Heavyweight, Freestyle (>87 kg), Men

There were only nine entrants in the men’s freestyle heavyweight event, and thus it required only four rounds to get to a final round match. Round four matched Australian Jim Armstrong against Turkey’s Sadik Esen, with Armstrong winning by fall in 12:30, and Hungary’s Gyula Bóbis defeating Sweden’s Bertil Antonsson by split decision. Bóbis had been the bronze medalist in this class at the 1937 European Championships, while Antonsson was the 1946 European Champion. Bóbis then met Armstrong for the gold medal, with the Hungarian winning by fall in 9:49.

Bóbis did not retire, winning silver in Greco-Roman at the 1950 World Championships. Antonsson would repeat as silver medalist in this class in 1952 and also competed at the 1956 and 1960 Olympics, with less success. He won the 1949 European and 1951 World Championships in this class. Armstrong would win the 1950 British Empire Games title in this class, and he also played cricket for Australia in an Ashes’ Test match against Great Britain in 1946.