Islamic Solidarity Games:
Full-strength Iran aiming to dominate wrestling in Riyadh
Iran will be looking to take the wrestling events by storm at the Islamic Solidarity Games after naming full-strength squads for the freestyle and Greco-Roman competitions in Riyadh.
The Games officially kick off with the opening ceremony on Friday night, but Iranian fans will have to wait until November 18 to see their world and Olympic champions in action at the multi-sport event.
Reigning Olympic champions Saeid Esmaeili (67kg) and Mohammad-Hadi Saravi (97kg) will spearhead the Iranian Greco-Roman squad, having also claimed the ultimate prize in their respective weight classes at September’s World Championships in Zagreb.
Gholamreza Farrokhi will be the wrestler to beat in the 87kg division, as the young Iranian will be eager to add ISG glory to the back-to-back gold medals he won in Zagreb and at the U23 Worlds in late October.
Ali Ahmadi Vafa – a world junior and under-23 gold medalist last year – will vie for gold in the 60kg category, with the 20-year-old looking to make up for a first-round setback in his senior breakthrough in Zagreb.
Former world U23 bronze medalist Amir Abdi will represent the country in the 77kg event, determined to seize this international opportunity after a prolonged period down the national team’s pecking order.
Fardin Hedayati, meanwhile, will be the superheavyweight wrestler to watch in Greco-Roman, heading to Riyadh fresh off an emphatic 130kg gold at last month’s U23 World Championships — the Iranian’s third age-group triumph in as many years.
In freestyle, all eyes will be on the 97kg event as wrestling fans may be treated to another chapter in the rivalry between Iran’s Amirali Azarpira and Bahrain’s Akhmed Tazhudinov.
A potential showdown in the Saudi capital would mark the third meeting between the two since last year’s Paris Olympics.
Russian-born Tazhudinov – the 2023 world champion – rallied from behind to edge Azarpira 4-3 in the first round before going all the way to grab the gold in Paris, while the Iranian bounced back to secure a consolation bronze.
Two-time world U23 champion Azarpira, however, avenged his Paris setback in Zagreb, defeating Tazhudinov 5-2 in the semifinals, though he ultimately had to settle for world silver after a 4-2 loss to American Kyle Snyder.
Joining Azarpira in the squad are Olympic silver medalists Rahman Amouzad (65kg) and Amirhossein Zare’ (125kg), both of whom captured world golds in Zagreb.
Two-time world champion Kamran Qassempour will headline the 86kg event, while Younes Emami – winner of two world bronzes – and Ali Mo’meni – a bronze winner in last year’s U23 Worlds – will be among the favorites in the 57kg and 74kg divisions, respectively.