GLASGOW -- All that Tamerlan Tagziev wanted to do was make his adopted homeland proud.

He succeeded in impressive fashion at the Commonwealth Games on Thursday.

The Russian-born freestyle wrestler arrived in Canada five years ago, and won his first international gold medal for his new country with a dominant victory in the men's 86-kilogram division final.

Still trying to catch his breath after the match, Tagziev pointed to the Maple Leaf on his chest as the reason for his 14-4 manhandling of Nigeria's Andrew Dick.

"It's a big deal to represent our country. I'm proud of being Canadian," said the 32-year-old who lives in Toronto. "I'm so happy that I can make all Canadians happy.

"I'm so proud. The national anthem (played) for me."

Tagziev's gold came on the heels Danielle Lappage's earlier victory in the women's 63-kilogram division and capped a great event on the mat for Canada on a day that also saw Brittanee Laverdure and Jevon Balfour win silver medals.

Canadian wrestlers finished with 12 medals -- a Games-high seven gold along with two silver and three bronze -- in Glasgow, tied with Nigeria and behind only India's 13 (five gold, six silver, two bronze).

Dick jumped out to an early 4-2 lead in the first round against Tagziev, but the native of Beslan, Russia, quickly countered to score 12 straight points.

"I knew I was going to beat him easy," said Tagziev. "He surprised me (early), but I was sure I was going to beat him."

India's Pawan Kumar and South Africa's Armando Heitbrink split the bronze medals.

Meanwhile, Lappage defeated India's Geetika Jakhar 7-0 in the women's 63-kilogram final to also cap off her first Commonwealth Games in style.

"It was awesome. The Games experience, the whole thing was just incredible," said the 23-year-old from Olds, Alta. "The crowd was amazing. I've never wrestled in front of this many excited people before."

Lappage and Jakhar got off to a tentative start in their bout before the Canadian scored six points in the second round to seal the victory.

"I think that I was just really nervous and hesitant to make a mistake at the beginning," said Lappage. "As I warmed up I started to calm down a bit.

"There was built up excitement and nervousness. I feel relieved. I'm really excited."

Cameroon's Blandine Metala Epanga and Nigeria's Blessing Oborududu won bronze.

Earlier in the day, Laverdure suffered a nasty hand injury in the closing moments of her loss in the women's 55-kilogram division final to India's Babita Kumari.

"I looked down and the finger was poking out of the skin," said the 32-year-old Calgary lawyer, who shrugged off the pain to accept her silver along with bronze medallists Louisa Porogovska of England and Ifeoma Nwoye of Nigeria.

Laverdure, who also hurt her shoulder last year and only got back competing in March, found herself down 5-0 halfway through the match before falling 9-2.

"For me it was a slow start because I shouldn't give up the first four or six points because they take the points and shut down," she said, before adding: "I'm happy with a silver."

Canada's other podium finish in wrestling came by way of Balfour, who dropped the men's 65-kilogram final to defending Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt of India by a score of 10-0 in the first round.

"I knew he was a good wrestler," said 19-year-old from Brampton, Ont. "I don't know if that got to me or not, but he's a good wrestler. Obviously he knew what he needed to do.

"I know what I need to work on. I need to train harder."

Sampson Clarkson of Nigeria and Scotland's Alex Gladkov settled for bronze.

Balfour said that despite the disappointment of his final match in Scotland, he was pleased with his first Games.

"My personal goal was to medal. If I didn't medal, I would be pretty upset at myself," he said. "I don't like going to a competition, coming all this way, and not getting on that podium."