Freestyle Wrestling National Championships:
Goleij back in national team fray with 97kg title
Mojtaba Goleij made his case for a place in the national team squad by winning the 97kg title at the Freestyle Wrestling National Championships – the opening phase of the Iranian trials for September’s World Championships – on Thursday.
A world bronze winner in 2021, Goleij defeated reigning Asian under-20 champion Abolfazl Babalou 6-0 in the final showpiece to throw down the gauntlet to Olympic bronze medalist Amirali Azarpira and two-time world 92kg champion Kamran Qassempour, who is keen on competing in an Olympic weight class ahead of the Los Angeles Games in three years’ time.
Hadi Rezaei looked to be the favorite for the 57kg title after a massive 7-3 victory over former world silver medalist Alireza Sarlak in the semifinals, but ultimately found it tough against 20-year-old Milad Valizadeh, suffering a 7-1 defeat.
Yassin Rezaei capped off his dominant 65kg campaign with a 13-2 win against Dariush Hazratqolizadeh in the final – a fifth victory by technical superiority for the 2023 Asian bronze winner in as many bouts.
Hossein Abouzari finished atop the podium in the 74kg class, thanks to a 7-2 win against Hossein Mohammad-Aqaei in the final, while the 86kg showdown saw Omidreza Soheili come out victorious (10-2) against Mohammad-Hossein Norouzian.