Iranian Greco-Roman team crowned Asian U17 wrestling champion
Iran’s Greco-Roman under-17 team cruised to the title at the Asian Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, courtesy of a remarkable eight medals across 10 weight classes.
Iranian boys claimed four golds as well as two silver and bronze medals apiece to finish atop the table with 188 points – a first crown for the country in four years – followed by Kyrgyzstan (176pts) and Uzbekistan (151pts).
On Sunday, Habibollah Rahimi settled for the silver in the 71kg contests after suffering a 12-2 defeat against home-favorite Yryskeldi Khamzaev.
Elsewhere on the final day of Greco-Roman event, Ahmadreza Mohammadian finished his campaign with a consolation bronze in the 65kg class, thanks to a 5-3 victory over Tajikistan’s Muhammad Yahyoev.
Sunday’s results came a day after Mohammad Meraj Mohmadi, Mohammadreza Gholami, Ali-Akbar Asghari, and Amirhossein Abdevali walked away with the ultimate prize of their respective weight divisions.
Mohmadi edged the host’s Yrysbek Khamdamov 4-3 for the 51kg gold, while Gholami defeated Indian Suraj Suraj by the same scoreline in the 55kg final.
Asghari grabbed a third gold for the country after a 5-0 triumph over Uzbekistan’s Sardorbek Rustamov in the 92kg showdown, with Abdevali clinching the top prize in the 110kg class after a 5-3 win against Bekzhan Ismagulov of Kazakhstan.
Erfan Moradi was the other Iranian to come short in the final showpiece as a 4-0 loss to Kyrgyzstan’s Marlen Abdysamatov saw him finish on the second podium of the 45kg event.
Meanwhile, Ali Dezfulinejad bounced back from an 11-10 defeat against Kazybek Kalmagambetov in a thrilling 60kg semifinal to beat Varun Varun of India 8-0 and leave the Kyrgyz capital with a bronze.