He beat Georgia's Vladimer Khinchegashvili in the lightest weight class to give Russia their fourth wrestling gold of the Games and cement their fourth-placed position in the overall medal table.

Otarsultanov, a three-times European champion, edged aside the Georgian in a tense and close-fought contest.

His coach picked up the Russian in a fireman's lift and spun him round at the end of the bout as the noisy Russian contingent in the crowd cheered and waved the national flag