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WATCH: 10 Greco-Roman finals from Asian Championships

Monday, April 25, 2022 - 05:40 By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (April 27) -- The Asian Championships crowned 10 Greco-Roman champions on the first two days. Kazakhstan won the team title with 190 points over Iran which had 176 points.

Kazakhstan won two titles, five silver medals and two bronze medals which helped them surpass Iran. The only weight class it failed to medal was 97kg in which the wrestler lost the bronze medal bout.

Iran had four gold, one silver and two bronze but they finished with 8 points in two weight classes which hurt their chances of winning the team title.

Here are the 10 Greco-Roman finals from the Asian Championships.

GOLD - 55kg: Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) vs Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ)

GOLD - 60kg: Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) vs Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI)

GOLD - 63kg: Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ) vs Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)

GOLD - 67kg: Hansu RYU (KOR) vs. Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ)

GOLD - 72kg: Mohammad MOKHTARI (IRI) vs. Abylaikhan AMZEYEV (KAZ)

GOLD - 77kg: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) vs. Maxat YEREZHEPOV (KAZ)

GOLD - 82kg: Dias KALEN (KAZ) vs. Rasoul GARMSIRI (IRI)

GOLD - 87kg: Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) vs Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB)

GOLD - 97kg: Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) vs. Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI)

GOLD - 130kg: Minseok KIM (KOR) vs Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)

Habibi, Iran's first Olympic champion, dies aged 94

Monday, August 25, 2025 - 09:42 By United World Wrestling Press

TEHRAN, Iran (August 24) -- Emamali HABIBI (IRI), Iran's first-ever Olympic gold medalist and United World Wrestling Hall of Fame member, passed away Sunday aged 94.

Habibi was born Babol in 1931 and won the first Olympic gold medal for Iran in 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. Facing Alimbeg BESTAEV in the final round to decide the gold medalist, Habibi secured a fall in the 67kg final and etched his name in history, became first Olympic champion for Iran.

It was a rare feat in those times as he had never wrestled at an international event before the Olympics. He would make his World Championships debut in 1959, winning gold medal at 73kg. He defended his title in 1961 and added a third gold medal in 1962 at 78kg.

Emamali HABIBI (IRI) with his World Championships gold medal.

He participated in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome at 73kg and finished fourth. Habibi also has a gold medal at the 1958 Asian Games, held in Tokyo, Japan.

Habibi's legacy also includes his diverse wrestling techniques and speed on the mat which allowed him to win bouts with domination. He is widely considered one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers of his times. He was included in the UWW Hall of Fame in 2007 for his contribution to wrestling.

UWW offers its condolences to Iran Wrestling Federation and the Habibi family.