Iran lifts Greco-Roman Asian Championship title in Jordan with 5 gold medals

Iran's national Greco-Roman wrestling team has claimed the top honor at the 2025 Asian Senior Greco-Roman Wrestling Championship in Amman, Jordan, winning five gold medals and three silver medals.

The tournament, held on March 25-26, saw Iranian wrestlers dominate across multiple weight classes.

Leading the charge were Saeid Esmaeili (67 kg), Danial Sohrabi (72 kg), Mohammad Naghousi (82 kg), Mohammad Hadi Saravi (97 kg), and Fardin Hedayati (130 kg), all of whom earned gold.

In addition, Mohammad Mehdi Keshtkar (63 kg), Alireza Abdevali (77 kg), and Yasin Yazdi (97 kg) claimed silver medals, contributing to Iran’s commanding total of 201 points, and securing the championship.

Uzbekistan and Japan finished second and third respectively, with 168 and 131 points each.

The Iranian squad’s strong performance continued the country's legacy of dominance in Greco-Roman wrestling, following their recent success at the Zagreb Ranking Series in February, where they also topped the medal table.

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Competing in Jordan in the 63-kg category, Mohammad Mehdi Keshtkar made an impressive run to the final, securing victories over Japan's Godai Mitani and South Korea's Han Jae Chang. However, he ended up with Uzbekistan's Aitjan Khalmakhanov in the final, earning silver with a 13-4 loss.

Saeid Esmaeili, who competed in his first official event since the Paris Olympics, triumphed in the 67-kg category. He defeated Kyrgyzstan's Razzak Beishekeev 3-0 in the final. "The competition level was high, especially with wrestlers from Japan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan," the Iranian athlete said after his victory.

Danial Sohrabi, also fresh from his Olympics’ triumph, displayed remarkable skill in the 72-kg weight class. He breezed to victory with an 8-0 win over Uzbekistan's Abdollah Aliyev in the final. Sohrabi had previously dominated the competition, winning each of his bouts without conceding a point.

Mohammad Naghousi added to Iran’s gold medal tally in the 82-kg category, defeating Kazakhstan's Omar Sataev 3-1 in a hard-fought final.

Similarly, Mohammad Hadi Saravi dominated the 97-kg category, where he won his final 8-0 against Japan’s Yuri Nakazato, maintaining his perfect streak in recent competitions.

In the 130-kg final, Fardin Hedayati flaunted his strength, clinching another gold for Iran by defeating Kazakhstan's Alimkhan Sizdakov 7-0.

Rising stars and close contests

While Iran’s champions shone bright, the tournament also saw tough battles. Alireza Abdevali fought valiantly in the 77-kg category, earning silver after a narrow 4-2 loss to Uzbekistan's Aram Vardanyan, the World Championship silver medalist.

Similarly, Yasin Yazdi claimed silver in the 97-kg category after a competitive final against Uzbekistan’s Jalgasbay Berdimuratov.

In other weight classes, Iran’s efforts in the 55-kg and 60-kg categories fell short of medals. Pouya Dadmarz faced a difficult second-round loss to North Korea's Yu Chol Ro, while Pouya Nasserpour lost a close fifth-place match to Japan's Kaito Inaba.

Team dominance

The Iranian team’s overall score of 201 points highlighted the depth of talent and mettle within the squad. The team finished well ahead of Uzbekistan, which earned 168 points, and Japan, which rounded out the top three with 131 points.

The victory came on the heels of Iran's strong showing at the 2024 U23 World Championships and positions them as one of the favorites for future international competitions, including the World Championships later this year.

As Iran continues its dominance in Greco-Roman wrestling, the focus now shifts to preparations for the World Championships, where many of these athletes will look to carry forward their momentum and secure additional titles for the country.

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