Iran freestyle wrestlers face stern test at Asian Games
Iran’s freestyle wrestling team will face a formidable challenge in its bid to cement its status as the continent’s dominant force when the wrestling competition at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games gets underway in Japan on Sept. 30.
With the wrestling event in Nagoya and the World Championships, which begin on Oct. 24 in Astana, Kazakhstan, separated by less than 30 days, the Iran Wrestling Federation and the national coaching staff have opted to field different lineups for the two competitions. Even so, Iran’s six-man freestyle squad for the Asian Games will still feature a star-studded cast.
Reigning two-time world champion and Olympic silver medalist Amirhossein Zare will headline the Iranian roster as he bids to win his second consecutive Asian Games gold medal in the 125kg division.
Joining Zare in the Iranian freestyle squad are world silver medalist Amirali Azarpira (97kg), as well as Younes Emami (74kg) and Mohammad Nokhodi (86kg), who have won seven senior world medals between them. The lineup is completed by former U23 world bronze medalists Ali Mo’meni (57kg) and Abbas Ebrahimzadeh (65kg).
The Iranian freestyle team enjoyed an impressive campaign in Hangzhou in 2022, claiming three gold and two silver medals. Wrestling remains Iran’s most successful sport in Asian Games history, accounting for 74 of the country’s 192 gold medals since its debut at the 1951 Games in New Delhi.
However, the task is expected to be considerably tougher this time as host Japan, along with India, Uzbekistan, North Korea, Mongolia, and Bahrain, is set to field world-class contenders across the six weight classes.
At 57kg, Mo’meni is likely to face stiff opposition from wrestlers representing Japan, North Korea, India, and Mongolia, while the 65kg category could largely depend on Japan’s final selection. If Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka is not included in the host nation’s lineup, Kaiji Ogino will still be regarded as one of the leading gold medal contenders, presenting a major obstacle for Ebrahimzadeh, who lost to the Japanese wrestler in the semifinals of the 2024 U23 World Championships.
The 74kg division also promises to be highly competitive, with Uzbekistan’s reigning Olympic champion Razambek Jamalov and Japan’s Daichi Takatani – who lost to Jamalov in the Paris 2024 Olympic final – among the favorites should they compete in Nagoya, making Emami’s path to the podium considerably tougher.
At 97kg, a second showdown in less than six months could be on the cards between Azarpira and Japan’s Arash Yoshida after the Iranian suffered a surprise 4-0 defeat in the final of the Asian Championships in April.
While every Iranian representative is expected to face formidable opposition, Zare appears to be the country’s strongest gold medal prospect, entering the Games as the wrestler to beat in the heavyweight division.
With the level of competition continuing to rise across Asia, Iran’s freestyle wrestlers will need to overcome a host of established international stars if they are to match their medal haul from the previous Games and return home with multiple gold medals.