U23 Wrestling World Championships:
Iran stands runner-up to US in freestyle, misses out on title double
Iran finished second to the United States in the freestyle contests of U23 Wrestling World Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia, falling short of a second world team title double in 2025.
After a clean sweep of senior world crowns last month, Iran lifted the Greco-Roman trophy earlier in Novi Sad, but ultimately settled for the runner-up spot in freestyle with 127 points – 10 adrift of Team USA. Japan finished third on 85 points.
The two wrestling powerhouses were tied on 102 points heading into the final day of competition, with the US needing a single victory to secure the title, while the Iranians had to win all of their three bouts.
The US sealed the title as soon as Jaxen Forrest defeated Omurbek Asan Uulu of Kyrgyzstan 17-14 in an epic 61kg final, bagging the fourth freestyle gold for his country.
Meanwhile, Abolfazl Rahmani added a six medal to Iran’s freestyle haul by taking a consolation bronze in the 86kg class.
The reigning senior Asian champion bounced back from a 2-1 semifinal loss to Moldova’s Eugeniu Mihalcean to beat two-time world junior champion Rakhim Magamadov of France 7-5 and share the bronze podium with Azerbaijan’s Ali Tcokaev – a second age-group medal for the Iranian in two months following his bronze at the U20 Worlds in August.
Elsewhere, Abolfazl Babalou missed out on a podium finish in the 97kg event after a 7-1 setback against Rizabek Aitmukhan of Kazakhstan.
Former under-20 world champion Babalou recovered from a 13-2 quarterfinal defeat to Japanese-Iranian Arash Yoshida to overcome Hungary’s Musza Arsunkaev 7-2 in repechage, but was the second best against 2023 senior world champion Aitmukhan in the bronze-medal contest.
Yoshida went on to round off his dominant campaign with a superiority victory (12-2) over Georgia’s Merab Suleimanishvili in the final.
Mohammad-Mobin Azimi and Abolfazl Mohammadnejad were the Iranian freestyle gold medalists in Novi Sad.
An under-20 world silver medalist in August, Mohammadnejad was in a league of his own in the superheavyweight class, scoring a total of 25 points while conceding only two across three bouts before outclassing Azerbaijan’s Khetag Karsanov by technical superiority (11-0) in the 125kg final.
Azimi, meanwhile, defeated Russian Takhir Khaniev – competing as a neutral athlete – 5-3 to walk away with the ultimate prize in the 92kg division, adding the under-23 crown to his 2023 world junior gold.
Former U17 world champion Sina Khalili had to settle for silver in the 70kg class – courtesy of a 9-4 defeat against Kanan Heybatov of Azerbaijan – while Milad Valizadeh (57kg) and Mahdi Yousefi (79kg) each claimed a bronze in their respective divisions.
The Iranian 10-man Greco-Roman squad had bagged six medals, including triple golds, to finish atop the standings with 143 points – 47 clear of second-placed Ukraine.
Iman Mohammadi (72kg), Gholamreza Farrokhi (87kg), and Fardin Hedayati (130kg) were the Iranian gold medalists, while Sajjad Abbaspour took the silver in 60kg.
Ahmadreza Mohsennejad (67kg) and Abolfazl Mohmadi (82kg) left Novi Sad with a bronze in their respective divisions.