Shirvani Muradov of Russia poses with his gold medal in the 96kg men's freestyle wrestling at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 21, 2008. [Agencies]

BEIJING -- Shirvani Muradov from Russia claimed the men's freestyle 96kg wrestling title at the Beijing Olympics on Thursday, beating Taimuraz Tigiyev from Kazakhstan in the final.

Russia's Shirvani Muradov (blue) fights with Kazakhstan's Taimuraz Tigiyev (red) during their men's  wrestling 96kg freestyle gold medal match at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium in Beijing on August 21, 2008, as part of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. [Agencies]

The bronze medals went to George Gogshelidze from Georgia and Khetaq Gazyumov from Azerbaijan.