Wrestling at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Men's freestyle light heavyweight
{{short description|Wrestling at the Olympics}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox Olympic event
|event = Men's freestyle light heavyweight
|games = 1952 Summer
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|venue = Messuhalli
|dates = 20–23 July 1952
|competitors = 13
|nations = 13
|gold = Viking Palm
|goldNOC = SWE
|silver = Henry Wittenberg
|silverNOC = USA
|bronze = Adil Atan
|bronzeNOC = TUR
|prev = 1948
|next = 1956
}}
{{WrestlingAt1952SummerOlympics}}
The men's freestyle light heavyweight competition at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki took place from 20 July to 23 July at Messuhalli. Nations were limited to one competitor.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1952/WRE/mens-light-heavyweight-freestyle.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418132311/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1952/WRE/mens-light-heavyweight-freestyle.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games: Men's freestyle light heavyweight |work=Sports Reference |accessdate=11 March 2019}} Light heavyweight was the second-heaviest category, including wrestlers weighing {{convert|79|to|87|kg|lbs|1}}.{{sfn|Official Report|1955|p=362}}
Competition format
This freestyle wrestling competition continued to use the "bad points" elimination system introduced at the 1928 Summer Olympics for Greco-Roman and at the 1932 Summer Olympics for freestyle wrestling, removing the slight modification introduced in 1936 and used until 1948 (which had a reduced penalty for a loss by 2–1 decision). Each round featured all wrestlers pairing off and wrestling one bout (with one wrestler having a bye if there were an odd number). The loser received 3 points. The winner received 1 point if the win was by decision and 0 points if the win was by fall. At the end of each round, any wrestler with at least 5 points was eliminated. This elimination continued until the medal rounds, which began when 3 wrestlers remained. These 3 wrestlers each faced each other in a round-robin medal round (with earlier results counting, if any had wrestled another before); record within the medal round determined medals, with bad points breaking ties.{{sfn|Official Report|1955|p=362}}
Results
=Round 1=
; Bouts
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
! Winner | Nation | Victory Type | Loser | Nation |
| Viking Palm | {{FlagIOC|SWE|1952 Summer}} | Decision, 3–0 | Kevin Coote | {{FlagIOC|AUS|1952 Summer}} |
| Henry Wittenberg | {{FlagIOC|USA|1952 Summer}} | Fall | Rodolfo Padron | {{FlagIOC|VEN|1952 Summer}} |
| Willy Lardon | {{FlagIOC|SUI|1952 Summer}} | Fall | Bob Steckle | {{FlagIOC|CAN|1952 Summer}} |
| Jan Theron | {{FlagIOC|RSA|1952 Summer}} | Decision, 2–1 | Shrirang Jadhav | {{FlagIOC|IND|1952 Summer}} |
| August Englas | {{FlagIOC|URS|1952 Summer}} | Decision, 3–0 | Adil Atan | {{FlagIOC|TUR|1952 Summer}} |
| Max Leichter | {{FlagIOC|GER|1952 Summer}} | Decision, 3–0 | Paavo Sepponen | {{FlagIOC|FIN|1952 Summer}} |
| Abbas Zandi | {{FlagIOC|IRI|1952 Summer}} | Bye | N/A | N/A |
; Points
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Rank | Wrestler | Nation | Start | Earned | Total |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 1 | align=left| {{sortname|Willy|Lardon}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|SUI|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 1 | align=left| {{sortname|Henry|Wittenberg}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 1 | align=left| {{sortname|Abbas|Zandi}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|IRI|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 4 | align=left| {{sortname|August|Englas}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|URS|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 4 | align=left| {{sortname|Max|Leichter}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|GER|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 4 | align=left| {{sortname|Viking|Palm}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|SWE|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 4 | align=left| {{sortname|Jan|Theron}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|RSA|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 8 | align=left| {{sortname|Adil|Atan}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|TUR|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 8 | align=left| {{sortname|Kevin|Coote}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|AUS|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 8 | align=left| {{sortname|Shrirang|Jadhav}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|IND|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 8 | align=left| {{sortname|Rodolfo|Padron}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|VEN|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 8 | align=left| {{sortname|Paavo|Sepponen}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|FIN|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 8 | align=left| {{sortname|Bob|Steckle}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|CAN|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 3 | 3 |
=Round 2=
Lardon withdrew after his bout.
