Balkan bruiser makes it three in a row

BULGARIAN bull-dozer Stanka Zlateva has been named female Wrestler of the Year for the third year running after a hugely impressive season where she claimed three major gold medals and one silver.

Zlateva was pipped to the gold in Beijing by Wang Jiao of China in the 72kg but swept the board in everything else all year claiming gold at the World Championships in Tokyo, the Golen Grand Prix and the European Championships.

The 25-year-old grappler chalked up 41 points in the FILA scoring system that sees points awarded according to ther performances in the major competitions.

 For performance at the Olympic Games the scores are awarded for: Gold 12 points, Silver 11 points, Bronze 10 points, the World Championship Gold 11 points, Silver 10 points, Bronze 9 points, the Golden Grand Prix Final Gold 10 points, Silver 9 points, Bronze 8 points, and the Continental Championship Gold 9 points, Silver 8 points, Bronze 7 points.

Elsewhere in men's freestyle wrestling, Ukranian Vasyl Fedoryshyn has scooped the award for Best Wrestler of the Year in 60 kg.

He got the silver medal in the Beijing Olympic Games, the gold medal in the Golden Grand Prix Final, and the gold medal in the European Championship in Tampere, thus making a total of 30 points.

In Greco-Roman wrestling, the Best Wrestler of the Year has been picked up by Rovshan Bayramov of Azerbaijan in 55 kg.

Silver medallist at the Beijing Olympic Games, gold medallist at the Golden Grand Prix Final that took place in Baku, and gold medallist at the European Championship, his total of points was also 30.

GERARD MEAGHER