After sweeping the Freestyle team title earlier this week, Iran got going in Greco-Roman adding 105 points after five weight classes and steering clear of other countries for the team title.
The gold rush was led by rising start Ahmadreza Mohsennejhad at 63kg. He wrestled 2022 U17 Asian champion Zhantoro Mirzaliev from Kyrgyzstan in the gold medal bout and came out 9-0 on top.
Alireza Abdevali won the second gold for Iran after defeating Moldova’s Alexandru Solovei in the 77kg final. Abdevali denied Solovei a chance to create history for Moldova, beating him 1-1 in the 77kg final.
By winning the final, Abdevali also avenged his 2021 U17 World Championships final's loss to Solovei. That was also a similar final in which the criteria was with Solovei, giving the Moldovan a gold medal.
Iran turned its focus to Fardin Hedayati as he was wrestling for the 130kg for the second straight year. While he suffered a heartbreaking loss in Sofia last year, Hedayati made sure there was no such drama this time around.
It was in Amman a month ago that Hedayati rocked Wenhao Jiang from China in the 130kg final. Jiang was hoping to at least close the gap between the two wrestlers if not win the gold. But there was no change in the result as Hedayati beat Jiang 8-0 to win the gold medal and put behind the disappointment from last year. Hedayati scored four steptous and two takedowns in the 8-0 win over Jiang.
“I’m glad that I was able to change the silver I won in Sofia to gold in Amman and make my people happy,” Hedayati said. “I won all the bouts with excellent scores and became the world champion without giving a single score.”
In his four bouts in Amman, Hedayati outscored his opponents 32-0 which also means that he was not in par terre for being passive even once. For the final, Hedayati was aware of Jiang's style which made it easier for him to prepare for the gold medal bout.
“I wrestled with him in the finals of the U20 Asian Championships and won 11-1,” Hedayati told UWW.org. “I was able to defeat him in less than three minutes with a score of 8-0. Jiang is a good wrestler as well.”
Back home in Iran, the 130kg weight class is dominated by world silver medalist Amin Mirzazadeh. But Hedayati is open for a go at all wrestlers.
“I have very good opponents in Iran including Amin Mirzazadeh and other dear friends,” he said. “I respect all of them. I’m doing my best to be a good representative for my country in the 2024 Olympics. I want to become a champion in Paris and having good opponents motivates me to increase my training and be able to pass these champions and reach the top of an Olympics.”
Iran Ali Choubani also won a silver medal, losing to Georgian Achiko Bolkvadze in the 87kg final.
MNA/TT