#WrestleZagreb

WATCH: 10 Zagreb Open freestyle finals

Wednesday, February 8, 2023 - 14:31 By Eric Olanowski

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 8) -- The first Ranking Series event of the season, the Zagreb Open, just wrapped up in the Croatian capital. Wrestlers used the point-based competition to earn points towards their seeds at the five Continental Championships and Belgrade World Championships.

The United States topped the team standings with 174 points, while Iran and Azerbaijan rounded out the top three.

The Stars and Stripes had wrestlers win medals in seven of ten weight classes--including gold-medal performances from Alec William PANTALEO (USA), Jason Michael NOLF (USA), Kollin Raymond MOORE (USA) and Kyle Frederick SNYDER (USA) at 70kg, 74kg, 92kg and 97kg, respectively.

Iran finished in second place with 140 points, 34 points behind the United States, thanks to bracket winners Reza Ahmadali ATRINAGHARCHI (IRI), Ali Bakhtiar SAVADKOUHI (IRI), Hassan Aliazam YAZDANICHARATI (IRI) and Amir Hossein Abbas ZARE (IRI).

Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) won gold at 57kg and helped Azerbaijan close out the competition in the third position. They had seven medalists--one gold, two silver and four bronze medals--and finished with 135 points.

Here are the 10 freestyle finals from Zagreb.

57kg Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) df. Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN), 2-0

61kg: Reza Ahmadali ATRINAGHARCHI (IRI) df. Narankhuu NARMANDAKH (MGL), via fall

65kg: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) df. Joseph Christopher MC KENNA (USA), 4-1

70kg Alec William PANTALEO (USA) df. Haji ALIYEV (AZE), 5-2

74kg: Jason Michael NOLF (USA) df. Yones Aliakbar EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI), 3-3

79kg: Ali Bakhtiar SAVADKOUHI (IRI) df. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), 2-1

86kg: Hassan Aliazam YAZDANICHARATI (IRI) df. Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN), 13-2

92kg: Kollin Raymond MOORE (USA) df. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 4-3

97kg: Kyle Frederick SNYDER (USA) df. Amirali Hamid AZARPIRA (IRI), 3-0

125kg: Amir Hossein Abbas ZARE (IRI) df. Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE), via injury default

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.