Iran’s Azarpira to make long-awaited return in Sassari
Iranian freestyle wrestler Amirali Azarpira will make his long-awaited return to action at the Memorial Matteo Pellicone event – starting today in the Italian city of Sassari.
A two-time world under-23 gold medalist, Azarpira had been sidelined with a torn ligament injury following an impressive 97kg bronze-winning campaign in at the Paris Olympics last summer, only recovering from a knee surgery to resume training in mid-May.
Azarpira was joined by Ehsan Amini – a member of the Iranian freestyle coaching staff – in the visit to the Mediterranean Island of Sardinia.
The 23-year-old wrestler is eager to secure a spot in the Iranian 10-man squad for September’s World Championships in Zagreb.
Standing between Azarpira and a Zagreb ticket is fellow-Iranian Ahmad Bazri, who won the International Takhti Cup gold in Isfahan May, before walking away with the ultimate prize at the Ulaanbaatar Open – the third UWW Ranking Series event of the international season – last week, thanks to an emphatic 8-0 victory over the host’s Gankhuyag Ganbaatar in the final showpiece.
The 97kg slot is one of the three weight classes – along with the 70kg and 79kg categories – yet to be decided in the Iranian freestyle team for the world event.
Ali Mo’meni (57kg), Ahmad Mohammadnejad-Javan (61kg), Rahman Amouzad (65kg), Younes Emami (74kg), Kamran Qassempour (86kg), Amirhossein Firouzpour (92kg), and Amirhossein Zare’ (125kg) have punched their Zagreb tickets.