Paris, France, August 7, 2024: Mohammadhadi Saravi of Iran notched his first win in four career meetings with superstar Artur Aleksanyan (Armenia) - and it couldn't have come at a better time or place.
Saravi scored a late takedown against Aleksanyan in the Greco 97kg final on Wednesday at the Paris Olympics, giving him a 4-1 victory to improve on the bronze medal he won three years ago in Tokyo.
"Thank God I got the first gold for Iran at Paris 2024, and my first gold at an Olympics after I took bronze at Tokyo 2020," Saravi said. "And thanks to my coaches. I’m so happy."
Saravi, winner of three tournaments this year including the Asian Championships, looked confident against the veteran Aleksanyan, who had previously beaten him in the semifinals at the Tokyo Olympics and at both the 2019 and 2022 World Championships.
"It’s so sweet to win the gold medal after three attempts," Saravi said. "I have a lot of respect for my opponent in the final. He’s so professional, but I was able to beat him."
Both wrestlers were unable to score from the top in par terre, and Saravi held a 1-1 lead on criteria in the second period. In a quick flurry, Aleksanyan was knocked backward toward the ground, and Saravi spun behind for a takedown.
The Armenian side challenged that Saravi had gone out of bounds during the move, but the takedown was upheld, tacking another point on to the Iranian's tally. He then held on to become Iran's fifth Olympic Greco champion in its history.
"I had lost matches before, even though I still won medals, but now I won, and it is like getting revenge, and at the most important tournament to do that," said Saravi, the 2021 world champion who won bronzes in 2022 and 2023.
Saravi knows that celebrations have started in his hometown of Amol in north central Iran.
"My city and province is the home of Greco-Roman wrestling in Iran," he said. "Everybody is really happy there and celebrates my medal, so I am really proud to have made this happen.”
GOLD FOR JAPAN
In the other Greco final, world bronze medalist Nao Kusaka scored a 4-point takedown in the second period that propelled him to the 77kg gold with a 5-2 victory over four-time Asian medalist Demeu Zhadrayev (KAZ).
In the final, Zhadrayev struck first with a stepout and a passivity point, but he was unable to turn Kusaka from par terre and went into the second period leading 2-0.
Kusaka, who had beaten Zhadrayev in their only previous meeting at the 2023 German Grand Prix, turned the match around when he stuck the Kazakh with a pancake for 4. He then received a passivity point to make it 5-2 and held on to finish up the victory.
"To be honest, it didn't go according to my game plan," Kusaka said. "But all I could do was believe in myself all the way to the end. Once I got on the mat, there was nobody there to save me. I just believed in myself and all the training that I put in and kept putting the pressure on.
"It's like a dream," Kusaka said. "For this moment, from when I was little, I got through tough times and it's great that I became the champion."
(United World Wrestling)