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Frank Stäbler wins bronze
Photo: Alessandra Tarantino / dpa
The three-time wrestler world champion Frank Stäbler won the longed-for Olympic medal at the end of his career.
The 32-year-old prevailed at the games in Tokyo in one of the two small finals in the weight class up to 67 kilograms 5: 4 against the Georgian Ramas Soidze and won bronze.
It was his last competition before the announced end of his career.
Stäbler would have liked to win gold in his last tournament, but narrowly failed in the quarter-finals on Tuesday to Mohammad Reza Geraei.
Since the Iranian then reached the final, the 32-year-old was allowed to run again in the hope round.
In the he defeated the Colombian Julian Stiven Horta Acevedo and qualified for one of the bronze fights.
In 2012 in London and 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, the Greco-Roman specialist had missed a medal.
Stäbler's preparation for the games in Japan was anything but optimal.
For a long time he has been struggling with the consequences of an ankle joint dislocation.
He became infected with the corona virus last autumn.
He also had to lose eight kilograms for the event in Tokyo.
In the end, however, the strength was enough for precious metal.
ptz / dpa