Iran U17 to begin GR title defense at World Championships
Iran will be chasing a second successive Greco-Roman crown when the Wrestling U17 World Championships get underway in Istanbul, Turkey, today.
The defending champion will be represented by four reigning Asian gold medalists in Mohammad-Meraj Mohmadi (51kg), Mohammadreza Gholami (55kg), and Aliakbar Asghari (92kg), as well as Amirhossein Abdevali, who will be the biggest threat to home-favorite Cemal Bakir’s title defense in the 110kg weight class.
Gholami will also be among the favorites for the 55kg gold, though he will be challenged by Uzbekistan’s Aytjan Khalmakhanov, the 51kg gold medalist in 2022.
Payam Ahmadi, meanwhile, will be looking to build on his bronze-winning campaign in Rome last year when taking part at the 48kg contests.
Alireza Amiri (45kg), Ali Dezfulinejad (60kg), Amir-Mehdi Saeedinava (65kg), Ahmadreza Mohammadian (71kg), and Alireza Abbasi (80kg) are the other wrestlers in the Iranian squad in Istanbul.