada) defeated Arsen Fadzaev (USSR) in the men's freestyle 68 kg.Video. Goodwill Games 1990. Freestyle wrestling. Chris Wilson won Arsen Fadzayev by points 2-1 journeyman Park Young-Jin (South Korea) defeated Adlan Varaev (USSR) in the men's freestyle 74 kg.″Сценарий изменить нельзя″ (in Russian), Советский Спорт, July 29, 1990, p.3, ″... боролись со спортсменами Южной Кореи - Адлан Вараев из Грозного уступил Юонг Джин Парку - 1:3″ [... wrestled against South Korean athletes — Adlan Varaev from Grozny lost to Young-Jin Park - 1:3.]
Medal table
Medal summary Sources:
Men's freestyle 48 kg52 kg57 kg62 kg68 kg74 kg82 kg90 kg100 kg +100 kg
References
External links Goodwill Games Capsules Goodwill Games Wrestling USA vs USSR 1990 List of World and Olympic Champions in men's freestyle wrestling