#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open: Azarpira beats Snyder; Zare, Susaki dominate

Friday, January 12, 2024 - 00:01 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (January 11) -- He was ready to take over the 97kg weight class in Iran after the Tokyo Olympics. He won the U23 World Championships aged 19 years. He repeated as the champion in 2022. But then Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) rose along with Mohammad MOHAMMADIAN (IRI).

After spending a year struggling at 92kg because of the decision of Iran's management, Amirali AZAPIRA (IRI) is back to his best at 97kg. He defeated Goleij and Mohammadian in Iran and shocked the wrestling world on Thursday with a controlled win over Kyle SNYDER (USA) at the Zagreb Open to win the gold medal.

Snyder, who was the favorite to win the gold medal, especially after his easy 4-0 win over Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) in the semifinal, was shut down by Azarpira in the second period, suffering a 6-3 loss after leading 3-0.

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) scores on Kyle SNYDER (USA) in the 97kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Memories from last year's Zagreb Open final must have flashed for Azarpira as he lost that match 3-0 to return with a silver medal. But this year, despite Snyder's 3-0 lead, Azarpira continued his attacks and scored two takedowns in the second period to win 6-3.

"I had already thought about the final," Azarpira said. "I had practiced with the other guys [on the Iran team] for a long time for this competition. Last year, I lost to Snyder in the same tournament and the same final but this year, I was confident that I could defeat him."

Snyder led 1-0 at the break after Azarpira was on the activity clock and opened the second period with a takedown to lead 3-0. But Azarpira answered with a takedown of his own to make it 3-2 and added a stepout which Snyder challenged but lost.

Azarpira led 4-3 with over a minute remaining in the final and Snyder came close to scoring the winning stepout twice but Azarpira's defended well.

"It was a good takedown in the first period and then he got into my legs and scored," Snyder said. "I still had a minute and 15 seconds to score but could not. He had good defense. It was good to compete and keep learning. I need to get better at opening guys up and score points."

Azarpira used Iran's traditional underhooks and kept his legs away from Snyder's reach to avoid getting taken down or double-leg attacks.

"I was three points behind but I didn’t lose my focus because I had a plan," Azarpira said. "I knew that even if I was six points behind, I could win it. I was relieved because I already knew that I was going to win. My mind was ready for this competition and I had gained self-confidence."

Azarpira lost some of his self-confidence in 2023 when Iran decided to prepare him for the World Championships at 92kg after Ghasempour's injury. He finished fourth at the Ranking Series event in Budapest and eighth at the World Championships after a loss to Zahid VALENCIA (USA).

But come 2023, he won the Iran nationals to earn his spot for Zagreb and with the win over Snyder, he will be headed to the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek in April.

"I’ve been playing at the weight of 97kg for about three or four years and I fit in this weight," he said. "But according to the opinion of the technical staff of my country, they allowed me to participate in the World Championships at 92kg. But at this weight, considering the weight I lost and the circumstances, I didn’t have the necessary preparation for the competition and I was very annoyed during this time. But I wasn’t real me in the World Championships when I lost."

Azarpira opened the day with a 5-0 win over Radoslaw BARAN (POL) and survived a scare against Isaac TRUMBLE (USA) 8-7 before winning 10-0 against VICKY (UWW).

But Snyder was dominant in the first three matches. He defeated Tuerxunbieke MUHEITE (CHN), Erhan YAYLACI (TUR) and Cristian SARCO (VEN) via technical superiority. He would then beat Ghasempour 4-0 in their second career meeting.

Azarpira's win over Snyder has all but ended Ghasempour's Olympic hopes. Winning the quota in Bishkek would mean that Azapira's ticket to Paris is all but guaranteed.

"It can be said that this weight is the hardest weight in the World, Olympic, Asian," Azarpira said. "With the plans I have, I hope I can get the best results in this weight and I have high hopes in myself.

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) defeated Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) 5-0 in the 125kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Another Iran wrestler who has confirmed his Paris Olympics ticket is world champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) as he defeated Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) in the 125kg final. The bout was a playoff for the Olympic spot as Masoumi had won the national championships. Like their previous encounters, Zare was in control of the bout which he won 5-0.

"Masoumi is a young and powerful wrestler and he wrestles with high physical strength," Zare said. "Because of that, I was under pressure but according to the training I had done before this tournament, I showed my body was ready to defeat all my opponents."

Throughout the day, Zare showed why he remains the top wrestler at 125kg, winning two bouts via technical superiority before the final.

"The competition was high level and in our weight, except for one or two wrestlers, the champions of different countries were all present and this shows that this year is the year of the Olympics," he said.

Having won the World Championships twice now and a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, Zare said that he would do everything in his control to win the Paris Olympics.

