Iran World Team Trials

Three Yazdani’s Win Iran Freestyle Team Trials

Monday, July 1, 2019 - 12:31 By Ali Feizasa

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The small town of Jouybar, located in the Mazandaran province, introduced yet another talent to Iranian wrestling as three wrestlers from the Yazdani family won a spot on Iran’s freestyle team for 2019 World Championships in Kazakhstan.

Amir YAZDANI won the 65kg title in the Iran team trials, as his older cousin and two-time world champion Reza YAZDANI topped 97kg. Their relative, world and Olympic champion Hassan YAZDANI dominated at 86kg and also punched his ticket to Nur-Sultan, too. 

Iran’s coaching staff decided to hold team trials in only five weights and will select other five wrestlers according to their performance from the entirety of the 2019 season.

65kg- Winner: Amir Mohammad YAZDANI
The youngster Amir Yazdani, a cousin to Reza YAZDANI, finished the 65kg competition with two wins and a loss. Iman SADEGHI had the same record, but the cadet world silver and U23 Asian silver-medal winner beat Sadeghi, 3-2 in the first round to be the best wrestler in this weight.

His sister Zahra YAZDANI is also Asian Alysh Indoor Games champion. 

65kg
Round 1
Amir Mohammad YAZDANI df. Iman SADEGHI, 3-2
Morteza GHIYASI df. Peyman BIYABANI, 3-2

Round 2
Iman SADEGHI df. Peyman BIYABANI, 6-4
Amir Mohammad YAZDANI df. Morteza GHIYASI, 5-4

Round 3
Peyman BIYABANI df. Amir Mohammad YAZDANI, 6-1
Iman SADEGHI df. Morteza GHIYASI, 2-1

74kg Winner: Reza AFZALI
Former Asian champion Reza AFZALI returned to Iran national team at 74kg after a five years absence. Afzali had three victories on the day. The first came against 2019 Asian bronze medal winner Mohammad NOKODI. Then, Afzali defeated two-time world medal winner Seyed MOHAMMADI and capped off his day with a win against Hamed RASHIDI. 

AFZALI competed for Iran at 2014 World Championships where he finished in 13thplace. 

74kg- Round 1
Mohammad NOKHODI df. Seyed Ahmad MOHAMMADI, 4-4
Reza AFZALI df. Hamed RASHIDI, 4-0

Round 2
Reza AFZALI df. Seyed Ahmad MOHAMMADI, 9-7
Hamed RASHIDI df. Mohammad NOKHODI, 4-4

Round 3
Seyed Ahmad MOHAMMADI df. Hamed RASHIDI, 7-7
Reza AFZALI df. Mohammad NOKHODI, 5-0

86kg- Winner: Hassan YAZDANI
The brilliant performance of U23 world champion and 2019 Asian champion Kamran GHASEMPOUR, forced Iran’s national head coach to hold a wrestle-off between him and Olympic and world champion Hassan Yazdani.

Both wrestlers from Jouybar knew each other very well. Yazdani didn’t have an easy job against Ghasempour, but Yazdani earned his Kazakhstan ticket by defeating his rival 6-3.

“Ghasempour is my close friend, and he is a very good wrestler. We know each other styles very well, so it was a tough match for me.” Hassan Yazdani said after the match.

Iranian wrestling fans in attendance filled most of the seats of the Azadi Sports Complex. Hassan Yazdani was their favorite wrestler, and the fans supported him during the competition. “I appreciate the fans, and I thank them for their support. It was my duty to compete in the team trials, and I have done so during the last few years.” Yazdani added. 

After falling to David TAYLOR (USA) in 2018 World Championships, it seems Yazdani will be the favorite to win gold as defending champion Taylor will miss the World Championships due to injury. Taylor’s absence leaves Yazdani very close to his fifth Olympic and world medal at age 25.

97kg- Winner: Reza YAZDANI
Four-time world medal winner Reza Yazdani has returned to Iran’s line up after a three-year absence. Reza Yazdani has missed two Olympic medals because of injury but has focused on taking one last in Tokyo 2020.

The first world medal of YAZDANI returns to 13 years ago in 2006, and he has aimed to capture his fifth world medal in Kazakhstan.

Reza Yazdani was also the third wrestler from Jouybar and also from Yazdani family to win an Iranian team trials gold medal. The fathers of Reza and Hassan are cousins.

97kg 
Round 1
Ali Shabani df. Hamed TALEBI ZARRINKAMAR, 3-2

Round 2
Reza YAZDANI df. Ali SHABANI, 5-3

125kg- Winner: Parviz HADI
Reigning world bronze medal winner Parviz HADI ensured his participation at Kazakhstan by downing two big heavyweight rivals. Hadi, the man who beat Olympic champion Taha AKGUL in last year World Championships, faced two-time Asian champion Yadollah MOHEBBI in the first round and won the match. 4-2.

