SALVADOR, Brazil (August 11) – Their wrestlers were short on drama, but when the rowdy Brazilian crowd filed out of the Pan-American Judo Center Tuesday night it was Team Georgia who carrying out a nation-best pair of world titles.

While some countries looked for high-amplitude maneuvers the Georgians made a habit of lumbering forward throughout the first day of competition, earning passivity points and racking up penalties against their opponents.

Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) won the 74kg match largely as a result of a pushout at the beginning of the second period. That plus three points in penalties helped the yougster work past Akbudak BURHAN (TUR), 4-3.

The match did end with a puff of exhilaration when the Turkish wrestler’s successful “Flying Squirrel” technique pushed the score from 4-1 to 4-3, however it wasn’t enough, to overcome the initial three point deficit.

Nikoloz KAKMELASHVILI (GEO) captured his nation’s second gold in the night’t final bout at 96kg beating Hosseimi AMIRHOSSEIN (IRI), 1-0.

Iran’s Reza KHEDRI prevented the Georgian team from capturing a third gold medal was who ended the Georgian’s banner day Tuesday night with a hard fought 2-1 decision victory over Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO).

Russia’s Emilin SERHEY wrestled to gold at 60kg cruising past Karim JALAZOV (AZE) by technical fall 9-0. The Russian racked up a four-point move and two takedowns in the first period to complete a dominating day on the mats.

The night’s most enthusing performance came compliments of Masuto KAWANA (JPN) who looped into a textbook perfect arm spin early in the first period of his 60kg bronze medal match to sprint out to a commanding 4-0 lead. Kawana would continue his pressure and bow off the mat with an 8-0 technical fall victory.

Murat LOKYAEV (RUS) made an impression on the Brazilian fans as well, racking up an improbable 15-4 technical fall victory over Soslan FANZIYEV (AZE) in just over a minute. The Russian hammer earned two

Kevin Mejia CASTILLO (HON) was the only medalist from the America’s controlling Szolt TOROK (HUN), 4-1 for bronze. Castillo was also a bronze medalist at the 2013 Cadet World Championships.

Wrestling continues tomorrow at 9am ET with Greco-Roman wrestling at 55kg, 66kg, 84kg and 120kg.

MEDAL RESULTS

Greco-Roman -- 50kg

GOLD: Reza KHEDRI (IRI) df. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), 2-1
BRONZE: Javokhir MIRAKHMEDOV (UZB) v. Nolal BABYEV(AZE)
BRONZE: Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) df. Oleksii MASYK (UKR) by TF, 8-0

Greco-Roman -- 60kg

GOLD: Emilin SERHEY (RUS) df. Karim JALAZOV (AZE) by TF, 9-0
BRONZE: Masuto KAWANA (JPN) v. Dumoyan TARON (ARM) by TF, 8-0
BRONZE: Etine KINSINGER (GER) v. Radu MIHUT (ROU)

Greco-Roman -- 74kg

GOLD: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Akbudak BURHAN (TUR), 4-3
BRONZE: Zoltan LEVAI (HUN)  df. Shohei YABIKU (JPN), 3-2
BRONZE: Hannes WAGNER (GER) df. Alex KESSIDIS (SWE), 4-4 via criteria

Greco-Roman -- 96kg

GOLD: Nikoloz KAKMELASHVILI (GEO) df. Hosseimi AMIRHOSSEIN (IRI), 1-0
BRONZE: Kevin Mejia CASTILLO (HON) df. Szolt TOROK (HUN), 4-1
BRONZE: Murat LOKYAEV (RUS) df. Soslan FANZIYEV (AZE) by TF, 15-4