Bantamweight, Freestyle (≤56 kg), Men

This was the first major international tournament for Finland’s Kustaa Pihlajamäki, who would become one of the wrestling stars of the 1920s-30s. He eventually competed in four Olympics, through 1936, winning gold in this event, and as a featherweight, won a silver in 1928 and gold in 1936. Pihlajamäki won comfortably in Paris, winning one match by bye and three by decision. In the second-place tournament, Pihlajamäki’s teammate Kaarlo Mäkinen defeated American Bryan Hines for the silver medal, but Hines won bronze in the third-place tournament.

In addition to his Olympic medals, over the next 15 years Pihlajamäki would win nine European titles and 11 European medals. Mäkinen would return in Amsterdam and win this event when Pihlajamäki moved up in weight. Hines was the 1924 AAU Champion and was expected to contend for gold in Paris, but arrived overweight and had to cut so much weight that it left him weakened.