# Wrestling at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Men's freestyle lightweight

The men's freestyle lightweight competition at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki took place from 20 July to 23 July at Messuhalli. Nations were limited to one competitor. Lightweight was the fourth-lightest category, including wrestlers weighing 62 to 67 kilograms (136.7 to 147.7 lb).

## Competition format

This freestyle wrestling competition continued to use the "bad points" elimination system introduced at the 1928 Summer Olympics for Greco-Roman and at the 1932 Summer Olympics for freestyle wrestling, removing the slight modification introduced in 1936 and used until 1948 (which had a reduced penalty for a loss by 2–1 decision). Each round featured all wrestlers pairing off and wrestling one bout (with one wrestler having a bye if there were an odd number). The loser received 3 points. The winner received 1 point if the win was by decision and 0 points if the win was by fall. At the end of each round, any wrestler with at least 5 points was eliminated. This elimination continued until the medal rounds, which began when 3 wrestlers remained. These 3 wrestlers each faced each other in a round-robin medal round (with earlier results counting, if any had wrestled another before); record within the medal round determined medals, with bad points breaking ties.

## Results
### Round 1
#### Bouts

| Winner | Nation | Victory Type | Loser | Nation |
| Tevfik Yüce | Turkey | Decision, 3–0 | Ray Myland | Great Britain |
| Tofigh Jahanbakht | Iran | Decision, 3–0 | József Gál | Hungary |
| Heini Nettesheim | Germany | Fall | O Tae-geun | South Korea |
| Osvaldo Blasi | Argentina | Fall | Arístides Pérez | Guatemala |
| Dick Garrard | Australia | Decision, 3–0 | Jack Vard | Ireland |
| Tommy Evans | United States | Decision, 3–0 | Mohamed Badr | Egypt |
| Takeo Shimotori | Japan | Decision, 3–0 | Bjørn Larsson | Norway |
| Jan Cools | Belgium | Decision, 3–0 | Mario Tovar | Mexico |
| Garibaldo Nizzola | Italy | Decision, 3–0 | Erik Østrand | Denmark |
| Olle Anderberg | Sweden | Fall | Armenak Yaltyryan | Soviet Union |
| Risto Talosela | Finland | Fall | Paul Besson | Switzerland |
| Blondie Pienaar | South Africa | Bye | N/A | N/A |

#### Points

| Rank | Wrestler | Nation | Start | Earned | Total |
| 1 | Olle Anderberg | Sweden | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | Osvaldo Blasi | Argentina | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | Heini Nettesheim | Germany | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | Blondie Pienaar | South Africa | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | Risto Talosela | Finland | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Jan Cools | Belgium | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Tommy Evans | United States | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Dick Garrard | Australia | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Garibaldo Nizzola | Italy | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Takeo Shimotori | Japan | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Tofigh Jahanbakht | Iran | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Tevfik Yüce | Turkey | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 13 | Mohamed Badr | Egypt | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 13 | Paul Besson | Switzerland | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 13 | József Gál | Hungary | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 13 | Bjørn Larsson | Norway | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 13 | Ray Myland | Great Britain | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 13 | O Tae-geun | South Korea | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 13 | Erik Østrand | Denmark | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 13 | Arístides Pérez | Guatemala | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 13 | Mario Tovar | Mexico | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 13 | Jack Vard | Ireland | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 13 | Armenak Yaltyryan | Soviet Union | 0 | 3 | 3 |

### Round 2

Nizzola withdrew after his bout.

#### Bouts

| Winner | Nation | Victory Type | Loser | Nation |
| Tevfik Yüce | Turkey | Decision, 3–0 | Blondie Pienaar | South Africa |
| Tofigh Jahanbakht | Iran | Fall | Ray Myland | Great Britain |
| József Gál | Hungary | Decision, 3–0 | O Tae-geun | South Korea |
| Heini Nettesheim | Germany | Fall | Arístides Pérez | Guatemala |
| Dick Garrard | Australia | Decision, 3–0 | Osvaldo Blasi | Argentina |
| Tommy Evans | United States | Fall | Jack Vard | Ireland |
| Takeo Shimotori | Japan | Decision, 3–0 | Mohamed Badr | Egypt |
| Jan Cools | Belgium | Fall | Bjørn Larsson | Norway |
| Erik Østrand | Denmark | Decision, 3–0 | Mario Tovar | Mexico |
| Olle Anderberg | Sweden | Decision, 3–0 | Garibaldo Nizzola | Italy |
| Armenak Yaltyryan | Soviet Union | Fall | Risto Talosela | Finland |
| Paul Besson | Switzerland | Bye | N/A | N/A |

