Iranian wrestlers scoop five medals in Champions tourney
Iranian wrestlers grabbed five medals on the opening day of the Champions international tournament in Antalya, Turkey.
Reigning world cadet champion Amirsam Mohammadi spearheaded the country’s medal hunt on Friday by claiming the top prize in the Greco-Roman 97kg weight class. There was further glory for Iran in the Greco-Roman division as Mohammadreza Gholami settled for silver in the 67kg class, while Alireza Amiri (55kg) and former world under-17 gold medalist Amir-Mahdi Saeidi-Nava (77kg) added a pair of bronze medals.
Mohammad-Javad Aboutalebi (67kg), Iliya Ilkhani (67kg), and Mohammad Moradi (77kg) missed out on the podium in the Greco-Roman contests.
Danial Tavakkoli was the only Iranian freestyle medalist on Friday, taking a consolation bronze in the 97kg category, while Erfan Siri (57kg), Sajjad Pirdayeh (70kg), and 79kg competitors Mohammad-Mahdi Mamivand and Sobhan Esmi all finished empty-handed in their respective events.
The three-day tournament features under-20 wrestlers from global powerhouses of the sport, including Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Türkiye, Kyrgyzstan, and Georgia.