Had it not been for a new "clinch rule" adopted this year in an effort to increase Greco-Roman scoring, Gardner and Kareline might still be on the mat, keeping each other at bay.

The clinch rule calls for two wrestlers who are scoreless after the first three-minute period to enter into a chest-to-chest clinch. The wrestler with the advantaged position — the clincher, not the clinchee — must either score a point via a takedown or lift within 60 seconds or the person in the disadvantaged position wins a point.

A coin is flipped by the referee to determine who gets the advantage.

In the Gardner-Kareline match, the flip went to Kareline, who chose to have the advantaged position.

English translation: he got to grab Gardner first.

In 12 years of undefeated competition, it's always been Kareline's legendary strength that has allowed him to prevail over even the most formidably skilled opponents.

But he could not budge Gardner, who credits at least some of his strength to working on his father's Wyoming farm while growing up.

Early into the clinch, Kareline inexplicably broke his hold. Gardner then loosened his grip in an attempt to hang on. The match was stopped as judges looked at the videotape to determine who had broken his grip first. When it was determined it was the Russian, Gardner had his point.

"I knew he'd broken first, I just hoped they'd see it," said Gardner.

Through the remainder of regulation time and then through three minutes of overtime, the onetime Wyoming state high school champion and Ricks College junior college national champion held on to capture the gold medal.

As head U.S. wrestling coach Dan Chandler said, it was not easy

"This guy (Gardner) isn't just strong, he has great aerobic capacity," Chandler said. "Kareline is in great shape. My guy is in even better shape. He's just got a great set of lungs on him."

"It was weird, I was pretty calm," Gardner said. "If you believe in your mind you can do something, your body does what you ask."

Gardner credited his attention to both technique and conditioning as key factors in his triumph. "These guys are just so good," he said of the international field of experienced Greco-Roman wrestlers he had just survived, winning six straight matches in three days. "I had to be in good condition just to hang on."

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E-mail: benson@desnews.com