; Bouts
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
! Winner | Nation | Victory Type | Loser | Nation |
| Abbas Zandi | {{FlagIOC|IRI|1952 Summer}} | Decision, 3–0 | Kevin Coote | {{FlagIOC|AUS|1952 Summer}} |
| Viking Palm | {{FlagIOC|SWE|1952 Summer}} | Fall | Rodolfo Padron | {{FlagIOC|VEN|1952 Summer}} |
| Henry Wittenberg | {{FlagIOC|USA|1952 Summer}} | Fall | Willy Lardon | {{FlagIOC|SUI|1952 Summer}} |
| Jan Theron | {{FlagIOC|RSA|1952 Summer}} | Decision, 3–0 | Bob Steckle | {{FlagIOC|CAN|1952 Summer}} |
| August Englas | {{FlagIOC|URS|1952 Summer}} | Fall | Shrirang Jadhav | {{FlagIOC|IND|1952 Summer}} |
| Adil Atan | {{FlagIOC|TUR|1952 Summer}} | Fall | Max Leichter | {{FlagIOC|GER|1952 Summer}} |
| Paavo Sepponen | {{FlagIOC|FIN|1952 Summer}} | Bye | N/A | N/A |
; Points
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Rank | Wrestler | Nation | Start | Earned | Total |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 1 | align=left| {{sortname|Henry|Wittenberg}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 2 | align=left| {{sortname|August|Englas}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|URS|1952 Summer}} | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 2 | align=left| {{sortname|Viking|Palm}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|SWE|1952 Summer}} | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 2 | align=left| {{sortname|Abbas|Zandi}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|IRI|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 5 | align=left| {{sortname|Jan|Theron}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|RSA|1952 Summer}} | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 6 | align=left| {{sortname|Adil|Atan}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|TUR|1952 Summer}} | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 6 | align=left| {{sortname|Paavo|Sepponen}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|FIN|1952 Summer}} | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 8 | align=left| {{sortname|Max|Leichter}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|GER|1952 Summer}} | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 9 | align=left| {{sortname|Willy|Lardon}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|SUI|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 3 | 3* |
| 10 | align=left| {{sortname|Kevin|Coote}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|AUS|1952 Summer}} | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 10 | align=left| {{sortname|Shrirang|Jadhav}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|IND|1952 Summer}} | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 10 | align=left| {{sortname|Rodolfo|Padron}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|VEN|1952 Summer}} | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 10 | align=left| {{sortname|Bob|Steckle}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|CAN|1952 Summer}} | 3 | 3 | 6 |
=Round 3=
; Bouts
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
! Winner | Nation | Victory Type | Loser | Nation |
| Abbas Zandi | {{FlagIOC|IRI|1952 Summer}} | Decision, 3–0 | Paavo Sepponen | {{FlagIOC|FIN|1952 Summer}} |
| Viking Palm | {{FlagIOC|SWE|1952 Summer}} | Decision, 3–0 | Henry Wittenberg | {{FlagIOC|USA|1952 Summer}} |
| Adil Atan | {{FlagIOC|TUR|1952 Summer}} | Fall | Jan Theron | {{FlagIOC|RSA|1952 Summer}} |
| August Englas | {{FlagIOC|URS|1952 Summer}} | Fall | Max Leichter | {{FlagIOC|GER|1952 Summer}} |
; Points
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Rank | Wrestler | Nation | Start | Earned | Total |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 1 | align=left| {{sortname|August|Englas}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|URS|1952 Summer}} | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 2 | align=left| {{sortname|Viking|Palm}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|SWE|1952 Summer}} | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 2 | align=left| {{sortname|Abbas|Zandi}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|IRI|1952 Summer}} | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 4 | align=left| {{sortname|Adil|Atan}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|TUR|1952 Summer}} | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 4 | align=left| {{sortname|Henry|Wittenberg}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 6 | align=left| {{sortname|Jan|Theron}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|RSA|1952 Summer}} | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 7 | align=left| {{sortname|Paavo|Sepponen}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|FIN|1952 Summer}} | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 8 | align=left| {{sortname|Max|Leichter}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|GER|1952 Summer}} | 4 | 3 | 7 |
