Gardner goes bust

It was a night full of emotion and close contests, many of which had to be settled in added time.

In the 84 kg class, Alexei Michine of Russia won the title but needed a referee's ruling to beat Sweden's Ara Abrahamian by the closest of margins.

The bout ended in a 1-1 tie after the mandatory six minutes and three minutes of added time and the officials eventually ruled that Michine had done enough for gold.

"This is absolutely unbelieveable I probably haven't realised what has happened today," Michine said.

In the battle of the big men, Russia's Khasan Baroev won the 120 kg gold after overturning a deficit in the last minute against Kazakhstan's Georgiy Tsurtsumia.

Gardner's bout against Iranian Sajad Barazi was also extended and at the end he placed his boots in the middle of the ring to signal retirement before walking off with the stars and stripes flag as he waved emotionally to the American crowd.

"I took my shoes off for the last time as a wrestler and now

I get to coach," he said later.

"For me to come back and win a medal like this, even though it's a bronze, I have no regrets," he added.

Gardner's supporters also held up a large sheet covered with good luck messages from his townsfolk in Afton, Wyoming.

The 33-year-old narrowly escaped death when stranded in temperatures of minus 25 degrees Celsius after his snowmobile broke down in a forest in 2002 causing him to lose a toe to frost bite.

He also dislocated his shoulder in a motorbike accident last year.

In the 55kg class Hungarian Istvan Majoros needed extra time to defeat 2002 world champion Gueidar Mamedaliev of Russia for the gold.

Farid Mansurov of Azerbaijan won the 66kg gold by beating Turkey's Seref Eroglu. The bronze medal bout was won by Mkkhitar Manukyan of Kazakhstan.