#WrestleCoralville

Iran announces freestyle World Cup roster

By Gary Abbott

CORALVILLE, Iowa (November 22) -- Iran’s lineup for the Freestyle World Cup has been released.

The Freestyle and Women’s Wrestling World Cup will be held at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa, December 10-11. It is the first time that freestyle and women’s wrestling will be held together side-by-side at the World Cup.

The World Cup is the annual international dual meet championships, conducted by United World Wrestling. The top five teams in freestyle and the top five teams in women’s wrestling from the 2022 Senior World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia in September have confirmed their participation. There is also an All-World Team in each discipline, featuring the top available athletes from the World Championships in each weight class that were not from a nation that qualified for the World Cup.

The Iran World Cup team will feature five senior world medalists, as well as seven others who have won world medals at the age-group levels.

The team is led by two-time world champion Kamran GHASEMPOUR at 97kg. Ghasempour won world titles in 2021 and 2022 and also won U23 world titles in 2018 and 2019.

2022 World champion Rahman AMOUZADKHALILI will wrestle at 65kg. He has also won three age-group world titles, with a U20 title in 2021 and U17 world titles in 2018 and 2019.

Three-time world medalist Alireza KARIMI is competing at 86kg. Karimi won a 2019 World silver medal, as well as claimed world bronze medals in 2015 and 2018. He was also a 2011 U17 World silver medalist.

Two-time world silver medalist Mohammad NOKHODI will wrestle at 79kg. Nokhodi lost in the 2021 and 2022 World finals to Jordan BURROUGHS (USA). He was also a 2019 U20 world silver medalist and a 2017 U17 world bronze medalist.

The other senior world medalist on the roster is 2021 World silver medalist Amirmohammad YAZDANI at 70kg. He was also a 2015 U17 world silver medalist.

Other athletes on the Iran roster who have won age-group world medals include Armin HABIBZADEH (61kg), Aliakbar FAZLIKHALILI (70kg), Mohmmadsadegh FIROUZPOUR (74kg), Ali SAVADKOUHI (79kg), Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (92kg), Amirali AZARPIRA (97kg) and Amirreza VALADI (125kg).

Iran, which placed second at the 2022 World Championships in freestyle, will be joined in the World Cup by the first-place United States, third-place Japan, fourth-place Mongolia and fifth-place Georgia, in addition to the All-World Team.

The rosters of the World Cup teams for the other nations have now all been announced by USA Wrestling.

Ticket packages for the 2022 Freestyle and Women’s Wrestling World Cup are currently on sale. The seating capacity for Xtream Arena for the World Cup will be approximately 5,300. Ticket packages include a Gold package for $275, Silver package for $200 and All-Session tickets for $90.

A special Presentation of Teams and Team USA Meet & Greet will also be held on Friday, December 9 at 6:45 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

Freestyle and Women’s Wrestling World Cup tickets -> https://worldcupiowacity.com/tickets/

Iran Freestyle World Cup team:
57 kg – Reza MOMENIJOUIJADEH
61 kg – Armin HABIBZADEH
65 kg – Rahman AMOUZAD
65 kg – Mohammadreza BAGHERI
70 kg – Aliakbar FAZLIKHALILI
70 kg – Amirmohammad YAZDANI
74 kg – Mohmmadsadegh FIROUZPOUR
79 kg – Mohammad NOKHODI
79 kg – Ali SAVADKOUHI
86 kg – Alireza KARIMI
92 kg – Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR
97 kg – Kamran GHASEMPOUR
97 kg – Amirali AZARPIRA
125 kg – Amirreza VALADI

#development

Senegal hosts UWW African Seminar

By United World Wrestling Press

DAKAR, Senegal (March 13) --- United World Wrestling held its African Seminar in Dakar, Senegal, February 13-15, bringing together representatives from various African wrestling federations. The seminar aimed to provide administrative training ahead of upcoming championships, such as the African Beach Wrestling Championship, African Games, and African Championship. The event was meticulously overseen by experts including Mr. Vincent AKA, Mme. Deqa NIAMKEY, and Mr. Youssef BOUAZIZ, an IT Specialist.

The seminar also aimed to address the pressing need for capacity building within African wrestling federations, recognizing the shared goal of advancing the sport on the continent. By focusing on federation management, particularly in preparation for upcoming championships, the sessions underscored the collective commitment to enhancing organizational capabilities and operational efficiency.

Central to this initiative was the acknowledgment of challenges encountered by various federations in managing their information systems. This common obstacle served as a catalyst for collaboration and knowledge sharing among participants, fostering a sense of solidarity and mutual support.

Day 1: Technical and Technological Focus:

The first day of the seminar concentrated on technical and technological aspects crucial for effective federation management. Sessions included discussions on essential tools for federation offices, establishment of official email addresses, utilization of the Athena platform, and organizing Olympic sports. However, it was observed that some federations faced challenges due to the lack of technological resources such as laptops, printers, and physical infrastructure representing their federation back at their local country.

Day 2: Strategic Management Focus and Cultural Visit:

On the second day, the focus shifted to strategic management principles tailored to the needs of wrestling federations. Practical examples and national wrestling federation cases were employed to illustrate effective strategies for federation development. Additionally, a visit to the renowned wrestling arena in Dakar was organized, providing attendees with a deeper understanding of the sport's cultural significance in Senegal. The excitement and joy among the representatives during this visit were palpable, highlighting the shared passion for wrestling and its rich history.

The engagement and dedication of present UWW (United World Wrestling) experts played a pivotal role in driving the seminar's success. Their expertise and guidance provided invaluable insights, empowering attendees with practical strategies and best practices to overcome existing hurdles and optimize their federation operations.

Overall, the seminar served as a testament to the collaborative efforts and shared interests within the wrestling community, epitomizing a commitment to excellence and progress in the sport's development.