Then, Hadi met veteran and two-time Olympic medalist Komeil Ghasemi and earned the 4-0 victory. 

Ghasemi is the most titled heavyweight wrestler of Iran wrestling history in the Olympic Games as he achieved a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics and took silver in the 2016 Rio Games.

125kg
Round 1
Parviz HADI df. Yadollah MOHEBBI, 4-2

Round 2
Yadollah MOHEBBI df. Komeil GHASEMI, 6-2

Round 3
Parviz HADI df. Komeil GHASEMI, 4-0

Predicted Iran Freestyle line up for 2019 World Championships
57kg- Reza ATRI
61kg- Mohammad Bagher YAKHKESHI – Behnam EHSANPOUR
65kg- Amir Mohammad YAZDANI
70kg- Younes EMAMI
74kg- Reza AFZALI
79kg- Bahman TEYMOURI
86kg- Hassan YAZDANI
92kg- Alireza KARIMI
97kg- Reza YAZDANI
125kg- Parviz HADI

#WrestleSamokov

U20 World Championships 2025 Day 5 Highlights

Thursday, August 21, 2025 - 06:49 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 20) -- The U20 World Championships will continue with Women's Wrestling in 50kg, 53kg and 72kg. Greco-Roman will begin with 60kg and 82kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

The semifinals will begin at 16:45 hours local time

14:00: SHRUTI (IND) with another tough defense in the final 20 seconds to claim a 4-0 win over Anna YATSKEVYCH (POL) and reach the semifinals at 50kg. She will face Audrey JIMINEZ (USA).

13:50: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) with a reverse throw for four from par terre for a 5-0 lead against Martin SHISHEKOV (BUL) in the 82kg quarterfinal. Yoshida finishes the bout with a 6-0 win.

13:45: Audrey JIMINEZ (USA) with a takedown masterclass as she beats Na HU (CHN) 10-0 to enter the semifinals at 50kg. She will take on Diana RYSOVA (UKR) for a place in the gold-medal bout. 

13:40: European U20 champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) gives nothing away and has an easy 8-2 win over Omer ALTAS (TUR) as Javadov enters the 60kg semifinals. He will take on Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO).

13:36: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW), 2024 world U17 champion, with his serious gut-wrench hands Azimjon SOATULLAEV (UZB) an easy defeat and enters the 82kg semifinals.

13:31: 2024 world U17 bronze medalist Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) with two four-pointers in his 11-2 victory over Maksut SULTANOV (UKR) at 60kg. He will face SURAJ (IND) in the semifinals.

13:30: Former world U17 champion and Asian U20 champion SURAJ (IND) with a 3-1 victory over returning bronze medalist Papik DZHAVADIAN (UWW) at 60kg. Suraj with a correct throw for two points from par terre to win the bout.

13:28: Returning silver medalist at 72kg Yuqi LIU (CHN) gets a 10-0 victory over Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) and reach the semifinals in which she will face Haticenur SARI (TUR)

13:27: Rinka OGAWA (JPN) with a fall over Songul KAVAK (TUR) in 22 seconds to reach the 50kg semifinals. Ogawa is looking to add a U20 world title to her 2023 world U17 gold.

13:24: Asian U20 champion Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ) gets the par terre advantage in the first period and turns PRINCE (IND) three times from par terre to win 8-0 and advance to the 82kg semifinals

13:20: Martik PETROSYAN (ARM) gets a huge headlock throw for four points in the second period to beat Seyed AZARSHAB (IRI) 7-3 and enter the semifinal at 82kg. Second loss for Iran in Greco-Roman 

13:13: KAJAL (IND) earns herself a place in the 72kg semifinals against defending champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) after a 7-0 victory over Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ).

13:05: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) gets a stepout with 30 seconds left on the clock to beat Kubanych ARINOV (KGZ) 4-4 on criteria at 60kg. Lolua was down 4-3 with more than one minute left in the match but managed to score the match-winning stepout.

13:02: 2023 world U17 champion Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) has little trouble in seeing off  Kseniya KOSTSENICH (UWW), the European U20 champion at 50kg. Just a takedown masterclass to win 10-2

12:58: A 16-second 10-0 technical superiority win for Audrey JIMINEZ (USA) over Adriana DANISEVICIUTE (LTU) at 50kg. Jiminez is a multiple time age-group world medalist but is still searching for the gold medal.

12:56: A second fall in three bouts for defending champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) as she jumps over Veronika VILK (CRO) and keeps her back on the mat to secure the fall and enter the 72kg semifinals.

