Iran crowned FS champion for clean sweep of Asian U20 wrestling titles
A total of eight medals – including three golds – across 10 weight classes saw Iran clinch the freestyle crown at the Asian U20 Wrestling Championships in Amman.
Despite being the second best against the Indians in four head-to-head final showdowns, Iranian boys still finished atop the standing with 191 points, adding the freestyle triumph to the Greco-Roman crown in the Jordanian capital.
India settled for the runner-up spot with 180 points, with Kazakhstan in third place on 160 points.
On Thursday, Amir-Ali Pouladi rounded off a glittering campaign for Iran with the superheavyweight gold thanks to a 7-2 victory over Mongolian Nambardagva Batbayar in the 125kg final.
Iran’s first gold of the afternoon came in the 92kg weight class, where Mohammad-Mobin Azimi defeated Sherzod Poyonov of Uzbekistan 8-2 in the final.
The two golds came after Ali-Abbas Rezaei had outmuscled Japanese Taishin Yamaji 8-0 to walk away with the ultimate prize of the 70kg contests on the preceding night.
However, Indian opponents proved to be intimidating for the Iranian boys, who managed only one victory in six bouts against the wrestlers from the new Asian wrestling force – a last-four win by technical superiority for Pouladi over Rajat Ruhal.
Ebrahim Khari left Amman with the 57kg silver after a 7-4 loss to Udit Udit, while a second final showpiece featuring Iranian and Iranian wrestlers saw Ebrahim Elahi suffer a 9-1 defeat against Singh Jaskaran.
Sagar Jaglan added another gold to India’s medal haul with a 6-3 win against Iranian Farzad Safi Jahan-Shahi in the 79kg final.
Amirhossein Alizadeh also left the mat empty-handed against Mukul Dahiya in the 86kg final – falling to a 3-0 defeat – as India topped the medal table with a remarkable five gold medals, as well as three bronzes – followed by Iran and Kazakhstan, which finished with double golds and six bronzes.
Meanwhile, Iranian Hossein Mohammad-Aqaei took the fifth silver medal for the country, when he was beaten 10-0 by Kazakhstan’s Yerkhan Bexultanov in the 74kg final.
Iran’s hard-fought freestyle title followed an emphatic run at the Greco-Roman event in Amman, where all Iranian wrestlers finished their campaigns with a medal to help the country cruise to the title with 205 points – 25 points clear of second-place Uzbekistan.
Mohammad-Morad Ashiri (60kg), Ahoura Bouveiri (67kg), Abolfazl Choubani (87kg), Amir-Reza Akbari (97kg), and Fardin Hedayati (130kg) bagged five gold medals in their respective weight classes.
Mohammad-Mehdi Miri took the 72kg silver, with Ali Ahmadi Vafa (55kg), Reza Qeytasi (63kg), Alireza Abdevali (77kg), and Yasin Yazdi (82kg) leaving the event with four consolation bronzes.