Akmataliev is one of the brightest young names in the wrestling world, having secured his silver medal at the World Championships in Oslo last month.

He proved as much here with a 10-2 victory in the 70 kilograms division over another junior wrestler who had already tasted senior success, Armenia's Vazgen Tevanyan, who won gold at the Individual World Cup in Belgrade.

"The gold is better than silver," Akmataliev said. 

"Even though I lost in Oslo I am thankful to God. 

"I won the gold because we waited and prepared for this a lot. 

"Not only us but the whole Kyrgyzstan [waited for this]."

In a night of freestyle finals, Aliabbas Rzazde of Azerbaijan won a tense 57kg final against Kyrgystan's Bekbolot Myrzanazar Uulu, eventually winning 7-6.

The bronze medals went to Armenia's Manvel Khndzrtsyan and Iran's Ahmad Masoud Mohammadnezhadjavan.

Greece's Georgios Pilidis then defeated Russia's Ibragim Abdurakhmanov 4-3 to claim gold in the 65kg.

Azerbaijan's Ziraddin Bayramov and Turkey's Cavit Acar won the bronze medals.

In the 79kg, Russia's Magomed Magomaev defeated Turkey's Ramazan Sari to claim gold, with Iran's Ali Bakhtiar Savadkouhi and Armenia's Arman Avagyan winning bronze.

In the final contest of the night - and the heaviest - Iran's Amirali Hamid Azarpira bested Radu Lefter of Moldova 7-3.

Ukraine's Danylo Stasiuk and the United States' Jonathan Aiello won the bronze medals.