Zagreb Open Ranking Series:
Yazdani aiming for statement return to international action
All eyes will be on Hassan Yazdani when the Iranian freestyle wrestling superstar makes his first international appearance since the 2024 Paris Olympics at the opening Ranking Series event of the season, which begins Wednesday in Zagreb, Croatia.
Sidelined by a shoulder injury following his setback in the 86kg final in Paris, Yazdani – winner of a national-record 10 world and Olympic medals – marked his return to wrestling mat with two emphatic victories in the Olympic 97kg category on the final day of the Iranian Wrestling Premier League last December.
With his sights set on an elusive second Olympic gold at Los Angeles 2028, Yazdani will be looking to lay down a marker against the top 97kg contenders, including compatriot Amirali Azarpira, Russian great Abdulrashid Sadulaev, American world champion Kyle Snyder, and Bahraini Olympic gold medalist Akhmed Tazhudinov, with a strong showing in the Croatian capital.
With the Zagreb Open serving as a key stage in the national team selection process ahead of this year’s major events – including September’s World Championships in Manama – participation in the tournament comes as a relief for Iranian freestyle head coach Pejman Dorostkar and his Greco-Roman counterpart Hassan Rangraz, after their squads were granted late Croatian visas on Sunday amid recent internet restrictions in Iran.
Joining Yazdani in the Iranian freestyle squad are Milad Valizadeh, Ali Yahyapour (57kg), Reza Mo’meni (61kg), Peyman Ne’mati (65kg), Sina Khalili, Ebrahim Elahi (70kg), Ali-Akbar Fazli (74kg), Adel Panahian, Sobhan Esmi (79kg), Ali Savadkouhi, Abolfazl Shamsipour (86kg), Abolfazl Rahmani, Mohammad-Mobin Azimi (92kg), and Morteza Janmohammadzadeh (130kg).
The Greco-Roman competition will get underway on Friday at Arena Zagreb.
Pouya Dadmarz, Mohammad Hosseinvand Panahi (55kg), Sajjad Abbaspour, Pouya Nasserpour (60kg), Erfan Jarkani, Meysam Dalkhani (63kg), Ahmadreza Mohsennejad, Mohammad Kamali (67kg), Mohammad-Javad Rezaei (72kg), Ahoura Boveiri, Amirmahdi Saeidinava, Ali Oskou (77kg), Abolfazl Mohammadi, Mohammadreza Mokhtari (82kg), Nasser Alizadeh, and Mohammad-Hadi Seydi (97kg) will represent Iran across eight weight divisions.