Iran looking to retain Greco-Roman dominance at U17 Worlds
Iran will chase a fifth successive Greco-Roman team title when the U17 Wrestling World Championships get underway in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Sunday.
Armin Esmaeili and Ali Esmaeili Leivesi will represent the country in the 45kg and 48kg weight classes, respectively, entering the competition on the back of their gold medal-winning campaigns at May’s U17 Asian Championships in Da Nang, Vietnam.
Ahmad Badraddini, who missed out on a podium finish at the Asian event, will look to deliver an improved performance in the 51kg division, while Vahid Ashiri will be among the favorites in the 55kg class after also claiming gold in Da Nang.
Amirreza Tahmasbpour (60kg), Amirreza Mehri (92kg), and Ali-Akbar Akou (110kg) are the other Asian champions in the Iranian squad, with Armin Qoli Galeh (65kg), Asian silver medalist Esmaiel Zaherdoust (71kg), and Alireza Rezaei (80kg) completing the 10-man roster in the Azerbaijani capital.
Speaking to the Iran Wrestling Federation’s media office ahead of the team’s departure, head coach Mohsen Sourian said the squad was traveling to Azerbaijan with the sole objective of defending its world title, adding that both the coaching staff and wrestlers had made the most of the last four training camps despite several preparation programs being canceled due to the wartime conditions in the country.
“We have stood on the top podium for the past four years, and this year our goal remains the same – to defend those titles,” said Sourian, who is in his fifth year at the helm of the Iranian squad.
The coach, however, acknowledged the difficulties encountered during the buildup to the tournament.
“Unfortunately, this year, due to the war, we lost a couple of warm-up events, including the Victory Cup in Turkey, as well as a number of training camps,” Sourian said. “Nevertheless, our results at the Asian Championships showed that the national team members are in good form.
“After the Asian Championships, we held four camps at the national team training complex. The conditions were excellent across the board – nutrition, welfare facilities, and all other provisions were fully covered. We did everything in our power to bring the boys as close to full readiness as possible.”
Sourian also cautioned that this year’s World Championships would be more competitive than previous editions, citing the host nation’s pedigree and the return of formidable opponents.
“This year’s tournament is tougher, not only because of Azerbaijan’s history of world titles but also due to the presence of Russia and Belarus, whose points will count toward the team standings,” he said.
Despite the challenges, the head coach expressed unwavering confidence in his squad.
“We are the world champion team, and the best possible conditions have been provided for the boys,” the Iranian said.