BANGKOK (February 21) – Iran crowned a pair of champions to claim the team title in freestyle and Adam BATIROV (BRN) nabbed the first gold medal for Bahrain on Sunday, the final day of the Asian Wrestling Championships in Bangkok.

World and Olympic Games bronze medalist Ehsan LASHGARI (IRI) won his fourth continental title at middleweight while Asian Games gold medalist Parviz HADI (IRI) collected his third championships title at super heavyweight.

In the 86kg final, Lashgari muscled challenger ORGODOL Uitumen (MGL) all over the mat, shoving the 2014 Asian bronze medalist out of bounds three times in the first period and twice in the second for takedowns and a 7-0 victory.

In the tourney’s finale at 125kg, Hadi received a point off the 30-second activity clock against Daulet SHABANBAY (KAZ) in the first period and snapped the lanky Kazakh down for a spin-behind takedown in the second and a 3-1 victory.

Earlier, Shabanbay’s teammate and defending champion Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) hit a low-single attack early in the 61kg final and the converted a cross-ankle lock for eight more points and a 10-0 technical fall win over Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI) in a repeat of last year’s final.

Kazakhstan also received a bronze medal from Azlan KAKHIDZE (KAZ) at 74kg, but it was not enough to get by team champion Iran and runner-up Mongolia in the team standings.

Iran bagged five gold medals and won with 73 of a possible 80 points, while Mongolia, without a single champion, finished in second place with 63 points, on the strength of Orgodol’s silver medal and bronze medals in six other categories.  Kazakhstan was third with 56 points.

“Of course, I was hoping we would do better. After all, this is the Asian championships,” coach Sergei BELOGLAZOV (KAZ) said after the competition. “Still, we have a young team and it’s a good team and I’m quite satisfied with the results.”

“Now we turn our attention to getting ready for Astana,” Beloglazov said, referring to next month’s Rio 2016 Olympic qualification tournament for Asia being held in the Kazakh capital, March 18-20.

Before he left, however, Beloglazov had a chance to raise the trophy for the best team in all three styles. Kazakhstan finished second in Greco-Roman with 58 points, third in women’s wrestling and freestyle with 53 and 56 points for a total 167 points.

Iran, which did not compete in women’s wrestling, was second overall with 144 points from both men’s disciplines while China came third with 138 points overall, including 65 points from the women’s team title.

Of historical significance, former Russian national team member Adam BATIROV (BRN) laced up the shoes for the first time in nearly five years and won Bahrain’s first gold medal in the Asian championships.

After defeating Takhti Cup winner Muhammad NADERI (IRI) in the semifinals at 70kg, Batirov nearly let the gold medal slip away to Kumar VINOD (IND). Vinod countered a takedown attempt for two points midway through the second period, but Batirov came back late a takedown and ankle turn for a 5-2 triumph.

Batirov’s gold medal is the first for a wrestler representing Bahrain in the Asian championships and the second overall, following a bronze medal won by Mohamed Abdelfattah MOHAMED (BRN) at 98kg in Greco-Roman on the first day of the championships.

According to the international wrestling database, Batirov last wrestled at the 2011 world championships in Istanbul, taking fifth place at 66kg for Russia.  His last medal, a bronze, came at the 2011 European championships in Dortmund, Germany.

Freestyle

61kg (11 entries)
Gold – Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) df. Behnam EHSANPOUR (IRI) by TF, 10-0, 0:47
Bronze – ZHANGBULADAORJI Zhangbuladaorji (CHN) df. Divoshan CHARLES FERNANDO (SRI) by TF, 13-3, 4:55
Bronze – TUMENBILEG Tuvshintulga (MGL) df. Keisuke OTOGURO (JPN), 11-4

70kg (13 entries)
Gold – Adam BATIROV (BRN) df. Kumar VINOD (IND), 5-2
Bronze – Mohammad NADERI (IRI) df. Nobuyoshi TAKOJIMA (JPN), 10-7
Bronze – BUYANJAV Batzorig (MGL) df. MENGHEJIGAN Menghejigan (CHN), 3-3

86kg (15 entries)
Gold – Ehsan LASHGARI (IRI) df. ORGODOL Uitimen (MGL), 7-0
Bronze – GWON Hyeokbeom (KOR) df. Aibek USUPOV (KGZ), 11-9
Bronze – Aslan KAKHIDZE (KAZ) df. Somveer SOMVEER (IND) by TF, 13-3, 5:38

125kg (11 entries)
Gold – Parviz HADI (IRI) df. Daulet SHABANBAY (KAZ), 3-1
Bronze – Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ) df. SHANG Hai (CHN) by Fall, 2:01 (10-0)
Bronze – NATSAGSUREN Zolboo (MGL) df. NAM Kyongjin (KOR), 9-2

Final Team Rankings
1. Iran, 73 points (5 gold medals, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
2. Mongolia, 63 (0-1-6)
3. Kazakhstan, 56 (1-3-2)
4. India, 41 (1-1-0)
5. Kyrgyzstan, 40 (0-1-3)
6. Japan, 35 (0-0-0)