Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, April 25, 2022: Iran grabbed three freestyle gold medals on the final day of competition as the curtain fell on the 2022 Asian Wrestling Championships on Sunday, April 24.
Iran won six of the 10 gold medals on offer in men’s freestyle to draw level with Japan in the overall medal standings – both finishing with 10 gold medals - as the Asian showpiece drew to an end at the Buyant Ukhaa Sport Palace in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar.
While Iran dominated the men’s freestyle events, seven of Japan’s 10 gold medals came in the women’s freestyle competition.
A total of 19 countries competed at the April 19-24 tournament.
Iran’s remaining four gold medals came in Greco-Roman, but Kazakhstan claimed top spot in the team points standings by virtue of winning two gold medals and five silvers.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Sunday congratulated the country’s national wrestling team for the rich haul of medals which was capped by the dominance of the men’s freestyle team.
Iran ruled the heavier weight categories in men’s freestyle with Yadollah Mohebi seizing gold at 125kg, Mohammed Hossein Mohammadian winning the 97kg event and Amirhossein Firouzpour claiming the 92kg title.
The other three gold medals for Iran in the freestyle competition came courtesy of Rahman Amouzad in 65kg, Younes Emami in 74kg and Ali Savadkouhi in 79kg.
India’s Ravi Kumar Dahiya won the 57kg freestyle title to become the first Indian to complete an Asian wrestling golden hat-trick having also won in 2020 and 2021. His gold medal and three silver medals from Bajrang Punia, 65kg, Gourav Baliyan, 79kg, and Deepak Punia, 86kg, enabled India to finish second to Iran in the freestyle team rankings.
Medal Standings
(1) Japan: 10 gold, 2 silvers, 9 bronze. 21.
(2) Iran: 10 gold, 2 silvers, 3 bronze. 15
(3) Kazakhstan: 5 gold, 8 silvers, 8 bronze. 21.
(4) Kyrgyzstan: 4 gold, 3 silvers, 7 bronze. 14.
(5) India: 1 gold, 5 silvers, 11 bronze. 17.
(6) Mongolia: 0 gold, 6 silvers, 6 bronze. 12.
(7) Uzbekistan: 0 gold, 2 silvers, 6 bronze. 8.
(8) South Korea: 0 gold, 2 silvers, 1 bronze. 3.
