OLYMPIC HISTORY

Greco-Roman wrestling, with its ancient origins, joined the modern Games from the outset in 1896. Freestyle events were added in 1904, allowing legs to be employed in the struggle, though freestyle was dropped temporarily for the 1912 Games. Not that its omission meant there was less to see; the Games produced the longest bout in history as Martin Klein, for Russia and Estonia, wrestled Alfred Asikainen, of Finland, for 11 hours and 40 minutes in the middleweight semi-final. The bout, on a summer's day outdoors, was stopped every half an hour for refreshments. When Klein eventually pinned his opponent, he was so exhausted that he could not take part in the final, and the title went by default to Claes Johanson of Sweden.

The Games in Sweden produced a second marathon bout in the light heavyweight category. Anders Ahgren, from the host nation, and Ivar Bohling, from neighbouring Finland, wrestled for nine hours in the final before judges called the bout off on the basis that neither opponent was superior. This was unfortunate for both because the rules of the sport dictate that a winner must be superior, and, as such, both men were awarded silver medals.

Sweden dominated the sport until the 1950s, when Eastern Europeans took over as the supreme force, though there were momentous exceptions, including the inspiring tale in the boycott year of 1984 of Jeff Blatnick, of the US, the super heavyweight champion who fell to his knees and tears fell on the mat after he was declared winner; he had undergone radiotherapy for cancer in 1982 and had had his spleen and appendix removed because of his illness. Blatnick's cancer returned in 1985 and he endured chemotherapy before being declared "in remission". His opponent in that 1984 final, Thomas Johansson, of Sweden, failed a drugs test for anabolic steroids, lost his medal and was suspended for 18 months. The shame did not last long within him; he was back in 1988 to win the bronze medal and again in 1992 to win the silver medal.

Those last two medals were won behind the man on whom all eyes will focus in Sydney; Alexander Karelin, the Russian heavyweight who is aiming to become the first man to win four successive gold medals in wrestling. The Siberian Karelin, standing 6ft 3¼in and weighing in at 286lb, has a penchant for throwing his opponents over his head in a move not unlike that employed by Obelix, the huge character in the Asterix comic books. It has helped him win seven world titles.

In time, he might yet be considered a thing of great beauty, however - compared with what might follow as the Games go back to Athens in 2004; standby for women's wrestling.