Lightweight, Freestyle (≤66 kilograms), Men

Finland’s Volmar Wikström was the likely favorite, in an era in which there were few international competitions. He had competed at the 1912 Olympics, had won a 1914 European title (in Greco-Roman), and was runner-up at the 1921 European Championships, again in Greco-Roman. Nobody had heard of American Russ Vis, but he was part of the great US wrestlers from the Pacific Northwest who dominated freestyle at the 1924 Olympics. Vis won his first two matches by fall, and then decisioned his last two opponents, including Wikström in the final. Wikström came through the second-place tournament for the silver medal, defeating his teammate in the final match, Arvo Haavisto. This was the end of Wikström’s international career but Haavisto would move up in weight and win a gold medal in freestyle welterweight at the 1928 Olympics.