Three Yazdani’s Win Iran Freestyle Team Trials

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

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

#WrestleBudapest

Long Tops Stacked 68kg Field for Budapest Ranking Series Gold

Friday, July 17, 2026 - 21:46 By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 17) -- In hindsight, Jia LONG's (CHN) failure to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games looks even more surprising. She was at the Tokyo Olympics, won a world silver in 2022 and was an Asian champion in 2023. Yet, she failed to book a ticket to Paris.

However, since missing the Paris Games, Long has put together one of the strongest runs in Women's Wrestling with a world title, a world bronze and an Asian title.

Entering the Budapest Ranking Series at 68kg, Long was among the favorites. The field, however, was one of the toughest assembled for a Ranking Series event, featuring European silver medalist Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR), Olympic silver medalist and Asian champion Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), European bronze medalist Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU), European champion Nesrin BAS (TUR), among others.

Jia LONG (CHN) won gold at 68kg in Budapest. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Long opened with a 10-0 win over compatriot Zelu LI (CHN) but was quickly tested by young Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER), escaping with a close 4-2 win. Shauchuk awaited her in the quarterfinals and the Belarus wrestler got the first takedown to lead 2-0. However, Long used her powerful gut-wrench to complete an 8-2 win.

European champion Bas also managed to score two points on Long but could not sustain the pressure as Long won 7-2 to set up a final against Zhumanazarova, who had a simpler path to the final.

Aptly, the marquee match between Zhumanazarova and Long, Asian champions at 68kg and 72kg respectively, was scheduled as the last match of the session.

Long was aware of Zhumanazarova's defensive tactics but gave a taste of her own medicine in the gold medal bout. In the first period, Long got on a single leg attack and finished with a takedown. She then used her trademark high gut-wrench to expose Zhumanazarova and open up a 4-0 lead.

The second period went scoreless as Long shut down Zhumanazarova's offense, whatever little there is, keeping her lead for the win as the clock expired.

The gold medal capped an impressive campaign for Long as she builds towards 2026 World Championships and the 2028 Olympic Games, the only major event at which she is yet to win a medal.

Neha Strikes Gold

NEHA (IND) captured her second straight Ranking Series gold medal at 59kg, edging Abigail NETTE (USA), 6-4, in the final. Nette struck first with a stepout to take a 1-0 lead, but it was short-lived as Neha responded with a double-leg takedown for two points.

Just before the break, Neha used a snap to score a go-behind before adding a turn. Although Nette managed a reversal, Neha still carried a 6-2 lead at the break. Nette completed a single-leg takedown in the second period to cut the lead to 6-4, but Neha closed out the bout without giving her another opening, upgrading the silver medal she won in Budapest last year to gold.

Reese LARRAMENDY (USA) defeated compatriot Jennifer PAGE ROGERS (USA), 7-1, in the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The United States secured the 65kg gold medal after an all-American final. Unheralded Reese LARRAMENDY (USA) upset her senior teammate Jennifer PAGE ROGERS (USA), 7-1, to claim her first international medal.

The two were involved in an early scramble, with Larramendy emerging on top for the opening takedown and a 2-0 lead. Page was then put on the activity clock but failed to score, giving Larramendy a 3-0 advantage at the break.

Page opened the second period with a stepout to cut the deficit to 3-1 and continued to pressure Larramendy toward the zone. During one exchange, Page appeared to force Larramendy out of bounds, but the action was allowed to continue as the officials did not award a stepout. Larramendy capitalized by scoring a takedown to extend her lead to 5-1.

Larramendy sealed the victory when Page attacked the legs but was countered for two points, completing a 7-1 victory and earning the first international medal of her career.

Ana GODINEZ (CAN) pulled off a thrilling 7-6 victory over Grace BULLEN (NOR). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Godinez Stuns Bullen

Ana GODINEZ (CAN) claimed the 62kg gold medal after MANSI (IND) was forced to withdraw through injury in the final. However, her toughest test came much earlier against European champion Grace BULLEN (NOR), who had defeated Godinez, 11-0, in the bronze medal bout at the Paris Olympics.

Trailing 6-4, Bullen scored a takedown and secured the fall but Godinez challenged the call. While the takedown was upheld, the fall was overturned after it was evident that Bullen had locked her hands behind Godinez's head.

Bullen held a 6-6 criteria advantage and needed only to protect it for the final 12 seconds. Godinez, however, scored a late stepout to secure a 7-6 victory and advance to the semifinals, where she defeated Veranika IVANOVA (BLR), 13-7.

Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) made a successful run at 77kg and won the gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Alameldin Shines at 77kg

The two Greco-Roman finals on Friday both ended in 1-1 criteria victories, with Dinislam BAMMATOV (RUS) winning at 67kg and Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) taking the 77kg title.

In Greco-Roman, when a wrestler is called passive, his opponent receives one point and a par terre opportunity. If both wrestlers score only from passivity and the bout ends 1-1, the wrestler who scored first wins on criteria.

Alameldin, the 2024 U20 world champion at 67kg, completed a successful move up to 77kg. He claimed a 1-1 criteria victory over former U17 world champion Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) in the final. But before the final, Alameldin completed a stunning 8-0 victory over Levente LEVAI (HUN) in the quarterfinals and then held off Sergei KUTUZOV (RUS), 2-2, in the semifinals.

At 67kg, Bammatov faced U23 world champion Mohamed ABDELREHIM (EGY) in the final and earned the first passivity point. Abdelrehim received par terre in the second period, but neither wrestler scored from the position, allowing Bammatov to retain the criteria advantage and secure the title.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

59kg
GOLD: NEHA (IND) df. Abigail NETTE (USA), 6-4

BRONZE: Othelie HOEIE (NOR) df. Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ), 3-3
BRONZE: Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Alexis JANIAK (USA), 8-1

62kg
GOLD: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) df. MANSI (IND), via inj. def.

BRONZE: SAVITA (IND) df. Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ), 14-5
BRONZE: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Veranika IVANOVA (BLR), 6-4

65kg
GOLD: Reese LARRAMENDY (USA) df. Jennifer PAGE ROGERS (USA), 7-1

BRONZE: Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Virginia JIMENEZ (CHI), 8-2
BRONZE: Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE) df. Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN), via fall (10-0)

68kg
GOLD: Jia LONG (CHN) df. Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), 4-0

BRONZE: Noémi SZABADOS (HUN) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (RUS), 5-3
BRONZE: Zelu LI (CHN) df. Nesrin BAS (TUR), 5-4

Greco-Roman

67kg
GOLD: Dinislam BAMMATOV (RUS) df. Mohamed ABDELREHIM (EGY), 1*-1

BRONZE: Ruslan BICHURIN (RUS) df. Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADAA (AUS), 13-6
BRONZE: Din KOSHKAR (KAZ) df. Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM), via inj. def.

77kg
GOLD: Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) df. Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA), 1*-1

BRONZE: Danil GRIGOREV (RUS) df. Aleksa ILIC (SRB), 1*-1
BRONZE: Sergei KUTUZOV (RUS) df. Levente LEVAI (HUN), 6-2