"The biggest dream of every athlete is Olympic gold and I practice and work hard every day to achieve the Olympic gold and I wanna do it not just once, but several times."

Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI)Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) won the 79kg gold after a 6-0 win over Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO). (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Iran's third gold medal was won by Mohamad NOKHODI (IRI) who recovered from a grueling semifinal against Evan WICK (USA) to win gold at 79kg with a 6-0 win over Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO). The two-time world silver medalist Iranian struggled with his conditioning in the semifinal but managed to win 6-6. In the final, he scored all the points in the first period and then defended Kentchadze's attacks to win the gold.

Kentchadze finished with a silver medal last year as well after losing to Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) in the final.

In the other non-Olympic weight class in Freestyle, Nathan JACKSON (USA) won the gold medal at 92kg after a fall over Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) in the final.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN)Yui SUSAKI (JPN) defeated Ziqi FENG (CHN) in the 50kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Susaki show

A fully fit and rejuvenated Yui SUSAKI (JPN) remained untouchable in wrestling as she won the 50kg gold medal with ease, finishing each of her five bouts well before time.

Her opponent in the final and world bronze medalist Ziqi FENG (CHN) had similar results, finishing her three bouts before time but suffered a 10-0 loss to Susaki in the final.

At the World Championships, Feng had troubled Susaki and only lost 4-2 but Susaki said it wasn't a big deal.

"I have no injury now," Susaki said. "After the World Championships, I planned a lot [for Feng]."

The 24-year-old has been on a long exposure trip to Europe in which she trained in Germany and France.

"I want to train with foreign athletes and know the style," she said. "I have the Olympics so I want to feel the power of foreign wrestlers, how to fight them, how to plan against them. I had a great experience."

At 55kg, Samantha STEWART (CAN) came home with a gold medal after a 3-1 victory over Roksana ZASINA (POL) in the final.

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RESULTS

Freestyle

79kg
GOLD: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) df. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), 6-0

BRONZE: Evan WICK (USA) df. Abdollah SHEIKHAZAMI (IRI), 

92kg
GOLD: Nathan JACKSON (USA) df. Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO), via fall

BRONZE: Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) df. Eric SCHULTZ (USA), 8-7

97kg
GOLD: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. Kyle SNYDER (USA), 6-3

BRONZE: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Erhan YAYLACI (TUR), 3-1
BRONZE: Isaac TRUMBLE (USA) df. VICKY (UWW), 8-5

125kg
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI), 5-0

BRONZE: Zhiwei DENG (CHN) df. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Mason PARRIS (USA) df. Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE), 6-2

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Ziqi FENG (CHN), 10-0

BRONZE: Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (AIN) df. Kseniya STANKEVICH (AIN), via fall (10-2) 
BRONZE: Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) df. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), 7-6

55kg
GOLD: Samantha STEWART (CAN) df. Roksana ZASINA (POL), 3-1

BRONZE: Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 2-2
BRONZE: Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) df. Albina RILLIA (UKR), via fall (4-0)  

#wrestlebishkek

Asian Championships: Rise of Sujeet Fuels India’s 65kg Gold Hopes

Sunday, April 5, 2026 - 14:05 By Vinay Siwach

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BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 4) -- When SUJEET (IND) steps on the mat at the Asian Championships in Bishkek on Friday, he will carry hopes of a country looking for an Asian champion in a Freestyle weight class other than 57kg for the past seven years.

The 23-year-old is unbeaten this year, winning gold medals at the Zagreb Open and Muhamet Malo Ranking Series, making him the favorite to win gold at 65kg in Bishkek. The last time India won a gold medal at the Asian Championships was 2019 when Bajrang PUNIA (IND) won in Xi'an, China.

"I don't think much about anything," Sujeet says. "I say the name of the God and step on the mat. I will do the same at the Asian Championships.

"I am happy that I wrestle at 65kg because India has a decent history at 65kg. I will also try to carry it forward."

The 65kg field in Bishkek includes returning 61kg Asian champion Takara SUDA (JPN) who is moving up one weight. Suda's ability to score at any time in a bout puts him as the biggest threat against Sujeet.

World bronze medalist Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) is another strong competitor for Sujeet. The Indian enjoys a 4-0 head-to-head record against the Uzbekistan wrestler but at last year's Asian Championships, Sujeet pulled out of his bronze medal bout against Jalolov due to an injury.

Another tough competitor for Sujeet can be Peyman NEMATI (IRI). The two wrestled in the final of the Zagreb Open and the Iranian managed to keep Sujeet quiet despite losing 3-0. He will be keen to avenge that loss and win gold for Iran.

Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK), a world bronze medalist at 70kg in 2024, can spring a surprise and so can former U17 world champion Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ).