12:55: Rinka OGAWA (JPN) and Josephine WRENSCH (GER) had to wait three hours since the start of the action today. Ogawa had built a 9-0 lead before securing the fall over Wrensch and win at 50kg

12:50: Rematch of European U20 Championships final at 53kg as gold medalist Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) clashes with Ilona VALCHUK (POL). Valchuk is the first to strike with a takedown on the edge for two points. But Polska scores a takedown and turn for 4-2 lead. Valchuk cautioned and bout restarts in par terre and Polska turns her two more times for a 9-2 lead. Just before the break, a takedown and another turn for 13-2 victory for Polska. 

12:35: Na HU (CHN) with a huge under-over arm throw to plant Sviatlana KATENKA (UWW) and gets the fall to enter 50kg quarterfinal.

12:22: At 60kg, European U20 champion and 2024 U17 world champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Kacper SOBCZYK (POL). He used the gut-wrench to turn him

12:20: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) with an 9-0 technical superiority win over Omer ILDES (TUR) at 82kg. He controls Ildes and plants him on the mat for four outside the zone. He scores a takedown and turn to win 8-0. Turkiye challenge only to lose one more point.

12:17: European U20 champion Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) with a technical superiority win over Elmin ALIYEV (AZE) at 82kg. Shkarin looked in complete control.

12:15: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), a senior European bronze medalist at 55kg, gets three turns from par terre and he downs Danila CHARAPENKA (UWW) 8-0, at 60kg in Samokov.

12:12: Papik DZHAVADIAN (UWW), a returning bronze medalist at 60kg, hands Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) a 8-5 defeat. Cortez was a silver medalist at 55kg last year but cannot match Dzhavadian in this bout

12:05: Omer ALTAS (TUR) with a takedown in the final minute after being down 2-1 to beat Amin ABDEVALI (IRI) at 60kg. First loss for Iran in Greco-Roman.

11:55: Pedro DE SOUZA (BRA) fails to hold on to his 6-1 lead in the second period against SURAJ (IND) and drops his 60kg Greco-Roman 1/8 bout 8-6. Suraj did not get any par terre but scored a takedown and got four when De Souza tried to throw him.

11:50: At 50kg, European U20 champion Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) pins Liliana KAPUVARI (HUN) and advances to the quarterfinals in which she will face Ilona VALCHUK (POL)

11:45: SAARIKA (IND), Asian U20 champion, works to an controlled 10-0 win against European U20 bronze medalist Sevval CAYIR (TUR) at 53kg and enter the quarterfinals.

11:40: A 15-4 victory for KAJAL (IND) after she survives a big four-point throw from Emili APOSTOLOVA (BUL) at 72kg. Kajal managed to compose herself and worked for a technical superiority win. Kajal is a former world U17 champion and won silver medal at 73kg at this year's World U17 Championships.

11:35: Veronika VILK (CRO), the country's first-ever world champion in Women's Wrestling at any level, starts with a fall over Meiramgul MAKSOT (KAZ) at 72kg.

11:25: Yuqi LIU (CHN), the returning silver medalist at 72kg, begins her campaign with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Zahra KARIMZADA (AZE). Leg lace for the win.

11:20: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) with a 34-second fall over Ai SAKAI (JPN) at 72kg as she moves into the quarterfinals. Sakai with a double-leg but Robinson with a lat drop and fall. Robinson is looking even more dominant than last year.

11:00: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) starts his run for a U20 world title with a victory over Szabolcs SZINAY (HUN). Yoshida is a former U17 world champion and senior Asian champion but finished with a bronze at the World U20 Championships last year. Yoshida and Szinay scored stepouts but the Japanese scored a takedown and side suplex for four points. Hungary challenge for a foul but there is non. A stepout in the second period and Yoshida wins 9-1.

10:45: Amin ABDEVALI (IRI) with a takedown and six three turns to win 8-0 against Dragos DRAGA (ROU) at 82kg.

10:35: Papik DZHAVADIAN (UWW) gets both par terre advantages in his opening bout against Takuma NAKASHIMA (JPN) at 60kg and scores from both to win 5-0.

10:30: Returning silver medalist Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) with a big headlock and four against Kristin PETROV (BUL) to secure the fall at 60kg.

10:20: Defending champion at 72kg Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) wastes no time in finishing her opening bout against Elvira ERSSON (SWE) with a lace and a double-leg for four. She is the favorite to win gold again

10:15: In the first bout at Greco-Roman 60kg, Asian U20 champion and former world U17 champion SURAJ (IND) rallies in the second period to score six turns after a takedown to beat Salamat MURATULY (KAZ)