TEHRAN, Jan. 31 (MNA) – Iranian wrestlers bagged three medals on the first day of the 2016 Paris International Tournament.

In the 57kg weight category, Iran’s freestyler Reza Atri defeated Pedro Jesus Me of Venezuela 7-6 in the qualification round before he breezed past Adama Diatta of Senegal 7-1 in the quarter finals.

Overthrowing Mongolia‘s Batbold Sodnomdash 14-2 in the semi-finals, Iran’s Atri thrashed Levan Metreveli, the Spanish rival, 8-2 to win the title.

The Iranian representative in 74kg, Hassan Yazdani, had to down Michael Perry of America 9-4 and Alberto Martinez of Spain 10-nil in order to reach the semi-finals.

In the same category, Iran’s Alireza Ghasemi gained a victory over Spain’s Taimuraz Friev before he subdued Zelimkhan Hadjiev of France 10-9 while he conceded a 8-0 defeat against Yazdani in the semi-finals.

In a close encounter in the finals of 74kg against Ali Shabanau, the prominent Belarusian wrestler owner of world’s third ranking in 2013 and 2014, Iran’s Yazdani lost the match 6-7 conceding to the silver medal.

Ghasemi failed in his attempt to clinch the bronze medal in a match against America’s Perry who had reached Final 3/5 through a Repechage match to leave Iran’s representative in the fifth ranking overall.

A total of 12 freestylers were competing in the 97kg weight category where Iran’s Abbas Tahan defeated Ivan Yankouski of Belarus 9-0 while he failed to down the Mongolian rival Khuderbulga Dorjkhand 4-6 finding his way to the Final 3/5.

Tahan gained the upper hand over Brazil’s Paulo Victor receiving the bronze medal of the tournament.

On Sunday, the second the of the event, the remaining members of the Iranian squad including Hassan Rahimi and Iman Sadeghi (61kg), Seyed Ahmad Mohammadi (70kg), Alireza Karimi (86kg) as well as Komeil Ghasemi (125kg) will compete against rivals.

Organized by French Wrestling Federation, the 3rd Paris International Tournament is underway in Senior as well as Female Greco-Roman and Free style sections on January 29th- 31st, 2016 in Paris’s INSEP Olympic Center.

 

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