Bantamweight, Freestyle (≤54 kg), Men

The two favorites were Azerbaijani Namiq Abdullayev and American Sammie Henson, both of whom made it through the pools to the knockout round. They continued to win and faced each other in the final. They had met each at the 1998 World Championships, with Henson winning that match. In the Sydney final, Abdullayev moved out to a 3-0 lead but Henson fought back to tie the match, 3-3. In the last minute Abdullayev scored on a reversal to move ahead 4-3, and that margin held up for him to win the gold medal. Henson was distraught and almost inconsolable about the loss, crying through the victory ceremony, and trying to throw away his silver medal. Abdullayev had been Olympic silver medalist in 1996 as a flyweight, had already won two European titles, and would add another in 2003. Henson never made another Olympic team but did win a bronze medal at the 2006 World Championships.