Early Start

Hailing from village Imlota, Charkhi Dadri in Haryana, a state that produces majority of wrestlers in India, Sujeet was introduced to wrestling in his village.

"There was an old akhada [training school] in my village so I used to go there," he says. "No coach had formal experience as such and I used to lose at the district level. I remember I lost in 2019 at the state level."

While there was little history of wrestling in the village itself, Sujeet's father Dayanand KALKAL was a national-level wrestler and was keen for his son to pick the sport as well. Till 2020, Sujeet continued training in the village.

"I was decent in studies," he says. "I balanced it with wrestling but after school, it was all wrestling. My village was very supportive of my wrestling. And then in 2021, I made the switch."

From south-west Haryana, Sujeet moved to Sonipat, a district in Haryana 60 kilometers north of New Delhi. With more experienced training partners, Sujeet could feel the improvements in his wrestling.

"The shift in 2021 to Sonipat changed my wrestling," he says. "My wrestling matured and the other wrestlers had international experience so it helped me in all aspects."

SUJEET (IND)SUJEET (IND), third from left, won a bronze medal at the 2022 U20 World Championships in Sofia. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In just one year, Sujeet made the U20 Indian team and was on his way to Bulgaria for the World Championships. He lost to Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) in the semifinals but won a bronze medal at 65kg, his first in international wrestling on debut.

"I was happy that I won a medal in my first-ever competition despite it being bronze," he says. "My wrestling was different than my opponents. I had never experienced that. But slowly I got used to it."

The biggest challenge for Sujeet was the vast difference in wrestling between junior and senior levels.

"When you shift from junior to senior, there is a lot of difference from power to technique," he says. "Opponents study you a lot once you are consistently competing. Everyone studies each other but I stick to my techniques."

Senior Career

Sujeet made the required adjustments and won the senior nationals in India to make the team with a hope to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. But that journey ended in a heartbreak.

At the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek, Sujeet failed to reach the competition due to floods at the Dubai airport. A month later at the World Olympic Qualifiers in Istanbul, Sujeet squandered a 2-0 lead against Zain RETHERFORD (USA) and missed out on a ticket to Paris.

"My father says do not celebrate too much when you win, don't be disheartened when you lose, balance it," he says. "So I try to keep it balanced. I don't sulk when I lose. I think about it a little and then move on, sit with my friends and try to see what I can improve."

In need of training partners who could challenge him with different styles, Sujeet spent a few months training overseas. He picked Mongolia, Russia and Japan, and picked a few details from the sparring sessions. He also realized that depending on the renowned Indian conditioning will not be enough to win medals at the world level.

"In India, the training lasts long, usually 3-4 hours," he says. "In Japan, they have smaller training sessions with focus on speed. Russia also has longer sessions with focus on scrambles and bouts.

"Our stamina comes from the longer trainings which are also very hard. The Indian sit-ups are quite different. Others also have unique ways to train but they focus on their own styles. But we ultimately work hard for longer bouts."

Sujeet ended 2024 with a bronze medal at 70kg at the U23 World Championships.

For the majority of 2025, he remained an under-the-radar wrestler. He won the Ranking Series event in Budapest but was far off from being a medal threat at the September World Championships. However, a bout against Olympic silver medalist Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) at the World Championships caught the attention of the fans.

Though he lost 6-5, Sujeet was surprisingly the only wrestler who troubled Amouzad, the eventual world champion, in Zagreb.

"It was my first bout so I was all over the place and he was clearly stronger than me," he recalls. "May be next time I will be calmer. I took too much pressure on myself to win a medal and that showed in my bout against Real WOODS (USA)."

Woods beat Sujeet in repechage after an initial flurry of turns and then defended his lead to win 7-5. Sujeet returned home empty-handed.

SUJEET (IND)SUJEET (IND), second from left, as the U23 world champion in 2025. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Unbeaten Streak

But in a month's time, Sujeet would make amends and win the U23 world title with a stunning series of win over former U23 world champion Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) in the quarterfinals, former U20 world champion Yuto NISHUCHI (JPN) in semifinals and Jalolov, who had won bronze in Zagreb, 10-0 in the final. He scored in the final 10 seconds in the quarterfinals and semifinals.

"At the U23 Worlds, I did not care much about the draw," he says. "I think I can manage to score at any moment. I do panic but I try to remain calm. I like going for the sweep and catch both legs to score points."

The Asian Championships will be a huge test of Sujeet's recent form and skill. A gold in Bishkek can put him in the top-tier of 65kg. Does he have the class to win in Bishkek and beyond?

"My wrestling is going good," he says. "Some win via technique, some win by speed. I personally feel my wrestling is good to win here."