Iran’s freestyle wrestlers delivered standout performances at the Islamic Solidarity Games, with Younes Emami capturing gold in the 74kg category and Kamran Ghasempour earning bronze at 86kg.

Emami showcased dominance throughout the tournament. After receiving a first-round bye, he defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Orozobek Toktomambetov 5-2, then edged past reigning world champion Nurkozha Kaipanov of Kazakhstan 6-5 in a tense semifinal. In the final, Emami overwhelmed Azerbaijan’s Aghanazar Nuruzov with a commanding 5-0 victory to secure the gold medal.

Speaking after his triumph, Emami said: “Thank God I was able to finish these competitions successfully. I hope the people of Iran accept this medal from me, and I wish to bring them more joy in the future.” He praised the high level of competition, noting the presence of world-class athletes, and expressed gratitude for the support of Iranian fans.

In the 86kg division, Ghasempour faced an early setback, losing 5-3 to Azerbaijan’s Arsenii Dzhioev, a world bronze medalist. With Zhiyev advancing to the final, Ghasempour entered the repechage bracket, where he rebounded impressively. He defeated Algeria’s Bin Farjallah Fateh 8-0 and then dominated Tajikistan’s Magomed Aliev 11-0 to claim the bronze medal.

Iran closed the freestyle wrestling competition with one gold medal from Younes Emami and one bronze from Kamran Ghasempour, a strong finish on the last day of the Games in Riyadh.

Hossein Amiri - Mojtaba Darabi