#### Points

| Rank | Wrestler | Nation | Start | Earned | Total |
| 1 | Heini Nettesheim | Germany | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Olle Anderberg | Sweden | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Jan Cools | Belgium | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Tommy Evans | United States | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Tofigh Jahanbakht | Iran | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | Dick Garrard | Australia | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 6 | Takeo Shimotori | Japan | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 6 | Tevfik Yüce | Turkey | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Paul Besson | Switzerland | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 9 | Osvaldo Blasi | Argentina | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 9 | Blondie Pienaar | South Africa | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 9 | Risto Talosela | Finland | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 9 | Armenak Yaltyryan | Soviet Union | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 14 | József Gál | Hungary | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 14 | Erik Østrand | Denmark | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 16 | Garibaldo Nizzola | Italy | 1 | 3 | 4* |
| 17 | Mohamed Badr | Egypt | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 17 | Bjørn Larsson | Norway | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 17 | Ray Myland | Great Britain | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 17 | O Tae-geun | South Korea | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 17 | Arístides Pérez | Guatemala | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 17 | Mario Tovar | Mexico | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 17 | Jack Vard | Ireland | 3 | 3 | 6 |

### Round 3
#### Bouts

| Winner | Nation | Victory Type | Loser | Nation |
| Blondie Pienaar | South Africa | Decision, 3–0 | Paul Besson | Switzerland |
| Tofigh Jahanbakht | Iran | Decision, 2–1 | Tevfik Yüce | Turkey |
| József Gál | Hungary | Decision, 2–1 | Heini Nettesheim | Germany |
| Tommy Evans | United States | Decision, 3–0 | Osvaldo Blasi | Argentina |
| Takeo Shimotori | Japan | Decision, 3–0 | Dick Garrard | Australia |
| Olle Anderberg | Sweden | Fall | Jan Cools | Belgium |
| Armenak Yaltyryan | Soviet Union | Decision, 3–0 | Erik Østrand | Denmark |
| Risto Talosela | Finland | Bye | N/A | N/A |

#### Points

| Rank | Wrestler | Nation | Start | Earned | Total |
| 1 | Olle Anderberg | Sweden | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Tommy Evans | United States | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | Tofigh Jahanbakht | Iran | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 4 | Heini Nettesheim | Germany | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Takeo Shimotori | Japan | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 4 | Risto Talosela | Finland | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | Jan Cools | Belgium | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 7 | Blondie Pienaar | South Africa | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 7 | Armenak Yaltyryan | Soviet Union | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 10 | József Gál | Hungary | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 10 | Dick Garrard | Australia | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 10 | Tevfik Yüce | Turkey | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 13 | Paul Besson | Switzerland | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 13 | Osvaldo Blasi | Argentina | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 15 | Erik Østrand | Denmark | 4 | 3 | 7 |

### Round 4
#### Bouts

| Winner | Nation | Victory Type | Loser | Nation |
| Risto Talosela | Finland | Decision, 3–0 | Blondie Pienaar | South Africa |
| Tofigh Jahanbakht | Iran | Decision, 2–1 | Heini Nettesheim | Germany |
| Tommy Evans | United States | Fall | Jan Cools | Belgium |
| Olle Anderberg | Sweden | Fall | Takeo Shimotori | Japan |
| Armenak Yaltyryan | Soviet Union | Bye | N/A | N/A |

#### Points

| Rank | Wrestler | Nation | Start | Earned | Total |
| 1 | Olle Anderberg | Sweden | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Tommy Evans | United States | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | Tofigh Jahanbakht | Iran | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 4 | Risto Talosela | Finland | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Armenak Yaltyryan | Soviet Union | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | Heini Nettesheim | Germany | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 6 | Takeo Shimotori | Japan | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 8 | Jan Cools | Belgium | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 8 | Blondie Pienaar | South Africa | 4 | 3 | 7 |

### Round 5

Yaltyryan finished 4th over Talosela due to their head-to-head match in round 2.

#### Bouts

| Winner | Nation | Victory Type | Loser | Nation |
| Tofigh Jahanbakht | Iran | Decision, 3–0 | Armenak Yaltyryan | Soviet Union |
| Tommy Evans | United States | Fall | Risto Talosela | Finland |
| Olle Anderberg | Sweden | Bye | N/A | N/A |

#### Points

| Rank | Wrestler | Nation | Start | Earned | Total |
| 1 | Olle Anderberg | Sweden | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Tommy Evans | United States | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | Tofigh Jahanbakht | Iran | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Armenak Yaltyryan | Soviet Union | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 5 | Risto Talosela | Finland | 4 | 3 | 7 |

### Medal rounds

None of the three medalists had faced other, so each wrestled both of the others. Anderberg won both of his matches, taking gold. Evans, having lost to Anderberg, beat Jahanbakht to take silver. Jahanbakht finished with the bronze at 0–2 against the other medalists.

#### Bouts

| Winner | Nation | Victory Type | Loser | Nation |
| Olle Anderberg | Sweden | Decision, 3–0 | Tofigh Jahanbakht | Iran |
| Olle Anderberg | Sweden | Decision, 2–1 | Tommy Evans | United States |
| Tommy Evans | United States | Decision, 3–0 | Tofigh Jahanbakht | Iran |

#### Points

| Wrestler | Nation | Wins | Losses | Start | Earned | Total |
| Olle Anderberg | Sweden | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Tommy Evans | United States | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Tofigh Jahanbakht | Iran | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 |