=Round 4=
; Bouts
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
! Winner | Nation | Victory Type | Loser | Nation |
| Viking Palm | {{FlagIOC|SWE|1952 Summer}} | Decision, 2–1 | Abbas Zandi | {{FlagIOC|IRI|1952 Summer}} |
| Henry Wittenberg | {{FlagIOC|USA|1952 Summer}} | Decision, 3–0 | August Englas | {{FlagIOC|URS|1952 Summer}} |
| Adil Atan | {{FlagIOC|TUR|1952 Summer}} | Bye | N/A | N/A |
; Points
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Rank | Wrestler | Nation | Start | Earned | Total |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 1 | align=left| {{sortname|Adil|Atan}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|TUR|1952 Summer}} | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 1 | align=left| {{sortname|Viking|Palm}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|SWE|1952 Summer}} | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 3 | align=left| {{sortname|August|Englas}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|URS|1952 Summer}} | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 4 | align=left| {{sortname|Henry|Wittenberg}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1952 Summer}} | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 5 | align=left| {{sortname|Abbas|Zandi}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|IRI|1952 Summer}} | 2 | 3 | 5 |
=Round 5=
; Bouts
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
! Winner | Nation | Victory Type | Loser | Nation |
| Henry Wittenberg | {{FlagIOC|USA|1952 Summer}} | Fall | Adil Atan | {{FlagIOC|TUR|1952 Summer}} |
| Viking Palm | {{FlagIOC|SWE|1952 Summer}} | Decision, 2–1 | August Englas | {{FlagIOC|URS|1952 Summer}} |
; Points
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Rank | Wrestler | Nation | Start | Earned | Total |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 1 | align=left| {{sortname|Viking|Palm}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|SWE|1952 Summer}} | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 1 | align=left| {{sortname|Henry|Wittenberg}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1952 Summer}} | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| style="background:#cfc;"
| 3 | align=left| {{sortname|Adil|Atan}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|TUR|1952 Summer}} | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 4 | align=left| {{sortname|August|Englas}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|URS|1952 Summer}} | 4 | 3 | 7 |
=Medal rounds=
Palm's victory over Wittenberg in round 3 and Wittenberg's victory over Atan in round 5 counted for the medal round. The only bout left for the round therefore was Palm against Atan, with Wittenberg a spectator—who had to hope for an Atan victory to create a three-way tie at 1–1 which Wittenberg would win on bad points to take gold. Palm was able to defeat Atan in a split decision, however, and the Swede thereby won the gold medal, having beaten both of the other medalists.
; Bouts
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
! Winner | Nation | Victory Type | Loser | Nation |
| Viking Palm | {{FlagIOC|SWE|1952 Summer}} | Decision, 2–1 | Adil Atan | {{FlagIOC|TUR|1952 Summer}} |
; Points
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Rank | Wrestler | Nation | Wins | Losses | Start | Earned | Total |
| {{gold01}} | align=left| {{sortname|Viking|Palm}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|SWE|1952 Summer}} | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| {{silver02}} | align=left| {{sortname|Henry|Wittenberg}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|USA|1952 Summer}} | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| {{bronze03}} | align=left| {{sortname|Adil|Atan}} | align=left| {{flagIOC|TUR|1952 Summer}} | 0 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 9 |
References
{{Reflist}}
General
- {{Cite book |title=The Official Report of the Organising Committee for the Games of the XV Olympiad Helsinki 1952 |publisher=Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö |year=1955 |location=Porvoo, Finland |url=https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll8/id/4193/rec/21 |editor-last=Kolkka |editor-first=Sulo |access-date= |translator-last=Matson |translator-first=Alex |ref={{SfnRef|Official Report|1955}} }}
{{Footer Olympic Champions freestyle wrestling light heavyweight}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wrestling at the 1952 Summer Olympics - Men's freestyle light heavyweight}}