Sanya, China, April 29, 2026: In an historic display of grappling dominance, Iran executed a clean sweep in wrestling at the Asian Beach Games on Wednesday, capturing all four men’s gold medals.
Leaving powerhouse contenders like India, Pakistan and China in their wake, the Iranian squad secured their biggest-ever haul at a continental meet, cementing their status as the undisputed kings of the sand. Never before has Iran wrestled with such clinical confidence; at times, victory seemed as simple as stepping into the ring.
With additional golds in the men’s shotput, kabaddi and handball, these four wrestling titles bring their total tally to seven at the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya.
Iran’s first gold of the day arrived when Aliakbar Zaroudi vanquished India’s Siddharth with nearly two minutes remaining in the three-minute bout. The second followed quickly, as Ali Gholami shut out Pakistan’s Muhammad Asad Ullah 3-0 in a match that ended with 2:27 still on the clock. Iran wasn't just winning; they were dismantling the opposition.
In the third final, Amirhossein Kavousi outclassed Pakistan’s Muhammad Inam 3-0. While Inam fought desperately to find an opening and prolong the match, the Iranian remained relentless, securing his nation’s third gold of the session.
The most anticipated heavyweight clash saw Iran’s Seyedamirreza Sahraeimahali face China’s 7-foot giant, Lu Da. This stood as the final hurdle to Iran’s perfect run. Lu's height advantage was swiftly negated by the Iranian, who utilized a vice-like grip to stifle the big man’s movement. As a frustrated Lu struggled to find space, Seyedamirreza methodically accumulated points. With 45 seconds left, he secured the decisive third point, sparking wild celebrations for a perfect campaign.
Iranian coach Ali Bazyar was visibly moved. “It is the best gift for the people back home,” he said. “I hope this brings some happiness during the tough times our nation is navigating.”
Reflecting on the performances, Bazyar added: “It is difficult to pick a favourite because we won so convincingly. However, I’d choose the 90kg+ final. Lu Da is incredibly tall, and scoring against him is always a massive challenge.”
In the 70kg final, the silver went to India’s Siddharth. Kyrgyzstan’s Adis Uulu Rakhat took bronze.
In the 80kg, the silver went to Pakistan’s Muhammad Asad Ullah and the bronze to China’s Lu Feng.
In the 90kg, the silver went to Pakistan’s Muhammad Inam and the silver to Mongolia’s Turbold Ganbold.
In the 90kg plus, the silver went to China’s Lu Da and the bronze to Bahrain’s Shamil Sharipov.